Greece, the birthplace of democracy and philosophy....

Greece, the birthplace of democracy and philosophy. If you have ever wanted to visit the ancient temple ruins and sample the historic culture, now is the time, and you don’t even need a passport. The 41st annual Grecian Festival will be held at the Rainbow Lagoon in Long Beach over the Labor Day weekend. The three-day festival Sept. 1 to 3 will offer a variety of dancing, food and entertainment.

Greek dancers in traditional costumes will provide continuous entertainment. Greek music will be provided by the Olympians, Rebetes and Paradosi groups. Dance lessons will be available. The Olympian dancers, of Assumption Church in Long Beach, are pictured above on a slope in Signal Hill because the site was deemed similar to the landscape in Greece.

Gastronomes will be able to pick from a variety of Greek food and pastries. There will be tyropite (cheese triangles), spanokopite (spinach pie), Greek barbecued chicken, loukumades (fritters in honey and cinnamon) and baklava. Prices of individual items will vary, but a complete dinner will cost $6 to $8. There will be Greek cooking demonstrations at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. daily.

The Greek National Tourist Organization will provide videos of the countryside, the historic cities and ancient temple ruins. Storytelling sessions will recount the glories and tragedies of Greek mythology. There also will be rides and games for children, including a dunking booth.

Artist James Scott Geras will autograph numbered commemorative posters of his design commissioned by the Greek Orthodox Church. Posters will be available for $25; proceeds will benefit the church.

Rainbow Lagoon is at Shoreline Drive and Linden Avenue, Long Beach. The festival opens at noon each day and closes at 9 p.m. Tickets are $2 per day; children under 12 are free. Parking at the festival is $5 per day. Free parking and shuttle service to the festival is available at Long Beach Plaza. For more information, call 493-6925 or 438-9461.