Visit a major city in the United States, and there is a good chance you could stumble across a “Little Italy,” some variation of the one found along Mayfield Road in Cleveland featuring fine dining, bakeries and the yearly Feast of the Assumption. What you won’t find most places elsewhere is something like the Italian Cultural Garden a couple of mi...

Joyce Mariani, Executive Director of the Italian Cultural Garden Foundation and founder of the Cleveland Italian Film Festival, was inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame on April 18, 2023.  Basil M. Russo nominated Joyce Mariani to receive this prestigious award.   Basil Russo is the national president of the Order of Italian Sons...

When people we love and admire pass from this earth, invariably we remember first how they were as a person, the lives they touched, and not the worldly things they've amassed. How can I adequately describe this special human being; selfless, humble, wise, quiet man of a few words who had a passion for helping others. A generous heart, never seekin...

October 12 2020 Roma, Italy / The United States

Sometimes a magical moment appears and life gently taps us on the shoulder guiding us to something greater than ourselves. Such a revelation happened upon discovering the great dreams and ambitions of a trio of brave Italian men who came from Italy to America full of anticipation and a burning desire to share Italy’s great cultural patrimony.  Thes...

Heartfelt THANK YOU! to all the donors!! The Italian Cultural Garden's newly completed restoration ($63,000) of black granite medallions in large 9 ft. circles honoring, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Donatello, Bernini, Palladio & Ovidio! 3 years of planning, raising money, delays,frustration and tears -finally finished!!