Vince GarciaFrom bratwurst sausage to Greek baklava, thousands of people united to drink beer and eat food at the Old Town Orange International Street Fair over Labor Day weekend. The fair brings 14 cultures together from across the globe through food and music in the center of Old Town Orange.
Booths were staffed by people from nonprofit organizations, and proceeds from the food sold went to their cause.
The festival was laid out in the shape of a cross with merchants around the Orange circle. Attendees showed up for the event dressed up in traditional outfits for the fair to listen to music and eat food.
For 54 years, the community has come together annually every labor day weekend.
“It’s a place where the community can join together and have fun. It exposes other people to different cultures and food, and I think that is a great thing,” said City of Orange Mayor Dan Slater.
Julie Sarres, who is in her 26th year working for the Greek booth, representing St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, was selling baklava, one of several pastries prepared three months in advance. She explained that as the event draws closer, the focus shifts towards the souvlaki and meat dishes.
She highlighted how the Greek section uses the festival as an opportunity to share traditional foods with people from different cultures while working alongside other groups participating in the fair.
“We love spreading the wealth of food and sharing what our culture traditionally eats, and the camaraderie to make it happen for our church,” Sarres said.
The exchange between cultures shows up in the food each booth brings to the fair. At the Swiss booth, bratwurst was a crowd favorite, said Sean Sergeant, who represented the Laguna Hills Boys Basketball Program.
“It is traditional, and you can have it on any occasion. Having it grilled is the best way to eat it and is how many people prefer it,” Sergeant said.
Money raised at the booth goes toward the Izaak Walton League of America, with some of the proceeds also supporting Laguna Hills Boys basketball program.
Beyond raising money, the festival allows visitors to experience cultures through different foods they may have never tried, and that is what Sergeant emphasized.
“Oh, culture for sure,” Sergeant said. “I had a lot of people coming up to the Swiss booth excited about the different foods they can try here.”
