Kurent Addition

Five inches of snow blanketed the city and shut down the West Shoreway last Valentine's Day. But 11 Kurents — yeti-like creatures believed to scare away winter in Slovenian folklore — paraded along St. Clair Avenue with a devil, princess, prince and community members during the third annual Cleveland Kurentovanje. "Watching the Kurents come and the snow," says Michael Fleming, executive director of the St. Clair Superior Development Corp., "it's the most beautiful sight." With Cleveland having the largest population of Slovenians outside the country, Fleming and local Slovenians started the pre-Mardi Gras carnival to honor that heritage. This year's Feb. 6 festival features polka, crafts, kielbasa and krofe (Slovenian doughnuts similar to paczki). Although the Kurents haven't stopped Old Man Winter, the 9-foot figures have delivered an Old World tradition to a new crowd. "This is the most outward projection of our culture," says committee member Nicole Kusold-Matheou. East 64th Street and St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland, clevelandkurentovanje.com