Sat 6/8 @ noon-4PM
One of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s most beloved events is an annual community art parade, first conceived in by Robin VanLear, who devolved the stilt walkers, giant puppets and other characters who became the event’s signature.
When the parade was pandemic-cancelled in 2002, VanLear was laid off and started her own art production company (her colorful figures can be seen at events such as Station Hope, Tri-C JazzFest and Dia de Muertos). Parade the Circle also took a hiatus, and was briefly restyled as smaller neighborhood festivals before coming back at full strength to Wade Oval last year.
This year’s theme is Visions of Harmony and the event is helmed by local artist Héctor Castellanos Lara as lead artist.Artists and community members are busy creating in the tent across from the art museum and in spaces across town, developing the costumes and props they’ll parade this Saturday. And this is strictly a creative parade: no motor vehicles, no advertising signs, no Disney characters, just products of the imaginations of the family, school, community and organizational groups that participate.
The parade launches from the north entrance of the Cleveland Museum of Art and circles Wade Oval, where a post-parade festival goes on until 4pm.
Cleveland, OH 44106