The Cleveland Museum of Art’s Parade the Circle Returns on June 8: Celebrate “Visions of Harmony” with Art, Food, and Music at the 32nd Annual Parade the Circle and Circle Village

CLEVELAND (May 3, 2024)—The Cleveland Museum of Art’s (CMA) 32nd annual Parade the Circle returns to University Circle on Saturday, June 8. This year’s theme, “Visions of Harmony,” invites participants and spectators to explore the beauty of unity in diversity through imaginative costumes, towering puppets, floats, and intricately crafted masks. As one of Cleveland's most beloved traditions, the day promises a celebration of art, culture, and community.

Led by acclaimed artist Héctor Castellanos Lara for the second consecutive year, Parade the Circle kicks off at noon from the museum’s north entrance.  

The day’s festivities begin at 10:00 a.m. with Circle Village, presented by University Circle Inc. and the fun continues until 4:00 p.m. in Wade Oval. Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in interactive activities offered by esteemed institutions such as the Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland History Center, and Cleveland Botanical Garden. Attendees can also enjoy culinary delights from local vendors and groove to the beat of Latin City Soul Band live on stage.  

“The word harmony,” reflected Castellanos Lara, “refers to a positive state of inner peace, calmness, and balance, as well as the feeling of being in sync with friends, family, partners, and neighbors. Working on the parade as a community and seeing different visions come to life is not only beautiful but magical. This harmonious intersection is the key to a successful event that we can all celebrate!”

Originally from Guatemala, Castellanos Lara has called Cleveland his home for more than 30 years, sharing his passion for art and cultural expression with the Cleveland community. He is the founder of Cleveland’s annual Day of the Dead celebration and cofounder of ALU (Artistas Latinos Unidos), an association dedicated to promoting Latino artists.

Parade the Circle, which was founded by the CMA in 1990 with a small number of artists, has since grown to become a beloved large-scale event, drawing crowds in the tens of thousands every June. Families, neighbors, community groups, churches, artists, performers—everyone is welcome to express their creativity, show their talent, and celebrate the arts at Parade the Circle. Every year, magnificent parade designs delight participants and attendees alike.  

Find out what draws people to this remarkable and unique Cleveland event. To learn more about how to participate in Parade the Circle, visit clevelandart.org/events/parade-circle. For more information about Circle Village, visit: universitycircle.org/parade-circlevillage.

Parade the Circle Is for Everyone

CMA Tent Workshops  

Saturdays and Sundays, May 11–June 2, 1:00–4:00 p.m.

Tuesday, June 4, 6:00–9:00 p.m.  

Workshop pass: $50 per person

Participants can create costumes, masks, and giant puppets made with the assistance of staff artists at all public workshops (nine total) in the parade tent. A one-time fee entitles you to attend all workshops.

Parade Registration

$5 per child (under 18), $10 per adult

All parade participants must be registered. Participants must adhere to parade guidelines. Parade participation is open to all ages; however, children 15 and under must register and attend with someone 16 or older. All parade entries must be registered online. No new entries are accepted after May 24, 2024.

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About University Circle Inc.

University Circle Inc. (UCI) is the community service corporation responsible for developing, serving, and advocating for University Circle as a vibrant and complete neighborhood. Learn more at universitycircle.org  

About the Cleveland Museum of Art

The Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 63,000 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The museum is a significant international forum for exhibitions, scholarship, and performing arts and is a leader in digital innovation. One of the leading encyclopedic art museums in the United States, the CMA is recognized for its award-winning open access program—which provides free digital access to images and information about works in the museum’s collection—and free of charge to all. The museum is located in the University Circle neighborhood with two satellite locations on Cleveland’s west side: the Community Arts Center and Transformer Station.

The museum is supported in part by residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture and made possible in part by the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts. The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. For more information about the museum and its holdings, programs, and events, call 888-CMA-0033 or visit cma.org.