Fri 9/17 @ 5-9PM
Sat 9/18 @ noon-9PM
The return of Cleveland’s beloved church festivals continues with the 20th annual Cleveland Armenian Festival this weekend, hosted by St. Gregory of Narek Armenian Church, in Richmond Height.
Come on Friday evening or spent the whole day Saturday. They tell us “Due to ongoing precautions concerning COVID-19, our festival will be held outdoors this year.” But with the lovely weather this time of year (fingers crossed), who’d want it any other way?
They’ll take people indoors long enough for church tours, but the music, dancing, crafts activities for kids, games, cultural displays and every festival’s centerpieces, the food, will be outside. They’ll have performances of Armential folk and jazz by Nicholas Asibyan and his band on Friday evening, while Dhol drummer Marcos Shahbazyan, Duduk master Mher Mnatsakanyan, and accordionist Grigor Galstyan will be playing Armenian dance music on Saturday. Also on Saturday, three Armenian dancers from the Cleveland Ballet — Albina Garzaran, Emmanuel Martirosyan and Narek Matirosyan — will perform.
But of course you came mostly for the food! There’ll be shish kebob, rice pilaf, manti (Armenian meat dumplings) cheese boreg (pictured) and Armenian desserts (they describe them as “tasty,” which is superfluous). They’ll have plenty of vegetarian choices too for those who are wary of the meat-heavy slant of eastern European food. You can find a full menu online here so you can plan ahead. There’ll be Armenian beer to wash it down, with Hye Hefeweizen grapefruit Armenian citrus witbeir on tap.
Both admission and parking are free.