Meet Kathy Walters of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathy Walters.

Hi Kathy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Cleveland Kurentovanje began in 2013 with a simple but meaningful idea: celebrate Slovenian culture and heritage while bringing renewed attention to Cleveland’s St. Clair–Superior neighborhood and the Slovenian National Home, a gathering place for the Cleveland Slovenian community for more than a century.

Inspired by Kurentovanje, the traditional carnival celebration in Ptuj, Slovenia, the festival brings a beloved European tradition to Northeast Ohio. At the heart of the celebration are the Kurenti, mythical figures dressed in sheepskin costumes and large bells who chase away winter and evil spirits to welcome spring. Their arrival brings energy, a little mischief, and a lot of excitement to the streets of Cleveland.

What began as a small festival attracting approximately 2,000 people has grown into a major winter celebration, drawing nearly 15,000 attendees in 2026. But our growth has always been about more than attendance. It’s about creating opportunities for people to experience Slovenian traditions, connect with one another, and discover something new about the cultural heritage that helps make Cleveland so special.

Today, Cleveland Kurentovanje has expanded beyond its main festival day to include a week of events celebrating Slovenian food, film, music, wine, and traditions. Our volunteer committee has also grown from a small founding group to more than 25 dedicated individuals who contribute their time, talents, and expertise to bring the festival to life each year.

As we approach our 15th year in 2027, we remain committed to the idea that inspired the festival from the beginning: preserving and sharing Slovenian culture while creating an inclusive, family-friendly celebration that welcomes everyone. Whether someone has deep Slovenian roots or is simply curious about the tradition, there is a place for them at Cleveland Kurentovanje.

One of the things we love about Cleveland Kurentovanje is that many of our events are free and accessible to the community, including the main festival. We want everyone to have the opportunity to experience Slovenian culture, enjoy the entertainment, sample traditional foods, and take part in the celebration.

Some special events, including the Kurent Jump, require a ticket or participation fee and help support the festival as a nonprofit organization. These events allow us to continue investing in the festival and creating new experiences for the community year after year.

For the most up-to-date event information, schedules, and ticket details, visit clevelandkurentovanje.com.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like any outdoor festival in Northeast Ohio, Cleveland Kurentovanje has learned to embrace the unpredictable. Our festival date follows the Lenten calendar, with the main celebration taking place on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday. Depending on the year, that can mean anything from an early February celebration to an event in early March, and the weather can be anything but predictable.

Snow, cold, rain, or sunshine are all part of the experience. Because our celebration brings together indoor and outdoor activities, the weather can influence attendance and, as a nonprofit organization, the resources we have available to invest back into the festival. Proceeds help us continue to grow the experience, including investing in costumes and creating new activities for our attendees.

But we’ve come to see that unpredictability as part of what makes Cleveland Kurentovanje unique. While many festivals wait for warmer weather to kick off the event season, we invite Clevelanders to get outside, embrace winter, and celebrate the coming of spring together. Year after year, the community continues to show up, proving that a little cold weather can’t keep people away from a good celebration.

Like the Kurenti themselves, we’re here to chase away the winter blues and welcome the promise of spring. We continue to learn, adapt, and find new ways to make the festival memorable, regardless of what the weather brings.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
There isn’t one single story behind Cleveland Kurentovanje. Our volunteer committee brings together people from different backgrounds, generations, and walks of life, united by a shared passion for culture, community, and bringing people together.

For some of our volunteers, Slovenian heritage has been part of their lives since childhood. Through parents and grandparents who immigrated to Northeast Ohio around the turn of the 20th century, they grew up with the traditions, food, music, and community connections that continue to shape Slovenian-American life today. For others, their connection to the festival comes from a love of Cleveland, an interest in cultural traditions, or a desire to contribute to something meaningful. Not all of our volunteers are of Slovenian descent, and that is part of what makes this community so special.

Our committee includes people with experience in marketing, event planning, education, engineering, law, design, real estate, and many other fields. We bring those different perspectives and skill sets together to create an experience that is bigger than any one person could accomplish alone.

At its heart, Cleveland Kurentovanje reflects the qualities that make a strong community: pride in our roots, a willingness to roll up our sleeves, a spirit of collaboration, and an enthusiasm for sharing something meaningful with others. We’re passionate about keeping traditions alive while making sure they remain relevant, accessible, and welcoming to future generations.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.clevelandkurentovanje.com
• Instagram: @clekurentovanje
• Facebook: @clekurentovanje
• Youtube: @clevelandkurentovanje