Photo Credit: Dublin Irish Festival
What does it take to roll out the green carpet to more than 100,000 guests? Much more than the “luck of the Irish.”
For nearly three decades, the organizers and volunteers at the Dublin Irish Festival in Ohio have been making the first weekend of August a highlight of summer for local residents, as well as for people from other states, countries, and cultures.
A Brief History
The festival began in 1988 with a small group of dancers and one band, the Irish Brigade. The dancers performed on tennis courts, illuminated by car headlights. Today, light towers have replaced the headlights, and the festival covers 38 acres, including seven stages, more than 135 performances, 185 tents, 1,700 tables, and 8,000 chairs. And the festival—funded by hotel/motel tax—has a regional economic impact of approximately $8.3 million.