This is one of those not-to-be-missed food events: the 31st annual Greek Festival this weekend in Raleigh.

The festivities and the food start at 5 p.m. Friday in the Exposition Center at the N.C. State Fairgrounds.

Believe me when I tell you that this food is made by Greek grandmothers. It's the real deal and those women spend many hours making baklava and other Greek specialities by hand in the kitchen at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church on Lead Mine Road.

The hours of the three-day event is 5-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.

General admission costs $3. Seniors and young adults age 13 to 18 pay $2 and children, ages 13 and under, are free. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Habitat for Humanity of Wake County.

For more information, go to www.holytrinityraleigh.org/GreekFestival.