The Korentovanje Festival is a Slovenian festival held the second week of February in Cleveland each year to chase away winter.
The Kurents wear these big brass bells and shake them to scare away winter.
You can play this video to get an idea of what it sounds like. This year you will hear the sound of the blowing winds. It had been snowing like crazy until just before the parade started.
The big scary korents did not do their job this year. They shortened the parade dramatically and headed straight for the Slovenian Hall as fast as they could. I timed it, the whole parade lasted 4 minutes. I was glad they were able to hold it at all.
These poor band members were freezing. The grapes could be turned into ice wine.
I think Teddy would freeze before the kurents. Their costumes are made in Slovenia using yak hair.
A few people braved it on bikes.
Not ideal conditions to say the least.
And then it was over. Sorry about the bad weather kurents! We will be back next year!
Then the snow really began to come down again. And we headed home.
But first we made a stop at a local polish meat market to buy a Big Billy. Sorry for the photo quality. This thing was 16 inches long! We wolfed down a few bites and then the Blog Tech started to wrap it up. I told him not to put it too far away because chances were good we would Polish it off before we got home. We never did finish it but we managed to turn it into a Little Willy. It was the best kielbasa I've ever had and this Polish girl has eaten her share of kielbasa.
It got worse and worse as we drove.
It's never good when you see this on the way.
It took us three times as long to get home but we arrived safely and full of kielbasa. We are devoted Korentovanje fans.
Those are some interesting costumes. A 4 minute parade is a lot longer than necessary in such brutal weather. You guys are brave to drive in those snowy icy conditions. Thank goodness for kielbasa!
Anonymous said…
I wonder if the kurents passed by here this winter because so far we haven't had much of it :-)
4 minutes parade :-) It's longer than anything here, I have rareky seen one in this country :-)
Wow! What crazy weather the East Coast has had this year! Kudos to you for braving the elements to see the parade and get your kielbasa. Luckily, I don't have to go that far for my Polish sausage. :-)
LOVE the costumes. Four minutes is better than not at all. I'm all for anything that will chase away the winter. Do you hear that weather gods. The kielbasa looked delish. Glad you got home safely.
I'm glad you arrived safely! That must've been a little bit scary. I'd like to have that dancer chase the bad weather away from here. The town that I teach and has received 111 inches of snow!
So glad you made it home safely. We're having the mildest winter in memory here in Washington state. We kind of envy you the snow.... I never heard of that Slovenian festival before. How interesting! Thank you!
Who drove???? I think it's amazing that parades are happening in the dead of Winter! yes. Amazing!! I just had a feeling you were going to get caught in snow..I mean, from the news, how could you not! :) So glad you are home safe. Looks like an adventure though. :) LOVE adventures!!
How have I missed this festival? I grew up in and around Cleveland and never knew about it! That kind of driving really needs a Big Billy or five. Mine would have been a gone billy in less than five minutes.
Comments
4 minutes parade :-) It's longer than anything here, I have rareky seen one in this country :-)
Have a great day!
Christer.
It looks COLD - is it too cold for you yet?
I just had a feeling you were going to get caught in snow..I mean, from the news, how could you not! :)
So glad you are home safe. Looks like an adventure though. :) LOVE adventures!!
I'm glad you got home safely - those roads are a mess!
Also - I toast your taste in sausage!