ORANGE, Calif. — Falafel, a popular vegan street food from the Middle East, is just one of many dishes you’ll taste at the OC Lebanese Cultural Festival.
Church volunteer and proud Lebanese American, Ed Salem, is helping prepare for the festivities which take place in Orange at St. John Maron Catholic church.
“We’re here to welcome you to the annual festival. It is our first in the last three years,” he said. “Our theme is Ahlen Wa’Sahlen — which means welcome and twice welcome.”
Now that pandemic restrictions have lifted, the community is excited to present a cultural celebration for all neighboring communities. Salem is helping prepare “manaeesh,” a mix of zaatar and olive oil on pita bread, which will be served at the festival.
Meanwhile, the youth of the community is preparing dabke dances for the guests, in hopes of spreading a spirit of joy for all attendees. Salem said it is the passing of cultural customs, from one generation to the next, which keeps that joy alive.
“The morals and ethics of their homeland, all of them very important and going to be carried on to future generations,” Salem expressed.
With the festival taking place at the church campus, Monsignor Antoine Bakh says a spirit of hopeful celebration and welcoming inclusivity is just what all of society needs right now.
“Knowing that the past has seen so much difficulty, and they made it through, and they were able to celebrate, and we do the same,” he said.
And there’s nothing like a falafel sandwich to unite a diverse region like California. The gathering takes place on June 10-12.
Salem emphasized Lebanon’s spirit of tolerance, referring to it as the “Switzerland of the Middle East.”
“Lebanon itself is a welcoming country, open, people go there, they love to go, enjoy, live, love, laugh and be happy, and that same tradition is here,” Salem said.