Cleveland Cultural Gardens turning 100, to celebrate with year of festivities (photos)
Cleveland Cultural Gardens turning 100, to celebrate with year of festivities (photos)
CLEVELAND, Ohio – In a city of underappreciated gems, the Cleveland Cultural Gardens may be the most underappreciated treasure.
The leaders of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation are hoping to change that as they mark their 100th birthday.
The federation has announced a full slate of Centennial programming that will kick off with the One World Day celebration on Sunday, Aug. 23, and conclude with the 2016 One World Day. There’s also a preview event this June.
“We want to make people more aware about the gardens themselves, and make them accessible to everyone,” says Sheila Crawford, president of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. “We want people to feel they can come down again themselves, and feel comfortable.
The Cleveland Cultural Gardens date back to 1916 and stretch three miles along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and East Boulevard near University Circle. There are 29 established gardens and eight in the works. They are unique in America, a collection of varied, landscaped gardens honoring the rich ethnic diversity of a city that has evolved over nearly 100 years.
“The Gardens themselves ARE the city,” says Executive Board member Debbie Hanson. “They tell the story of Cleveland.”
The gardens began in 1916 with the establishment of the Shakespeare Garden, now the English Garden, on 250 acres of parkland donated by John D. Rockefeller in 1897. The first ethnic garden, the Hebrew Garden, took root in 1926. Recent gardens include the 2012 Albanian Garden and the 2011 Syrian Garden.
Ground has also been broken on the African-American Garden, and the Russian, Korean, Lebanese, Vietnamese, Scottish and Native American gardens all have gotten approval and their designated plots, though have not broken ground yet.
Some gardens are small, like the tiny Rusin one. Others are massive, like the opulent Italian Garden with its fountain and terraces, or the German Garden with its imposing Goethe statue or the ornate Hungarian terraced area. The land is owned by the city, but the gardens are overseen, paid for and cared for by the various ethnic groups.
“There are many gardens, but we are one big federation,” says Svetlana Stolyarova, president of the Russian Cultural Garden. Since its 2012 approval, the Russian Garden, infused with the energy of newer immigrants, has become one of the most vital gardens despite not yet having a sign or any structures. They have hosted everything from grand piano concerts to pancake festivals. They plan to break ground on their structures and gardens in August or September, making it the only garden being built in the centennial year.
Most Clevelanders only see these beautiful gardens as they drive by on their way to I-90. Crawford and the others want to change that, giving people as many reasons as possible to park and get out of their cars for the gardens’ 100th birthday. Here’s what they have planned so far:
99 Red Balloons in the German Cultural Garden, Tuesday, June 30: In honor of year 99 – not to mention the anti-war, anti-Wall 1983 German pop song by Nena – there will be a red balloon release in the German garden at 11:30 a.m. June 30. “It’s meant to be a celebration calling attention to the gardens, not a lot of lengthy speeches,” says Hanson. “It’s a party” — a party with German food and bands. And yes, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has been forewarned. Oompah!
One World Day, Sunday, Aug. 23: Not only is this the beginning of the gardens’ centennial; 2015 is also the 70th anniversary of the first One World Day, a post-World War II celebration meant spread the beliefs of the United Nations movement.
This year’s One World Day will be bigger than ever, with activities in all 29 existing and eight developing gardens, including an expanded Parade of Nations; ethnic performers and foods specific to those cultures in each garden; performers on six main stages in defined “regions” of the gardens; trolleys taking visitors to the different regions; a naturalization ceremony; and passports for kids to get stamped at each garden. The opening festivities will take place in the Chinese Garden. The evening will conclude with the International Folk Festival.
Centennial Gala, April 14, 2016: There will be a huge gala marking the exact 100thanniversary dedication day of the British Garden, then the Shakespeare Garden.
Concert series, summer 2016: There will be an expanded concert series rotating throughout different gardens. More details to come later.
Throughout 2016: Most individual gardens are planning their own centennial activities. Look for events throughout all of the gardens, from the Russian maslanitsa pancake festival in winter to opera in the Italian Garden, concerts in the Indian Garden and John Barrie Day in the Irish Garden.
2016 One World Day, August: The 2016 One World Day will mark the conclusion of the centennial celebrations.
“What’s so exciting is that all of the gardens want to get involved,” says Crawford, “even the smaller gardens [that] are developing. Even though they don’t yet even a sign, they want to participate.”
Almost 100 years, and the Cultural Gardens are still going strong … and hopefully not underappreciated for much longer.