Columbus Day in Little Italy
While Little Italy is a great place to shop, walk, and eat any day, being part of the Columbus Day Parade is an opportunity to be part of the Italian community. Find a spot along the sidewalk on Mon 10/12 and be part of the tradition begun by Joseph Carabelli, the father of Cleveland's Little Italy, in 1910. The orange, white, and green parade of the Italian explorer's country will be on prominent display during the 57th Annual Columbus Day Parade in Little Italy (http://www.littleitalycleveland.com/home/hopping.html). The parade is hosted by The Order of Italian Sons and Daughters of America and starts at noon to follow Mayfield and Murray Hill Roads. The arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas on October 12, 1492, is celebrated in Latin America as well as the United States. Native Americans have reason to doubt the joy of the day, but the arrival of Europeans in the New World cannot be denied as a monumental event for the United States, and for Greater Cleveland. Columbus Day became official in 1934 when President Roosevelt declared October 12 as a federal holiday.
A celebration of Italian Americans, the parade will include Italian daughters of America dressed in Old World red and white skirts and flowered shawls and Italian men sporting the green, white, and orange banner of their roots. Italian cultural groups from all over the Greater Cleveland area are sure to show up, including school groups from John Carroll University and Mayfield High School. Italian Americans are known to be passionate about protecting their heritage in a world much removed from the immigrants who first moved to the area in search of a new life. Marching bands, modern-day Italian dignitaries, colorful floats, and the DiCiccco Funeral Home original horse-drawn hearse will cruise the festive streets.
The horse-drawn hearse is a reminder that Little Italy grew up around Lakeview Cemetery, which employed Italian stone cutters who settled in the neighboring area which soon became known as Little Italy. Founded in 1869, the 285 acres of Lakeview Cemetery is a beautiful garden modeled after Victorian cemeteries in Europe. The beautiful and serene grounds will be open on Columbus Day, as they are every day, from 7:30 until 5:30. If you can't make it to the Cemetery on Columbus Day, plan to join a walking tour on Saturday October 17 or the All Saints Day Observance on November 1 at 3:00 pm for a walking tour remembering the special people buried on the grounds, including President James Garfield and Euclid Avenue millionaire Jeptha Wade.
While in Little Italy, take a stroll down one of the quiet side streets to get a feel for Little Italy living, which is not just eating cannolis from Corbo's or visiting Sofia Art Photography. The streets are terraced--one side of the street is higher than the other--and many are narrow, brick roads with houses built close to each other and to the streets. On my last walk through town, I noticed the spa on Mayfield was advertising manicures and martinis. Alta House teaches Italian, with a 6-week session beginning on November 4, at a cost of $75.00; there's no better way to feel Italian than by knowing its language.
Proud of its neighborhood, Little Italy offers fall tours through November 14. A walking tour booklet is $4.50 and guided tours for groups of 8 or more cost $6.50 a person. The tours are sure to include Holy Rosary Catholic Church, still the center of Italian American life in Little Italy. The church began in 1898, and its beautiful stained glass windows, statues, paintings, and wood carvings are reminiscent of the beautiful neighborhood piazza churches of Italy.
An any-day tour of Little Italy can include a sighting of the Holy Rosary Lyceum School and strolling through the galleries at the School House on Murray Hill. The day will be complete with a purchase of Italian wine at Little Italy Wines or a delicate nightgown at Christine's Vintage Shop. Browse the eclectic mix of Old World home goods, art, and jewelry at La Bella Vita, whose hosts are sure to revive the spirit. Don't miss Brian Jones Festivo Gallery, voted the #1 gallery in Cleveland, or DeSapri Design Studio, among other fine galleries in the area.
Guarino's on Mayfield Road is the oldest continuously-open restaurant in Cleveland, and if you have a chance to get there this fall, find its outdoor patio garden for a fine evening of pleasant respite. Guarino's and Trattoria on the Hill are family restaurants, but special occasions should be enjoyed at the elegant and refined Baricelli Inn or the truly delicious La Dolce Vita. For pizza, people love Mama Santa's. Don't miss tiramisu at famed Presti's or gelato at Corbo's after dinner. If you have some extra time, find a table outside Presti's and sit and watch the people walk by.
Parking in Little Italy is always hard to come by. Parking can be found at the School House on Murray Hill, or by valet at Mayfield and Murray, or find a spot at E. 119th Street or Random Road. And while walking through Little Italy, see if you can find the statute of Christopher Columbus, sure to be bedecked with flowers on his special day.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Claudia Taller, whose passion for words has led to creation of the Lakeside Word Lover’s Retreats, an outgrowth of her work with Skyline Writers. Her favorite foods are red wine, salmon, ice cream, and chocolate. She loves to read, write, tour wineries, ride her bike, ease into yoga, and cook gourmet meals for friends. Find her at http://www.claudiatallermusings.blogspot.com.(:divend:)