Slovenian Kurentovanje 2023 6417 St Clair Ave. Cleveland February 18, 2023
The annual Cleveland version of the most popular carnival in Slovenia - Kurentovanje - was a week long event featuring cooking demos, language instruction, a dance party, fun run and more. But the highlight was the annual Kurentovanje Parade followed by the festival celebration.
The weather cooperated and crowds lined St. Clair for the Parade and then went inside the Slovenian National Home or the tents outside for music, food and fun. Young and old dressed in costumes to scare away winter. And of course everyone wanted to take a picture with a Kurent or a Krampus character
Here are a few short videos of the Kurentovanje Pust.
We met up with Eva Ozbolt Kisley who has been a proud Slovenian since 1921! At 102 years old she was the Queen of Cleveland Kurentovanje 2023. She said her parents would be so happy and that she was overwhelmed at being "Queen for a Day". What a sweetheart! Watch her in this short video.
John Plecnik of the Lake County Board of Commissioners presented proclamations to Eva Ozbolt Kisley, the 102 year old Queen of Slovenian Kurentovanje in Cleveland, Justina Lampic the Princess of Kurentovanje and Blaz Vavpetic the Prince of Kurentovanje.
Many people visited the Slovenian Museum and Archives. Dr. Luka Zibelnik runs the Center for Slovenian Studies at Cleveland State University and is also very active in the Slovenian Museum and Archives. We caught up with him at the Kurentovanje Festival where he was dressed as a judge because it is a day to wear masks and dress up. Luka told about the latest exhibit at the Museum and explained the Kurentovanje masquerade traditions.
There was fun music throughout the day such as this song by the Garrett Tatano Band.
Enjoy these other images from Kurentovanje Festival.
St Vitus Catholic War Veterans
Slovenska Pristava photobombed by a Krampus
Phil Hrvatin and wife at the Slovenian Consulate table
Joe Cimperman and Ray Marvar after the Kurent Dash
Kurent Dash t-shirt
Folklorna skupina Kres dancing
Folklorna skupina Kres is a cultural dance group dedicated to entertaining the Slovenian community of greater Cleveland since 1954.
Here are videos of 2 of their dances from Kurentovanje.
Krampus of Cleveland
Kurentovanje Royal Court
Slovenian Genealogy
Dressed as Dishonorable Judges for Kurentovanje
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