About the 2025 Festival
The theme of the 2025 Cleveland Humanities Festival is APPETITE. Feast. Famine, Ambition. Desire. Craving. Appetite is both a bodily state and an emotive force. As we celebrate the 10th year anniversary of the CHF, we will explore the multifaceted ways that humanistic inquiry has engaged this theme. What do we hunger for in our personal and civic lives? How does longing shape the human psyche? How have artists and makers explored the role of appetite in creative production? What metaphors of appetite resonate across diverse time periods and cultural milieus? How will AI and new technologies impact our collective appetites for knowledge? These questions and more will be addressed by Cleveland area arts, cultural and educational organizations through a series of public events in the spring of 2025.
Food and Culture: Healthy Cooking Made Simple with Vel Scott
May 5, 2025
2:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Parma Powers Branch 6996 Powers Boulevard Parma, OH 44129
Travel the Silk Road: Journey Through Asia
May 6, 2025
11:00 AM Cuyahoga County Public Library Parma Heights Branch 6206 Pearl Road Parma Heights, OH 44130
We See You! Celebrating Black Women Writers
May 8, 2025
10:00 AM Cuyahoga County Public Library Mayfield Branch 500 SOM Center Road Mayfield Village, OH 44143
Join us to celebrate the contributions of Black women writers, past and present, including local authors. This workshop offers a chance to explore and discuss their works, with materials provided.
Michelle Rankins is an award-winning published poet, educator, and creative professional.
Registration required. Register HERE.
Thirst for Knowledge: The Florist of Millionaires’ Row
May 8, 2025
7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Brooklyn Branch 7619 Memphis Avenue Brooklyn, OH 44144
Celebrate gardening and Women’s History with this fascinating presentation about this local green thumb. Explore the rich history of gardening through the life of Ella Grant Wilson, the celebrated Florist of Millionaires Row. Known for her exceptional work with Cleveland’s elite, Ella was instrumental in shaping horticultural practices of her time. This engaging talk blends her gardening expertise with her legacy as a pro-women advocate.
Who Were the Buffalo Soldiers?
May 13, 2025
7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Bedford Branch 70 Columbus Road Bedford, OH 44146
Discover the story of African American soldiers on the Western frontier after the Civil War. After the Civil War, many sought a fresh start in the West. Learn how the 9th and 10th Cavalry, known as the "Buffalo Soldiers" played a vital role in westward expansion and helped lay the groundwork for the National Park Rangers.
Presented by Jermaine Crayton, M.Ed, CTRS, Yogi.
The Hunger for Meaning: Fifth Decade Mastery
May 14, 2025
7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Middleburg Heights Branch 16699 Bagley Road Middleburg Heights, OH 44130
Learn to unlock your potential in your 50’s and beyond! Are you looking back with regret and feeling anxious about the future, sensing that time is slipping away? In this workshop, uncover the keys to unlocking your limitless potential and achieving abundant success in your fifties and beyond. Presented by Natalie Rudd, Certified Professional Life & Business Coach.
2025 Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival: Reconciliation
May 16-25, 2025
This event is sponsored by The Cleveland Orchestra.
Edra Soto La Distancia Opening
May 16, 2025
7:00 PM The Sculpture Center 12210 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44106
Cooking Vareniki (Ukrainian Pierogis)
May 22, 2025
7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Maple Heights Branch 5225 Library Lane Maple Heights, OH 44137
You’ll see step-by-step how to assemble and cook this traditional Vareniki (Ukrainian pierogis). In this hands-on program you will build your Vareniki, choose fillings, learn to fold and crimp this Ukrainian favorite using premade dough discs. You will leave with Vareniki ready to be cooked at home. Supplies limited.
This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library and is free and open to the public.
Cooking Vareniki (Ukrainian Pierogis)
May 24, 2025
2:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Bay Village Branch 27400 Wolf Road Bay Village, OH 44140
You’ll see step-by-step how to assemble and cook this traditional Vareniki (Ukrainian pierogis). In this hands-on program you will build your Vareniki, choose fillings, learn to fold and crimp this Ukrainian favorite using premade dough discs. You will leave with Vareniki ready to be cooked at home. Supplies limited.
This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library and is free and open to the public.