2018 Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sixth Annual Cleveland Kurentovanje Spans
Four Days of Slovenian Mardi Gras Festivities!

With dinners, museum exhibits, parties, a carnival parade, and more
there is something for everyone in this week of cultural Mardi Gras fun!

Cleveland, OH—Cleveland Kurentovanje (koo-rahn-toh-VAHN-yay), a Slovenian-infused Mardi Gras festival, is carnival event that has been celebrated in Slovenia for the past 50 years, connecting culture, arts, and people from all over Europe. The central figure of the carnival, the Kurent, is believed to chase away winter and usher in spring with its supernatural powers. Since it’s conception in 2013, Cleveland Kurentovanje has been held in the historical Slovenian immigrant neighborhood of St. Clair-Superior and has seen exponential growth with thousands in attendance each year.

For 2018, Cleveland Kurentovanje presents four days of cultural and celebratory events:

• Monday, February 5th: Cleveland Kurentovanje has partnered with Dinner in the Dark and the CLE Dinner Club to present a multi-course dinner with wine pairings at the Slovenian National Home.

• Wednesday, February 7th:  The Slovenian Museum and Archives will open an exhibit featuring Contributions to Society by Slovenian Women, on loan from Slovenia. The exhibit runs from 7-9pm and admission is free to the public.

• Friday, February 9th:  The “Kurent Jump” will kick off the weekend festivities. As the Kurents emerge and start their mission of scaring away winter at the industrial, Skidmark Garage and Ingenuity Cleveland, revelers will enjoy food, beer and music.

• Saturday, February 10th: The Cleveland Kurentovanje parade and festival will take place with many musical and cultural performances, authentic food and drink, ice carving demonstrations, kids activities and handmade crafts.

Details of these events are as follows:

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2017, 6:30PM:
KURENTOVANJE DINNER IN THE DARK

Join us as we kick off a week of Cleveland Kurentovanje celebrations with a special Kurentovanje-inspired dinner presented by Dinner in the Dark & the CLE Dinner Club, benefiting Cleveland Kurentovanje. The event will take place at The Slovenian National Home (6417 St. Clair Ave. Cleveland), and will feature a multi-course menu with selected wine pairings.  

Tickets are $87.07 and available on EventBrite (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dinner-in-the-dark-slovenian-national-home-20-tickets-42016866579?aff=es2).  Due to the format of the meal, we are unable to accommodate dietary restrictions. Please contact b.okin@att.net with any questions in advance of purchasing. There are a limited number of tickets so be sure to place your order soon!

About Dinner in the Dark: Dinner in the Dark brings together different chefs each month, cooking together, often for the first time, at a different venue. Dinner in the Dark, behind co-creators Brian Okin and Jeff Jarrett, brings together Cleveland’s chefs and food lovers for an impromptu dinner designed to stimulate your palate and surprise your taste buds by offering you no idea of what you will eat or drink or who will be cooking for you. Imagine allowing yourself to let go of your inhibitions and enjoy great food and wine from some of Cleveland’s best chefs, by allowing them to indulge in their most inner creativeness and challenge your senses.

About CLE Dinner Club: Organizer Joe Gramc works with local chefs throughout Northeast Ohio to offer one-night prix fixe menus that focuses solely on the food and chefs’ mastery. For updates, follow @CLEDinnerClub on Twitter and email cledinnerclub@gmail.com to receive updates on future events.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017, 6-9PM:
Slovenian Museum & Archives Presents an Exhibit on Contributions to Society by Slovenian Women

The Slovenian Museum and Archives (6407 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland) will open an exhibit featuring Contributions to Society by Slovenian Women, on loan from Slovenia.  The exhibit outlines the many interesting contributions made to society by Slovenian Women around the world.  Additionally, Eugene Favetti-- who discovered and donated previously undiscovered manuscripts from France Preseren who is regarded as one of the most significant Slovene classical authors-- will be present to discuss details about these historically cultural artifacts. The event runs from 7-9pm and admission is free to the public.

About Slovenian Museum and Archives: The Slovenian Museum and Archives is a non-profit (501c3) organization whose mission is to preserve and share Slovenian ethnic identity and its various migration experiences in a sophisticated, multi-functional and interactive dwelling. SMA provides an educational, cultural and literary resource for families that includes archives, library and museum.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018, 6-9PM:
Kurent Jump at Skidmark Garage and Ingenuity Cleveland

The Kurent Jump, on Friday, February 9, 2018 from 6-9pm, will kick off the Cleveland Kurentovanje weekend. Held at the Hamilton Collaborative (5401 Hamilton Ave. Cleveland 44114) and hosted by Skidmark Garage and Ingenuity Cleveland, this industrial and creative setting will serve as the perfect location for the Kurent’s arrival.

Kurent Jump is traditionally the first time that the Kurents appear in public, with their bells loudly ringing as they dance around a bonfire, initiating the Kurents' mission of chasing winter to make way for spring. The Kurent Jump is a phenomenon that has emerged in recent times in Slovenia, and this is the second year we will hold this event in Cleveland.

In addition to the spectacle of the Kurent Jump, attendees will enjoy:  

• A complimentary drink -  your first beer or glass of wine is on us!

• Complimentary heavy appetizers

• Music and entertainment

• An inside look into the mechanical home of Skidmark Garage and Ingenuity Festival

Presale Tickets (Exclusively Through Eventbrite - closes at 2/9 at 12am): $25.  Tickets at the Door (Cash Only): $30.  

Tickets on Eventbrite: https://kurentjumpcleveland2018.eventbrite.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018 AND SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2018:
Bocce Tournament

Cleveland Kurentovanje in partnership with the Cleveland Bocce Club will be holding the Second Annual Kurentovanje Bocce Tournament at the Slovenian National Home held during the annual Kurentovanje Festival. Bocce teams should email ClevelandBocceClub@gmail.com to reserve your spot.  The Tournament starts on Friday, February 9th at 6pm, and will continue on Saturday, February 10th, 2018 at 9am. The tournament will be held at the indoor bocce courts in the Slovenian National Home (6409 St Clair Ave, Cleveland, OH 44103).

More details at http://www.clevelandkurentovanje.com/bocce-tournament/

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2017, 10am-6pm:
Cleveland Kurentovanje Parade & Festival

Get ready to celebrate Kurentovanje with a full day of festivities including a parade, lots of food, music and much more! The event is headquartered at The Slovenian National Home Home (6417 St. Clair Ave. Cleveland) and is free and open to the public. The schedule for the day is as follows:

10am: Doors open at The Slovenian National Home for kids crafting and face-painting in anticipation of the parade, as well as the continuation of Friday night’s Bocce tournament. Food, drinks and shopping will also be available.

12pm: Parade kicks off traditional Kurentovanje, which will stretch through the neighborhood, departing from Saint Martin de Porres High School gym (E62nd and Lauche Ave), proceeding down St. Clair Ave, and ultimately ending at the Slovenian National Home. The procession will include Kurents, polka and marching bands, dance troupes, and other parading groups. Community organizations and groups of friends/family are encouraged to participate in the parade by signing up at www.ClevelandKurentovanje.com. All visitors are encouraged to dress in costume of any kind to celebrate in the Mardi Gras tradition.

Until 6pm: Party time! Full programming on multiple stages at the Slovenian National Home will be sure to entertain you! Enjoy ethnic food and drinks, free face-painting and crafts for kids, ice carving demonstrations, and multiple stages of musical acts and cultural performances.   Local craftspeople will also be selling homemade edibles and handmade goods.

Cleveland Kurentovanje is run by a volunteer steering committee and is supported by in-kind donations and sponsorships from businesses and organizations. Donations of all kinds are accepted through the Slovenian Museum and Archive.

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MEDIA INQUIRIES CAN BE DIRECTED TO CLEKURENTOVANJE@GMAIL.COM

High resolution Press Photos available upon request.

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