(upbeat music) - Hi, I'm Jake, and this is my band, the Chardon Polka Band.

You are going to hear us play a lot of music on this show.

There's Mike, Mitch, Bob, and the guy with a mustache is Brian.

Since I was 16 years old, polka music has been my job.

And at that job, I get to see and do some pretty crazy and interesting stuff, and I wanna share those experiences and the music I love so much with all of you.

This is "The World According to Polka."

Today on the show, we're going to be looking at an event and custom that includes polka music, pivo, and hairy monsters that scare away winter.

And I'm not just talking about the members of the Chardon Polka Band.

It's called Kurentovanje.

It's a Slovenia festival that dates back to the 1960s, and we celebrate it right here in Northeast Ohio.

So I'm here with Chardon Polka Band super fan... - Kaitlyn Peterson.

- Kaitlyn Peterson, one of my favorite people on the planet, who I just happened to run into at the Kurentovanje Festival.

What brings you to this amazing and unique festival today?

- Well, I love the Cleveland Kurentovanje.

I've been coming for all these years.

It's the 11th year.

I love to see the furry Kurents, I love the sense of community, I love the great food, and I love the Chardon Polka Band.

- You nailed it.

I love it.

You're my favorite interview ever, of all time.

We've got an awful lot to unpack on this program, but first we're gonna roll out a polka from Kurentovanje.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) (band singing in Slovenian) (band continues singing in Slovenian) (upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) (band singing in Slovenian) (band continues singing in Slovenian) (upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) (band singing in Slovenian) (band singing in Slovenian) (crowd cheering) - Wow, that tune has so much to do with what we're talking about on today's program.

"Oj Maricka Pegla" started out as a Slovenian folk song.

Then, during the heyday of polka, Slovenian immigrants set it to a polka beat, and turned it into the polka song that we know and love today.

The Kurentovanje Festival, like the song "Oj Marica Peglaj," had its origins in Slovenia.

Here in Cleveland, it's evolved, with its own distinct flavor and style.

And we are still able to respect and celebrate the heritage and traditions that this festival represents.

So let's talk about the Kurentovanje Festival.

In Slovenia, the first Kurentovanje Carnival was organized in 1960.

It was an 11-day rite of spring.

Cleveland Kurentovanje, here in Ohio, had its first event in 2013, and as many as 7,000 people show up annually to join this party.

And here's another tune from our own Kurentovanje celebration right here in Northeast Ohio.

This is a Chardon Polka Band original called "Take Two Beers and Call Me in the Morning."

(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) ♪ My head, it had been aching bad since two days ago ♪ ♪ It hurt so bad that I had a conniption ♪ ♪ I was sitting on the doctors' table asking for some help ♪ ♪ And they said, "Let us write you a prescription" ♪ ♪ Just take two beers ♪ And call me in the morning ♪ Just take two beers ♪ And call me in the morning ♪ And if you take two beers ♪ You'll feel better, don't you know it ♪ ♪ You gotta take two beers ♪ And call me, you'll feel fine ♪ ♪ Now, one, two, that's the medication ♪ ♪ I said one, two, it's nature's pain alleviation ♪ ♪ One, one, that's what my doctors say ♪ ♪ One, two, then you'll be on your way ♪ (upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) ♪ Just take two beers ♪ And call me in the morning ♪ You gotta take two beers ♪ And call me in the morning ♪ And if you take two beers ♪ You'll feel better, don't you know it ♪ ♪ You gotta take two beers ♪ And call me, you'll feel fine ♪ ♪ You gotta take two beers ♪ And call me, you'll feel fine ♪ ♪ Take two beers ♪ And call me ♪ You'll feel fine ♪ Oh yeah Whether you celebrate Kurentovanje in Cleveland or Slovenia, the event's main figure is the Kurent, or Korant.

These creatures help usher in spring and scare away winter.

And we were able to get one of the beastly, gruff Kurents to talk to us on the program today.

Friends and neighbors, you're watching "The World According to Polka."

We are live here at Kurentovanje this year, and I'm totally stoked, because we got a Kurent to talk to us.

Now, I'm gonna ask you some hard-hitting questions.

First of all, I'd like to know a little bit about the ethnic makeup of this festival, and why it's so important to Slovenian culture here in Cleveland.

(bells clanging) Oh, okay.

Okay, Mr. Kurent.

Well, what would you say is the most important thing about this event?

(bells clanging) Mr. Kurent.

Mr. Kurent, Mr. Kurent, this interview isn't exactly...

This isn't right.

It's not playing well, is it, Jeff?

- [Jeff] Can we scrap it?

- Let's try cut it.

Let's do it without the head.

Can we do it without the head?

- [Jeff] The mouth and the fingers aren't moving.

He's just using the bells.

(bells clanging) (test tone beeping) - All right, so now we've unmasked you.

This is actually my good friend Rich, who performs as a Kurent here at the festival.

Now, why is this festival important to Slovenian Cleveland?

- Great question.

Slovenian Cleveland... Cleveland is actually one of the biggest settlements of the Slovenian population when people immigrated over from Slovenia.

So I think, roughly, there's 44,000 to 45,000 Slovenian, people of Slovenian heritage or nationality here in Cleveland.

- Fantastic.

Now You yourself...

This is a huge outfit.

It looks like it weighs three tons.

Why do you put this on year after year to come party here in Cleveland?

- So the outfit is quite heavy.

With the bells in everything, it's probably in the neighborhood of about 50 pounds.

So it's quite heavy.

It's quite the workout.

Being a Kurent is quite alcohol-fueled at times, so that's, you know, one of the reasons.

They feed us free alcohol all weekend, so that's great.

But I'm also Slovenian myself.

I like connecting with my culture, with, you know, the homeland, if you will, and bringing this culture here to Cleveland.

So it's always been important to me to put the costume on and kinda take pride in it and bring this culture here to Cleveland so we can celebrate.

- That's awesome.

Now, where did you get... Do you mind if I...

I mean, we've been calling it a costume, but where did you get...

It's a uniform.

Where did you get your uniform?

- In the world, there's really only one person that makes these costumes.

They come from Slovenia.

Klincs is the company, or the family, that has made these costumes for a really long time.

Every piece of this costume is imported from Slovenia.

It's all real sheepskin.

It's all handmade leather.

Every piece of this costume is handmade.

It's all real feathers and.

like I said, sheepskin.

All in all, these costumes are quite difficult to get over here from Slovenia.

They have to go through customs.

It is an animal fur.

So we have issues going through customs and documenting all that stuff.

But ultimately, when we get here, when we get them here, they run in the neighborhood of about $3,000, including shipping, so yeah, they're quite unique.

- Wow!

- Yeah.

- This is fantastic.

Thank you much.

We really appreciate it.

Thanks for sharing about your culture, your gear, your Kurentovanje Festival.

Rich and his fellow Kurenti are the true celebrities of this festival as they work to scare away the cold.

But you may have noticed, it did not look very much like spring at the Chardon Polka Band's performance at Kurentovanje.

No, it was 20 degrees out in Cleveland, Ohio, but we still did our best to warm up the crowd.

♪ Let the Midnight Special ♪ Shine a light on me ♪ Let the Midnight Special ♪ Shine a light on me ♪ Well, you wake up in the morning ♪ ♪ You hear the work bell ring ♪ You go out to the table ♪ And it's the same old thing ♪ You got enough on your fork there ♪ ♪ But you got nothing in your pan ♪ ♪ You say nothing about it ♪ Let you get in trouble with the man ♪ ♪ Let the Midnight Special ♪ Shine a light on me ♪ Let the Midnight Special ♪ Shine a light on me Mr. Mitch Lawrence is gonna take it!

(upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) ♪ Let the Midnight Special ♪ Shine a light on me ♪ Let the Midnight Special ♪ Shine a light on me (upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) (crowd cheering) Cleveland, Ohio gets an average of 54" of snow every year.

And out where I live in Geauga County, it's even more than that.

We usually get about 80" of snow.

That's a whole lot of winter.

And with temperatures in the 20s and 30s, it's easy to see why some of us might wanna to scare away winter with the Kurentovanje Festival.

But I don't want you to think that we're entirely negative about the winter months, because there's a lot of fun we can have out here in the winter.

And in fact, look, here's someone who likes to have fun out in the winter weather.

It's my good friend and concert ukuleleist... Did I say that right?

Ukuleleist?

- Yes you did.

- Sara Beth Lowe.

Sara, how are you today?

- I'm doing super duper.

- And are you enjoying this beautiful winter weather?

- So much.

- What kind of activities do you like to do out here in the winter?

- Ooh, I like to hike.

Wanna get some snowshoeing in.

There's some ice skating that can happen.

- [Jake] Ice skating.

Ice fishing.

- [Sara] Ice fishing.

Ice sculpting.

- [Jake] Ice sculpting.

A lot of ice stuff.

What about sledding?

- I do love sledding.

Having a snowball fight.

- Ah, this is all beautiful stuff to do in the winter.

I can think of one more beautiful thing we can do in the winter that looks like you're actually, despite being out on a hike, you're prepared for this.

- Yes.

I love playing my ukulele in the winter.

- Well, I just happen to have some microphones and stuff over here.

Would you like to do a song with us?

- Let's do it.

- Let's do it.

(water babbling) (upbeat music) ♪ When whippoorwills call ♪ And evening is nigh ♪ I hurry to my blue heaven ♪ I turn to the right ♪ A little white light ♪ Will lead you to my blue heaven ♪ ♪ You'll see a smiling face, fireplace, cozy room ♪ ♪ A little nest that's nestled where the roses bloom ♪ ♪ Just Molly and me ♪ And baby makes three ♪ We're happy in my blue heaven ♪ (upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) ♪ You'll see a smiling face, fireplace, cozy room ♪ ♪ A little nest that's nestled where the roses bloom ♪ ♪ Just Molly and me ♪ And baby makes three ♪ We're happy in my blue heaven ♪ ♪ We're happy in my blue heaven ♪ - In Northeast Ohio, we have the perfect place to celebrate Kurentovanje.

It's the Slovenian National Home right here in Cleveland.

What an epicenter for polka and Slovenian culture this place has been since 1903.

Slovenian immigrants here in Cleveland endeavored to create a place they could gather and celebrate together.

For over 100 years, the Slovenian National Home has been that place, a place where traditions are kept alive and history and heritage are lovingly embraced.

Year after year, the legacy continues.

And once again, live here at Kurentovanje this year.

Y'all having fun?

- Yes!

- Yeah!

- What is our favorite part of the festival today?

- Pastry.

Sausage.

- Sausage.

- The alcohol.

- Sausage line.

- The sausage line?

You're in the sausage line, brother.

- We were, yeah.

It was a transformational experience.

- Did you get there?

- We got there.

We got there.

We made it up the mountain, and we reached the summit, and we had ourselves with Slovenian sausage.

I can't recommend it highly enough.

- I mean that's what this festival's all about.

- It is.

- Ethnic flavor.

And that is literally ethnic flavor, right?

- Right on.

Right on.

- When I think of ethnic flavor, I think of this guy.

- Yeah.

- I think of this guy- - And you know what, he lives in the neighborhood, unlike many other people who comes over.

- He's been promoting the neighborhood.

- I'm making a big deal of that.

Come on down to St. Clair Superior and stay a while, like about 10, 20 years.

- I love it, boys and girls.

It doesn't get any more Slovenian flavor than this man's Slovenia sausage here at Kurentovanje.

Friends and neighbors, boys and girls, you're watching "The World According to Polka."

Now, this next song is another great example of a Slovenian folk tune that made its way into the polka genre.

Now, the English lyrics have nothing to do with what the song meant in its original Slovenian language.

Still, they're a lot of fun, and it's one of my very favorite polka songs to play.

It's called "Silk Umbrella."

(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) ♪ Oh, you and I, we have a silk umbrella ♪ ♪ You and I, we're both little mellow ♪ ♪ You and I, we have a silk umbrella ♪ ♪ You and I, we have a lot of fun ♪ ♪ Oh, rum, pum, pum ♪ Oh, the good times we had ♪ Rum, pum, pum ♪ Now it's time to go home ♪ Rum, pum, pum ♪ Let's have one more drink ♪ Rum, pum, pum, everyone (upbeat music continues) - Woo-hoo!

(upbeat music continues) (crowd cheering) And now we're gonna go back outside.

We're gonna take another polar plunge into the crisp Cleveland air.

Another song with Mike Franklin, Mitch Lawrence, Brian Brazier, Bob Young, our buddy Bob Buzecan shredding on the accordion today, and me, Jake Kouwe.

We are the Chardon Polka Band.

We're freezing so that you don't have to.

All right, brother, you tell me, why are you here at the Kurentovanje Festival today?

- Well, my family's Slovenian.

We've got roots.

We used to do polka dancing here as a kid when we came down.

Me and my buddy Patrick did the 5K this morning, so.

- Oh, no way.

- Yeah, yeah.

Well, we come down here pretty much every year.

- That's awesome.

And this runs in your family?

- Indeed, yeah.

- We're happy to see it going, and I hope you are, too.

- There's more Slovenians in Cleveland, outside of Slovenia, than any other place in the world.

- I think it's important to keep the ethnicity awake in the neighborhoods.

- It's a wonderful way to bring the community together.

- It's a mixture of polka people, ethnic people, and just people here to have fun.

- Now, lastly, I did hear you have a favorite polka song, and what is it?

- "Polka All Night."

It's the best song ever.

(upbeat music) Not only by Chardon Polka Band, but of all polka.

It's "Polka All Night."

It's my favorite.

♪ If you're down in the dumps, feeling blue ♪ ♪ I'll tell you what you should do ♪ ♪ Turn up the music, take a chance ♪ ♪ We'll have us a polka dance ♪ We're gonna polka all night ♪ Till the morning comes to take us away ♪ ♪ Gonna polka all night ♪ When tomorrow comes, we'll polka all day ♪ ♪ It ain't too hard, swing on the beat ♪ ♪ Jump up and down and move your feet ♪ ♪ Grab a lady, hit the floor ♪ Twirl her till you can't take it no more ♪ ♪ We're gonna polka all night ♪ Till the morning comes to take us away ♪ ♪ Gonna polka all night ♪ When tomorrow comes, we'll polka all day ♪ (upbeat music continues) ♪ It ain't hard, sway to the beat ♪ ♪ Jump up and down and move your feet ♪ ♪ We'll party like nobody can ♪ We're the Chardon Polka Band ♪ We're gonna polka all night ♪ Till the morning comes to take us away ♪ ♪ Gonna polka all night ♪ When tomorrow comes, we'll polka all day ♪ (upbeat music continues) ♪ Oh, we're the Chardon Polka Band, everybody ♪ ♪ So grab a lady or grab a man ♪ And get on the dance floor, bust a move ♪ ♪ Bust a move, bust, bust a move ♪ ♪ Dance real smooth with a girl ♪ ♪ Take her out for a whirl ♪ We're gonna polka all night ♪ Polka all night ♪ Polka all night ♪ Polka all night (crowd cheering) - 20 degrees.

It may sound crazy to be out playing polka in weather like that, but you know what's even crazier?

There were thousands of Clevelanders at that festival partying with us.

Why?

Well, that's what Cleveland Kurentovanje is all about.

We might not have scared away winter just yet.

Spring may not quite be here in Cleveland.

But you know what?

We're in it together.

We celebrate together, whether Slovenian or not.

It's a shared experience, the thought that maybe, together, we can scare away winter and usher in spring.

And I think to myself as the event reaches its pinnacle, when through the snow come the Kurents with the clanging of bells and the din of a whooping crowd, that even if we can't scare away this bitter cold tonight, that the weather really doesn't seem so terrible after all.

Not with some good friends by your side and a little bit of polka music in our hearts.

And that is "The World According to Polka."

♪ Where the Chardon Polka Band ♪ So grab your lady ♪ Gentlemen ♪ Or grab a man ♪ And get on the dance floor, bust a move ♪ ♪ Bust a move, bust, bust a move ♪ ♪ Get real smooth with a girl ♪ Take her out for a whirl ♪ We're gonna polka all night ♪ That's how we do it, baby ♪ Polka all night ♪ Hey, folks, we're getting crazy ♪ ♪ Polka all night ♪ Let's do grits and gravy ♪ Polka all night ♪ Polka all night