BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Celtic Classic may not be dead after all.
Less than two weeks after the Celtic Cultural Alliance announced it was disbanding, two of the Bethlehem festival’s original founders are working to bring the nearly four-decade tradition back to life in 2027.
And they’re starting with a wake.
Neville Gardner, owner of Donegal Square and McCarthy’s Irish Pub in downtown Bethlehem, and fellow founder Jim Foley are organizing a fundraiser Saturday, Nov. 14, appropriately called “Awaken the Celtic Classic.”
The centerpiece will be a bagpipe flash mob outside Donegal Square, with a theme inspired by the traditional Irish drinking song “Finnegan’s Wake.”
“It’s kind of a little tongue-in-cheek. It’s a wake for the festival, you know. And it’s actually Jim’s idea,” Gardner said.
The song tells the story of Tim Finnegan, a man believed to be dead who unexpectedly rises from his coffin during his own wake.
For Gardner and Foley, it’s an appropriate metaphor for a festival they’re determined to revive.
“We were driving to the meeting with the mayor, and I said to Neville, ‘You know what Celtic Classic means? They need a Finnegan’s wake. Let’s do one as a fundraiser,’” Foley recalled.
The event will feature bagpipers and specially designed T-shirts depicting a man emerging from his coffin, a playful symbol of the festival’s hoped-for resurrection.
A tradition facing an uncertain future
The revival effort follows the Celtic Cultural Alliance’s Oct. 28 announcement that it would cease operations after 39 years.
The nonprofit, which organized the Celtic Classic Highland Games & Festival, cited mounting financial pressures, including rising operating costs, changing visitor spending habits, weather-related challenges, and the lingering financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite continued strong attendance, the organization said those challenges made its operations financially unsustainable.
Founded in 1988, the Celtic Classic grew into one of North America’s largest free Celtic festivals, drawing visitors to Bethlehem for a weekend of music, dancing, Highland Games, food and cultural celebrations.
Its impact extended beyond the annual September festival. The Celtic Cultural Alliance also supported educational programming, cultural events and scholarships promoting Celtic heritage.
Gardner and Foley, however, believe the tradition can continue under a new organization.
The two have launched an online fundraising campaign, with a goal of raising $100,000, and are working toward establishing a new nonprofit organization.
They also acknowledge that any successful revival will require a different business model capable of sustaining the festival financially.
Whether a future event would retain the Celtic Classic name or operate under a different identity remains uncertain.
Keeping the tradition alive
For longtime participants, the effort is about preserving more than a three-day festival.
Beth Ritter Guth, who describes her heritage as Scottish, Irish and English, has been involved with the Celtic Classic throughout its 39-year history.
A bagpiper herself, she is organizing Saturday afternoon’s gathering outside Donegal Square.
Guth hopes the event sends a message that the people who have supported the festival for decades are not ready to abandon it.
“Just raise awareness that we’re not going anywhere,” Guth said.
She believes the tradition can survive even if the original festival cannot return in exactly the same form.
“Even if we have to change the name, and have a new name or whatever, that a Celtic festival will happen in Bethlehem, and we will carry the tradition forward,” she said.
That determination is shared by Gardner, who sees the effort as both a celebration of the festival’s past and an opportunity to shape its future.
“Celebrating the 39 years, and looking toward the 40th year and going forward,” Gardner said.
The founders face significant challenges, from fundraising and organizing a new nonprofit to developing a financially sustainable festival.
But Gardner is confident the event can return in 2027.
Asked whether he realistically believes a revival can happen next year, he offered an unequivocal answer.
“Yes, we’re going to make it happen,” he responded.
For now, the first step is Saturday’s gathering, where the sounds of bagpipes and an Irish song about resurrection will accompany an unusual celebration of a cherished Bethlehem tradition.
A wake is ordinarily an occasion to say goodbye.
For those hoping to revive the Celtic Classic, this one is intended to be anything but.
Event information: “Awaken the Celtic Classic” is scheduled for Saturday afternoon, Nov. 14, outside Donegal Square in downtown Bethlehem.
Fundraiser: Supporters can contribute to the Awakening Celtic Classic GoFundMe campaign.
Copyright 2026 Maranatha Broadcasting Co., Inc.. All Rights Reserved.