EP #35 Kurent Events in Cleveland. Cleveland Kurentovanje Celebrates Slovenian Culture + Food

Cleveland is home to a large population of people with Slovenian Heritage and the place to learn more about this culture is at Cleveland Kurentovanje, an annual festival in the Superior-St. Clair neighborhood. Kurentovanje is sometimes called Slovenian Mardi Gras. It celebrates the coming end of a long winter and the arrival of Lent and springtime with food, drink, parades and the arrival of the Kurenti, mythical creatures who scare away winter with elaborate costumes and noise-making. We take a deep dive into this event with two organizers of the festival. Nicole Kusold-Matheo and Kathryn Zitko share the details of the 10th annual event, it's origins in Ptuj, Slovenia, and recount memories of their grandparents and the traditions of their culture. We also talk about places where you can find Slovenian food and wines, how the resourcefulness of the Slovenian immigrants is coming back into our collective consciousness, and why we should all be making "lucky soup." The Cleveland Kurentovanje takes place Feb. 26 and also offers a week of online events. Learn more at clevelandkurentovanje.com.