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Greek Cultural Garden
The Cleveland Cultural Gardens are a collection of public gardens located within the City of Cleveland’s Rockefeller Park. Within the 276 acres of wooded parkland on the city’s East Side are 32 distinct gardens, each commemorating a different ethnic group whose immigrants have contributed to the heritage of the city over the centuries.
The Greek Cultural Garden was dedicated June 24, 1940. HPS maintains the Greek Garden, restoring and replanting, and preserving this landmark reflecting our Hellenic heritage to the city. Two doric columns frame the garden’s entrance opening into a plaza, laid out in the shape of a cross, containing a reflecting pool. A wall and pylons symbolize the wall of the Parthenon. Stone tablets on the wall are inscribed with the names of prominent Greek artists, philosophers, writers and scientists.
Since HPS re-dedicated the garden in 1994, we have seen the realization of several new gardens. Our involvement has helped to sustain this unique cultural gem in the city of Cleveland. Our long-term plans call for a Poet’s Bench and a bronze relief sculpture on the Parthenon wall to fully realize the original garden plans.
The Greek Garden is a popular location for weddings and wedding pictures throughout the year.
The Annual One World Day Festival is a fun event with a parade of nations, a naturalization ceremony, music food and dancing, and tours throughout the gardens. The Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation has hosted this event since 1946.
Help Us Stand with Ukraine
HPS has donated to Ukraine relief through IOCC. Your donation is appreciated, donate here: IOCC Ukraine Support
Message from our President: Jean Wendland Porter
Grateful and humbled to be elected President of the HPS Board for the 2022-24 term, I reach out to the Greater Greek Community to assist us in our organization to help move us through the pandemic-induced stasis that slowed our efforts and postponed our events. As the pandemic wanes, our events and efforts are resuming.
HPS has been a dynamic organization for over three decades, bringing our community together, making new friends and greeting old ones. Some of our recent archival acquisitions that are nearly a century old have been recognized by descendants and families of the donors. Seeing our past through the lens of the present has enriched our group and motivated our need to become more: More members, More events, More parea, More connection.
In the coming year, we hope to see our members at all the summer and fall church festivals, at the Dr. John and Helen Collis Lecture in September at the CMA (see the link below), and we will be talking with area authors, planners, and others who value our community, to come together. We have applied to the Cuyahoga Arts Council to get involved in their grant process. Efforts to install sculptures at the Greek Cultural Garden are proceeding.
Please consider joining HPS. Your membership enables us to promote our events and gets you connected to one of the broadest Greek communities in the country. We hope to see you soon!
Contact us at hpscleveland@gmail.com to join our organization or use the Membership button above.
Our Vision
HPS provides resources and guidance to the Greek community in Northeast Ohio with the goal of perpetuating Hellenic cultural identity across generations.
Your sponsorship helps us to continue to grow and preserve our Collections and Archives which document the immigrant experience of the Greeks in Northeastern Ohio, support the Annual Collis Lecture at the Cleveland Museum of Art, maintain the Greek Garden at the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, and provide speakers and programs of interest to the community.
Contact us at HPSCleveland@gmail.com to see how you can get involved!
Newsletters
Click here to see our newsletter library: Newsletters
Calendar of Events
Dr. John and Helen Collis lecture at Cleveland Museum of Art has been an annual event since 2004. Use code “HPS” for premium seating: Tickets and Information
See a list of previous Collis lectures here
- Annunciation Greek Festival, Cleveland
- St. Demetrios Greek Festival, Rocky River
- St. Paul Greek Festival, North Royalton
- Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Festival, Cleveland Hts.
- Annunciation Greek Festival, Akron
- May 28-31
- June 23-26
- July 15-17
- August 19-22
- September 16-18
Our Collections: Virtual Museum
More items from the collection can be found here: HPS Virtual Museum
HPS preserves artifacts of Greek immigration to Northeast Ohio. These artifacts are donated by members of the Northeastern Ohio Greek Community. Our diverse collection consists of items made by or used by Greek immigrants as they emigrated to the area and made a new life for themselves.
In addition to the collection, the archives consist of photographs, manuscripts, and documents describing the Greek immigrant experience.
HPS underwrote the cost to fully restore 30 icons from Annunciation Church of Cleveland, Ohio. These icons were painted by Reverend John Zographos in 1929. After the restoration, the icons have been displayed at area churches. Those icons can be seen here: Icons loaned in 1992.
If you have items that represent the Greek Immigrant experience and are interested in donating, please contact us at hpscleveland@gmail.com.
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Related Organizations
- Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Cleveland
- Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Akron
- Sts Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Cleveland Heights
- St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, Rocky River
- St Paul Greek Orthodox Church, North Royalton
- Cleveland Cultural Gardens
Hellenic Preservation Society of Northeastern Ohio 