The Cleveland Cultural Gardens are 100 years young this year.
Unlike many cultural institutions gathering dust at their centennial - officially April 14, 1916 - the 29 established and 8 planned gardens along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and East Boulevard near University Circle are experiencing a rebirth.
New and upcoming gardens, including the Albanian, Russian, Korean, Lebanese and Vietnamese gardens; new events, such as Shakespeare readings and Opera in the Garden; and a new partnership with University Circle are helping bring new life, and visitors, to the 100-year old institution.
The gardens were established on 250 acres of parkland donated to the city by John D. Rockefeller in 1897. They were the idea of journalist and Shakespeare enthusiast Leo Weidenthal, who envisioned a tribute to the waves of immigrants who were making Cleveland their new home.
A century later, they still are. The Gardens, more than anywhere else in Cleveland, represent the city's rich and growing diversity.
This Sunday, the Cleveland Cultural Gardens will celebrate their 71st annual One World Day festival with a day of ethnic entertainment and food, a Parade of Flags and a naturalization ceremony welcoming new citizens. Michael Stanley will also play to conclude the day.
In honor of the occasion, here are ten don't-miss gardens and festival activities to celebrate 100-years-and-counting. Click through the slideshow for a guide, plus festival and parking info, a schedule and map.
Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
Cleveland Cultural Gardens One World Day: 10 don't-miss gardens and activities
The Cleveland Cultural Gardens are 100 years young this year.
Unlike many cultural institutions gathering dust at their centennial – officially April 14, 1916 - the 29 established and 8 planned gardens along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and East Boulevard near University Circle are experiencing a rebirth.
New and upcoming gardens, including the Albanian, Russian, Korean, Lebanese and Vietnamese gardens; new events, such as Shakespeare readings and Opera in the Garden; and a new partnership with University Circle are helping bring new life, and visitors, to the 100-year old institution.
The gardens were established on 250 acres of parkland donated to the city by John D. Rockefeller in 1897. They were the idea of journalist and Shakespeare enthusiast Leo Weidenthal, who envisioned a tribute to the waves of immigrants who were making Cleveland their new home.
A century later, they still are. The Gardens, more than anywhere else in Cleveland, represent the city’s rich and growing diversity.
This Sunday, the Cleveland Cultural Gardens will celebrate their 71st annual One World Day festival with a day of ethnic entertainment and food, a Parade of Flags and a naturalization ceremony welcoming new citizens. Michael Stanley will also play to conclude the day.
In honor of the occasion, here are ten don’t-miss gardens and festival activities to celebrate 100-years-and-counting. Click through the slideshow for a guide, plus festival and parking info, a schedule and map.
Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
One World Day info: schedule, parking and more
What: Activities in 29 existing and eight developing Cleveland Cultural Gardens, including a Parade of Flags; ethnic performers and foods; a naturalization ceremony; and passports for kids to get stamped at each garden. The evening will conclude with the performance by Michael Stanley at 6:25 p.m.
When: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28.
Where: The Cultural Gardens are located within the City of Cleveland's Rockefeller Park. The oldest and largest Gardens are along East Blvd. from St. Clair Avenue on the north to Superior Avenue on the south. The later Gardens, are along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and start just north of St. Clair and continue to Superior Avenue at the southern end. The Chinese Garden that is also along MLK Jr. Blvd. but located half way between Chester Avenue and East 105th, across from the Cleveland Museum of Art's Wade Park Lagoon.
Trolleys: Lolly the Trolley will provide free transportation between garden areas.
Parking: Free parking at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center's lot (South Gate at 1600 East 105th St., with free shuttle service, and at Cleveland Metroparks (North Gate at Gordon Park) at walking distance.
More info: http://clevelandoneworldday.org/2016/
(John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer)
Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
Serbian Cultural Garden
Serbian Cultural Garden: The newest permanent resident of the Cultural Gardens moved in this summer, Serbian physicist Mileva Maric. A remarkable scientist in her own right, Maric's accomplishments were overshadowed by that of her scientific-partner and husband, Albert Einstein. Serbian Cultural Garden founder (and former Plain Dealer publisher) Alex Machaskee is hoping to change that with this new bronze bust. "She was a brilliant scientist, a very important figure in scientific, and Serbian, history," says Machaskee. The bust is also notable because women's contributions to their nations have been underrepresented in the garden's first 100 years. Maric's arrival shows progress for the next century.
Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
Parade of Flags
Parade of Flags: The annual Parade of Flags representing the ethnic groups of the gardens will feature dozens of nationality groups in ethnic costumes. It will lead to a naturalization ceremony for 25 new Americans. The parade begins at noon and marches down East Blvd and then MLK Blvd. (Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer)
Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
African-American Cultural Garden
African-American Garden: Almost 40 years after this garden was dedicated in 1977, the Association of the African-American Cultural Gardens began the first phase of a $2 million project at the beginning of July, with a flag and signage marking the progress. The garden features a sandstone portal symbolizing the "Door of No Return," the door Africans had to go through before they were sent off to slavery in America. It will also have cascading water representing the Atlantic Ocean. (Sharon Broussard, cleveland.com)
Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
American Legion Peace Garden
American Legion Peace Garden: This overlooked pocket garden, located at the southern entrance to the gardens, is finally getting some attention. Established by the American Legion in 1936, the Peace Garden honors all of the nations represented in the gardens. It includes an underground vault holding soil from around the world and a "Peace" bust designed by Henry Hering. "May the intermingled soil of the nations symbolize the united effort of their peoples as they advance to a better understanding," reads a marker. Though neglected in recent years, plans are underway to renovate the garden, led by Jim Funai, assistant professor of Plant Science and Landscape Technology at Tri-C ; Eric Brubeck, of Brubeck Design Studio, and the Tyrian "inter-spiritual learning community." Sunday will feature seed planting, a fair trade shop, lectures and performances in the garden.
Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
Hebrew Cultural Garden
Hebrew Garden: The first ethnic garden, the Hebrew Cultural Garden, took root in 1926, a decade after the Shakespeare Garden. This Sunday, the garden, which has just undergone a $250,000 renovation, will be rededicated. Updates includes new pavement, fountain repairs and landscaping. "We want people to come into the garden and enjoy it," says Jessica Cohen, Managing Director of Community Relations at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. "We see the Jewish community as part of the greater Cleveland community and take our responsibility to the Cleveland community seriously. We see this as an way of maintaining some of the city's most important green space. And Glenville used to be a historically Jewish neighborhood." Events Sunday include a scavenger hunt and kids activities. (Photo courtesy of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland)
Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
Italian Cultural Garden
Italian Cultural Garden: One of the most active gardens in the last decade has been the Italian Cultural Garden, established in 1930. It's as bustling as ever, thanks to executive director Joyce Mariani. The annual Opera in the Italian Garden concert in July has become one of the park's biggest events of the year. This weekend, the lovey, terraced and landscaped garden with fountains modeled after those in Villa Medici in Rome will give guests the chance to sample pizza and homemade Italian biscotti while being serenaded by Ronnie Fiorentino singing Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett at 5 p.m. (John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer)
Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
Russian Cultural Garden
Russian Cultural Garden: One of the newest gardens, the Russian Cultural Garden, between Martin Luther King Boulevard and Doan Brook, broke ground this month on their first phase. It will feature a Besedka-style pavilion. The busy garden, which already feature festivals and piano concerts despite just launching, will feature a Russian Apple Festival and family events on Sunday. (Dan Hanson, Cleveland People)
Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
British Cultural Garden
British Cultural Garden: Don't miss the British Cultural Garden, the oldest of all the gardens. It was dedicated April 14, 1916 as the the Shakespeare Garden, but has been long neglected. But the Daughters of the British Empire in Ohio, who have been the sponsors of the British Garden since 1934, are now trying to bring it back to the vibrancy of 100 years ago. They're raising funds for a new landscape design, hosting events like Shakespeare readings and lawn bowling, and have cleaned up the space. (Peggy Turbett, The Plain Dealer)
Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
Ethnic entertainment
Ethnic entertainment: See a world of performers and events throughout the Gardens all day long, from an Apple Festival in the Russian Garden to belly dancers in the Lebanese garden, Scottish games, yoga, Asian dance, opera and more. (Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer)
undefined
Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
And ethnic food!
Get a real taste of the cultures represented in the gardens with a Hofbrauhaus Beer Garden in the German Garden, Hungarian goulash in the Hungarian garden, Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches for sale in the Vietnamese garden, pizza and biscotti in the Italian garden and much more. Lolly the Trolley will be taking guests from garden to garden throughout the day. (Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer)
Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
Cultural Gardens Map
Lolly The Trolley will be taking guests on garden tours all day, or you can walk. Click here for an expanded map: http://www.clevelandculturalgardens.org/map/
Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
Cultural Gardens history and vintage photos
April 14, 1916 will go down as the day the first of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens in Rockefeller Park was dedicated. Then called the Shakespeare Garden, it is now known as the British Garden. It's one of 29 established and 8 planned gardens in the park along Martin Luther King Drive and East Boulevard near University Circle. The Cultural Gardens is unique in America, a collection of varied, landscaped gardens honoring the rich ethnic diversity of the city that have evolved over 100 years. For a look back at the last 100 years and a look forward to the next, check out this vintage slideshow and story: http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2016/04/post_124.html
Ad Choices