Join Us for the 29th Annual Parade the Circle and Circle Village

Posted on 06/06/18 in Summer in the Circle

We’re gearing up to celebrate the 29th Annual Parade the Circle & Circle Village this weekend, June 9th from 10am – 4pm on Wade Oval!



Parade the Circle, presented by Cleveland Museum of Art, is an extremely fun and colorful presentation of beautiful floats, wearable art and beautiful creations, made and conceptualized months, and even years in advance! Leading up to the parade, international and national guest artists join Greater Cleveland artists, families, schools, and community groups in a spectacular display of bright costumes, giant puppets, stilt dancers, handmade masks, and colorful floats to be worn and paraded around the Circle every summer.



Featuring beautiful and elaborate artistic costumes and floats, Parade the Circle has become an event to find inventive and creative ideas you’ve never imagined. Robin VanLear, Art Director for Parade the Circle, noted “The theme this year is Cadenza, described as a flourish of individual creativity. When you look at the creations and the floats and the art that gets created, you can really see how different groups, individuals and even professional artists perceive the theme and what comes from it.”



Robin VanLear, alongside Robin Heinrich, have been working on Parade the Circle for 29 years and 11 years, respectively. They’ve seen the art and costumes develop, grow and flourish over time, and are looking forward to seeing the finished product this weekend. “We’ve got kids, teenagers, adults, people of all ages creating here. It’s amazing – for a lot of the kids that create, it’s their first time experiencing truly what art can be, and the possibilities of creating, and where their mind can take them.



Before, during and after the Parade, Circle Village on Wade Oval will have tons of hands-on activities for all ages, live music and delectable food. Chris Ronayne, President of University Circle Inc., shares his excitement for another great year on the Oval, “Parade the Circle and Circle Village are the culmination of a community coming together to put on a great show. This year’s Circle Village will have three different musical acts, over a dozen of Cleveland’s finest food establishments serving local favorites, as well as 28 different activities for kids of all ages. From making pet rocks with Judson at University Circle to learning about dinosaurs with Cleveland Museum of Natural History, there is certainly something for everyone at Wade Oval.”



Some of these activities include blindfolded arts and crafts from the Cleveland Sight Center, DIY bookmarks from The Friends of The McGaffin Carillon, and you can also try your hand at playing real music instruments from The Cleveland Orchestra and The Music Settlement! We’ll also have live music all day, and a wide variety of your favorite Cleveland restaurants on-site, including Barrio, Happy Dog, Sophie’s Italian Sausage, the Most Delicious Cookie Company, and many more!



Clevelanders from far and wide have a wide variety of options when it comes to getting to University Circle! Though there will be plenty of parking in and around University Circle garages and along streets, we highly encourage alternate methods of transportation. A FREE and secure bicycle corral will be available at the corner of East Boulevard and Bellflower to stow your bikes while enjoying the Parade and festivities. Parade-goers can also hop on the RTA Red Line to the University Circle/Little Italy station, or park at Tower City and take the HealthLine straight to University Circle! For other transportation options, and general information about navigating the University Circle area, head to www.ugointhecircle.com!



We hope to see you this weekend at Parade the Circle and Circle Village!