The first-ever Lebanese dinner at St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral in Wichita happened in 1921. And except for when the country was at war, when the cathedral was undergoing renovations or when COVID had shut everything down, the dinner has been put on every year since.
This weekend, the congregation of the cathedral at 7515 E. 13th St. will put on its 90th installation of the fund-raising dinner, which invites members of the community to purchase meals that include traditional Lebanese dishes like cabbage rolls, kibba and baklawa.
The dinner, the church’s biggest annual fundraiser, will run from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday at the church, 7515 E. 13th St. Members of the church have been working for months to prepare the meals they’ll serve, each of which will include salad, pita bread, cabbage rolls, kibba, ruz and yuknee — a Lebanese stew with beef, green beans and tomatoes that’s served over rice — and baklawa for dessert.
Customers can either pick their food up at a well-oiled drive through setup, dine inside or pick up their food to go. Meals cost $23, $15 for children 10 and under. The event also will include a popular Country Kitchen offering extra portions of things like kibba, cabbage rolls and baklawa as well as salad dressing and pita bread. Church tours also will be offered.
The event is a favorite fall tradition in Wichita, said dinner co-chair Alexis Phillips. But beyond that, it’s a treasured part of the church’s history: Her great grandmother, grandmother and mother all played key roles in organizing and preparing the dinner over its long history, and now, Phillips’ own children are starting to get involved…