The long-running North Texas Irish Festival has decided to pull up stakes from its home in Fair Park and relocate to Denton, starting with its 2027 edition.
According to a release, the 2027 event will be held at the North Texas Fairgrounds on March 13 and 14.
Produced by the Southwest Celtic Music Association, the festival has been in existence since 1983, growing into one of the largest Irish festivals in the United States.
The festival was the second-largest annual event at Fair Park, behind only the State Fair of Texas.
In a phone interview with CultureMap, North Texas Irish Festival entertainment director Sheri Bush, who has been with the event since 1997, said the impetus for the move was when Fair Park First took over management of Fair Park in 2019.
Prior to that year, Bush said, Fair Park allowed the North Texas Irish Festival to handle all of the logistics of the event, from ticketing to concessions to security. But that changed under Fair Park First, which - among other things - raised ticket prices to a degree that it was affecting attendance, she said.
Bush said the loss of control, combined with the deteriorating condition of Fair Park's buildings, attendees' perception that the area was unsafe, and what she described as a lack of promotion by the city of Dallas, ultimately made relocating a more appealing option than staying.
The city of Denton has shown an enthusiasm for the event that has been lacking from Dallas, and all logistics will once again be under the festival's control, Bush said.
The move to Denton will not change anything about what the festival has to offer, including including multiple stages of live Celtic music, Irish step dancing performances, cultural demonstrations, storytelling, shopping, authentic food and drink, and more.
"We’re honored that the North Texas Irish Festival has chosen Denton as its new home," said Denton Mayor Chris Watts in a statement. "This move reflects our city’s commitment and reputation as a premier destination for arts, culture and community events."
Festival organizers say in the release that Denton's renowned arts and music community makes it a natural fit for the North Texas Irish Festival.
"Denton is known for embracing music and creativity," Bush said in the release. "Those values align perfectly with what the North Texas Irish Festival has represented for more than four decades. We're excited to become part of the Denton community while continuing to welcome attendees from across Texas and beyond."
Additional details, including the performer lineup and ticket information will be announced in the coming months.
