Greek Festival staff, including co-chair Paul Loutraris.

By Lauren C. Ostberg

Opa! The 2010 Greek Music and Food Festival, set to run Sept. 10 to 12, will bring Greek dance, culture, music and, yes, homemade food to Somerville’s Central Street.

Food is one of the big draws of the festival — traditional Greek desserts, along with savory roast lamb, potatoes, moussaka, and the ever-popular gyro. “Everything is homemade,” said Paul Loutraris, who is co-chairing the event.  Much of the food will be made fresh, in the kitchen of Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, or, in the event that they opt for the lamb-on-a-spit method, out on the lawn.

The baked goods – loukoumades, baklava, diples, koulourakia, galatobouriko, kourambiedes, and more – are the product of much-coveted recipes; some will be made in the parishoners’ homes.

Beyond its famous food, Somerville’s Greek Fest will feature live music. Somerville bands Orpheas and Pedia will perform on Sunday and Friday. You can also expect some traditional Greek dancing – hasapiko, syrta, line-dancing, to name a few.

There will be a moon bounce, face paint, and an air-conditioned play area for the kids. The Dormition has rented a large tent, and they expect to host more than one thousand visitors, rain or shine