CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — Stop by to enjoy your favorite Greek food and delicious pastries, along with live Greek music and daily performances by the Hellenic Dancers, when the 2025 Greek Festival on the Heights is held July 24-27 at Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 3352 Mayfield Road in Cleveland Heights.
“We’re so happy to once again bring to the community our Greek Festival on the Heights,” said festival co-chairperson Marguarite Stephanopoulos, in a release. “Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds — and delicious aromas — of an ancient culture with a deep history and beautiful traditions. Plus, it’s a lot of fun.”
Diners will find food inside and out at the festival. Outdoors will be a large food tent for souvlaki, gyro, fries, saganaki (flaming cheese) and other tasty treats, as well as a “taverna” for beer, wine and spirits.
Visitors will also enjoy live music and the Hellenic Dancers performing dances from various areas around Greece and its islands.
Diners can also feast on Greek entrees in the church’s large, air-conditioned hall. Menu selections include lamb shanks, moussaka, and pastitsio. Desserts include baklava and a variety of other Greek pastries.
Church tours also will be offered. Cooking demonstrations will also be held.
Festival co-chair Clay White said that, in addition to raising funds for the ministries of the church, the festival will also raise funds for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
“This year, the Greek Festival is proud to partner with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank to raise money and awareness for their organization,” White said. “During the 2025 festival, every dollar donated to the Food Bank at our event will be matched by the Festival, up to $10,000.”
“The Greater Cleveland Food Bank provides critical life-saving nutritious food to 424,000 individuals annually. Donations from the community are a substantial part of their critical funding. Every $1 raised can help provide three meals for our hungry neighbors,” he said.
Festival days and hours will be 4-9 p.m. Thursday, July 24; 4-11 p.m. July 25; noon to 11 p.m. July 26; and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, July 27.on is free. A free park and ride service is available from Severance Town Center (at Mayfield and S. Taylor Rds.). Parking is also available on side streets near the church and in the Park Synagogue parking lots to the west of the church.
For more information, visit stsconstantine.com/about/greekfestival and facebook.com/ClevelandGreekFestival/.
Piano concert: Piano Cleveland has announced that, as part of its Piano Days festival, Kotaro Fukuma, the 2003 Cleveland International Piano Competition first prize Winner, will return to Cleveland to play a recital featuring French impressionist works by the likes of Debussy and Ravel, juxtaposed with contemporary Japanese composers.
The recital will take place at 7:30 p.m. July 31 at Mixon Hall at the Cleveland Institute of Music, 11021 East Blvd. in Cleveland.
To purchase tickets, visit here.
Beachwood chief graduates FBI Academy: Beachwood Police Chief Dan Grispino has graduated from the FBI National Academy, an elite and highly selective 10-week leadership program designed for top-tier law enforcement professionals.
Held at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va., the National Academy is one of the highest honors in law enforcement training. It brings together up to 250 law enforcement leaders from across the United States and more than 160 international partner nations to promote advanced training, global cooperation, and professional development.
Candidates are nominated based on stringent qualifications, including leadership ability, physical fitness, professional integrity, and a proven dedication to public safety.
Throughout the 10-week program, Grispino underwent comprehensive instruction in areas such as law, behavioral science, officer wellness, communication, health and fitness, and leadership.
The course culminated in the challenging “Yellow Brick Road” — a grueling 6.1-mile obstacle run that symbolizes the physical and mental demands placed on today’s law enforcement leaders.
Reflecting on the experience, Grispino, in a Beachwood city release, stated, “The training I received will directly benefit our department and the community we serve. I am committed to implementing these proven strategies to strengthen and enhance our services to meet current and future challenges.
“This ensures Beachwood will remain one of the safest and most forward-thinking cities in Ohio.”
Mayor Justin Berns said of the Chief’s accomplishment, “Chief Grispino’s graduation from the FBI National Academy is a testament to his exceptional leadership and commitment to professional development. His dedication to enhancing our department’s resources and capabilities directly strengthens our ability to protect and serve our community at the highest level.
“We are fortunate to have a leader so focused on innovation, excellence, and the future of policing in Beachwood.”
Heights Libraries happenings: Adult programs coming to Heights Libraries include:
— “Queer Zine Make-and-Trade with TransOhio,” scheduled for noon July 12.
About this event, Heights Libraries states, “Make some zines, build some community, and share copies of your zine with others in the group. Materials and (optional) prompts provided. Participants will also have the option to contribute their zines to the Lee Road Branch zine collection.
“This event is held in partnership with TransOhio, an organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights of trans, nonbinary, intersex, and gender nonconforming people in Ohio. It will take place at Rhizome House, 2174 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights.”
— “Rabbi Abba Silver’s Fight Against the Cleveland Nazis,” scheduled for 7 p.m. July 15 at the Lee Road branch, 2345 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights.
In the 1930s, stormtroopers were marching in Parma and local auto workers were being recruited for jobs in German factories. Learn how Rabbi Silver’s League for Human Rights led the fight against the local fascists. This program will be presented by local historian Dennis R. Sutcliffe. Registration is required.
Baerga, DiBiasio to speak at temple: Former Cleveland Indians second baseman Carlos Baerga and Guardians Senior Vice President Bob DiBiasio will be the featured speakers when the Temple Emanu El Brotherhood celebrates the 30th anniversary of the 1995 American League Champion Indians.
The event is the Brotherhood’s 35th annual Sports Night and will be held from 6:15 to 8:30 p.m. July 17 at Temple Emanu El, 4545 Brainard Road in Orange.
For this in-person public event, dinner and prize drawings will be held before the speaker program.
Tickets cost $25 per adult, and $10 for children 12 and under. Payments are due by July 15.
There are two ways to pay, by Venmo to @Len-Gold (last digits 1156), and by a check, made payable to Temple Emanu El Brotherhood. Mail checks to Temple Emanu El, 4545 Brainard Road, Orange Village, OH 44022.
Shaker Heights Citizens Police Academy: The time is now to sign up for the popular Citizens Police Academy program, where residents can learn more about police operations and how safety forces serve the community.
The next session will take place from Sept. 4 to Nov. 13. Meetings are held weekly, from 6-9 p.m. Thursdays. Application deadline is Aug. 4.
Also, Shaker Heights police are asking, through July 27, for residents to provide input on their experiences with the department as part of its annual accreditation process with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc.
Learn more and access the feedback portal here.
UH has the latest in cardiac stress testing: University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute is the first site in Ohio to clinically administer the FDA-approved Flyrcado (flurpiridaz F 18) injection to patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).
This first-of-its-kind F 18 radiopharmaceutical helps physicians better detect CAD or blockages in heart arteries that can lead to heart attacks.
Flyrcado is an advanced positron emission tomography (PET) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) agent designed to assess how well the heart functions under stress.
It is used during cardiac stress tests, which evaluate blood flow to the heart muscle either through physical exercise or pharmacologic agents that simulate stress by dilating coronary arteries or increasing heart rate.
Flyrcado enables clinicians to visualize perfusion with precision, supporting more accurate diagnoses and informed treatment decisions.
The person person to whom UH administered Flycardo was Beachwood’s Boake Sells, who received the first PET MPI cardiac stress test with Flyrcado at UH Cleveland Medical Center.
A nuclear stress test uses injected radioactive tracers to create detailed images of the heart. PET scans can yield better quality pictures of the perfusion in the heart than SPECT imaging, the current standard of care, especially in patients who may be more difficult to image, such as those who are overweight or obese or have significant breast tissue.
Unlike traditional PET MPI tracers that degrade rapidly and require on-site production with costly equipment, Flyrcado offers a transformative advantage. With a half-life approximately 10 times longer than currently available cardiac PET radiotracers, Flyrcado enables centralized manufacturing and broader distribution — making advanced cardiac imaging more accessible.
Its extended decay time also allows clinicians the flexibility to rescan patients during the same session if needed, enhancing image quality and improving the overall patient and provider experience.
“With PET MPI, we will be better equipped to show blood flow through the heart muscle and evaluate the presence, extent, and degree of potential coronary artery disease,” said cardiologist Dr. James Cireddu, in a UH release. “UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute strives to be at the forefront of cardiac care.
“As early adopters of this technology, we hope to gain more information from these tests and provide our patients with a potentially more accurate diagnosis.”
CAD is caused by cholesterol and inflammatory plaque buildup in the arteries that supply blood to the heart and is the most common form of heart disease. CAD remains the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S.
For some people, the first sign of CAD is a heart attack. Testing like PET MPI provides crucial information for patients so they can, if needed, undergo life-saving interventions, such as stents and bypass surgery, with the goal of avoiding an adverse event like a heart attack and damage to the heart muscle.
Leaders from both cardiology and radiology drove a coordinated effort to bring this new, beneficial option to patients at UH.
“Flyrcado represents one of the most groundbreaking advancements in nuclear cardiology in decades,” said Patrick Wojtylak, radiology system manager for nuclear medicine at UH Cleveland Medical Center. “While PET MPI offers superior diagnostic accuracy compared to SPECT MPI, its use remains limited in the U.S.
“This underutilization is largely due to restricted access to current PET tracers. Flyrcado may help overcome this by making it available to regional and community hospital settings.”
RTA Rapid service disruption: The city of Shaker Heights has announced an RTA Rapid service disruption that will begin Sunday, July 20 and extend through Saturday, Aug. 16.
During this period, 67R buses will replace suspended Blue and Green Line rail service east of Tower City due to planned construction. Look for 67R buses directly across the road from Rapid stops.
Ladies Night in University Heights: From University Heights Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan’s weekly newsletter, we have this concert item: “It’s Ladies Night with The Ladies Night on July 10 at 7 p.m. at The Walt (Stinson Park).
“The Ladies Night is the ultimate rocking tribute to Pop Divas, with an emphasis on the 90’s-00’s. These five dudes aren’t afraid to wear their love for Britney Spears, Chappell Roan, Katy Perry, Kesha, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Miley Cyrus on their pink glittery sleeves as they rock their way through these guilty pleasure singalongs, often in the original key!”
