Seta Tchakerian anticipates each coming September. Not only because this month marks the 15th anniversary of Armenian independence from Russia, a cause for celebration and pride among Armenians, but because this is the time of year she can get her hands on some really good homemade sou-boereg.

The distinctly Armenian dish, made from cheese, parsley, eggs and dough, is labor intensive, and Tchakerian, office manager at St. Gregory’s Armenian Orthodox Church says that no one has time to make it themselves.

“It’s a rare chance, this time each year, I wait all year to buy it,” she says.

And yes, she says, the Bay Area Armenian community can find similar foods at Persian or Greek restaurants year round, but they would never miss their chance to buy as much authentic sou-boereg, and meatball kuftas as possible. And this is exactly what they do each year at the Armenian food festival, held on Brotherhood Way.

On the warm Saturday afternoon of September 16, a row of white tents is set up in a parking lot along the street. Alongside at the entrance, children jump and squeal inside huge inflated play pens. Young men stand erect at the gate in solid black outfits emblazoned with white letters reading “SECURITY.”

At 4 o’clock in the afternoon, the festivities are just warming up.

Around the perimeter, matronly women in aprons are perched at their respective stations, offering up everything from traditional Armenian pastries, to iridescent silver and magenta tablecloths. For $2, they pour a stiff cup of grainy but good coffee into an ornate espresso cup with saucer.

While the smell of grilled lamb and onions permeates the tent, a group of Armenian men are standing at the bar in the middle of the festivities. Slowly, they sip on whiskey from plastic cups and chomp on smoldering cigars.

A cardboard advertises the rates for wine and liquor. Empty bottles of Armenian lager reading “Kotayk” in bright blue lettering are sitting on empty tables with blue and white checked tablecloths.

At 6 o’clock, well-dressed families pour in through the gates, and eagerly wait in long lines that spill out from the main dining hall. As they dine on grape leaf dolmas and pilaf, the Hamaskayin dance group performs on stage. Young women in ornate headdresses and beaded costumes smile as they swirl their hands elegantly, following each other slowly in snake like patterns.

Lucineh Kassarjian, a computer teacher at KZV stands behind a table selling Armenian educational videos for children, which she produces.

According to Kassarjian, Armenian culture is rich and extremely unique. Although much of its aesthetic is influenced by the Middle East, Armenia was the first country before the Romans to adopt Christianity as its official state religion. Armenian has its own alphabet, not influenced by Russian Crylic or Arabic characters.

Kassarjian estimates that 80 percent of Armenians belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, also known as the Armenian Orthodox Church.

St. Gregory’s Apostolic Catholic Church, based in the Richmond District, puts on the festival, which is now in its 49th year. The proceeds go to their Krouzian Zekarian Vasbouragen Armenian School on Brotherhood Way.

Armenia was the first country to accept Christianity as a national religion, and accordingly the Armenian Apostolic denomination of Christianity is one of the oldest in the world. It was first preached by, and existed during the time of the Apostles in the first century. The church is not affiliated with Roman Catholicism and the Pope.

The Armenian community today, apart from the approximately three million people living in Armenia, is in diaspora around the world. Although still reeling from the Armenian genocide before WWI, populations thrive on the American West Coast, particularly in Southern California where its largest community resides.

While at the festival, Kassarjian also took the opportunity to dine on traditional Armenian foods that are otherwise difficult to procure, or make at home. The access and variety of the foods offered at the festival are commonplace in Southern California where there is a larger Armenian community. In the Bay Area, however, there are few authentic Armenian restaurants or grocery stores.

The popular sour boureg with its layers of filo dough and mascarpone-like cheese have been a favorite of hers for all her life.

“It’s like a cholesterol bomb,” says Kassarjian. “But at the festival I actually had three slices, it’s so delicious.”