SAN MARCOS — Four generations of Americans grew up knowing little to nothing about Serbia, the Balkan nation that re-emerged as an independent country following the breakup of Yugoslavia.
Serbia became a sovereign nation again in 2006, nearly nine decades after joining the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which was established in 1918 and later renamed Yugoslavia.
But Serbia has always maintained its culture, history and Serbian Orthodox Church. Local Serbian immigrants founded St. Petka Serbian Orthodox Church in San Marcos in 1986.
For nearly 15 years, with occasional breaks because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues, St. Petka has hosted its annual Serb Fest. This year’s festival is set for noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26.
The Rev. Milovan Katanić, the church’s pastor since 2015, told The Coast News that the parish festival introduces North County residents to both the congregation and the larger Serbian community.
“It’s an open house: people come and taste our food and listen to our music.”
As with most church festivals, volunteers organize and run the event.
A Serbian folklore troupe will perform and lead dancing sessions, and Dragana Carić and Boris Batula will provide live music.
Parish members will spit-roast pig and lamb and serve Serbian beef goulash made with onions slow-cooked until they break down into a sauce. Other traditional Serbian foods include ćevapi, a type of sausage served on a flatbread known as lepinje, and palačinke, traditional Serbian crepes.
A popular side dish is urnebes, a spread made with salty cheese, sour cream, paprika, roasted peppers, cream cheese, oil and egg yolks. Ajvar is another popular spread made with bell peppers and garlic.
While Greeks and Turks both claim to have invented baklava, the decadent layered pastry has been embraced by Serbian culture and made wholly its own.
Imported Serbian beer will be sold to those 21 and older, along with rakija, a traditional fruit brandy made from a variety of fruits, including quince, plums and pears.
Church tours will also be offered, Katanić said.
“We talk about theology, who we are.”
However, he laughingly admitted that the questions he receives during tours are rarely about the Christian faith and instead are “Usually about construction!”
A recent major roof repair is complete, and exterior scaffolding around the dome has been removed, although interior repairs related to water damage remain. The church also has longstanding plans to have icons written on its interior walls.
St. Petka Serbian Orthodox Church is located at 1854 Knob Hill Road. Admission to Serb Fest is $5, with food and drinks available for separate purchase. Identification is required to purchase alcohol.
