The Celtic Classic will not return next year, ending its nearly 40-year run in Bethlehem.<\/p>\n
The Celtic Cultural Alliance, which ran the event in the city\u2019s North Side, announced Wednesday that the decision to end the festival comes after years of significant financial challenges, changing spending habits, years of weather affecting operations and the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Steadily rising operating costs have created an \u201cunsustainable financial reality\u201d for the organization, the CCA said in a news release.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was an incredibly difficult decision,\u201d Lane Rundle, board president, said in the release. \u201cThe Celtic Cultural Alliance has always been about bringing people together through music, culture, education, and tradition. We are deeply grateful to every volunteer, sponsor, donor, performer, athlete, vendor, and festival attendee who helped make this organization what it became. The memories created over the past 39 years will live on far beyond the final festival.\u201d<\/p>\n
The event was home to the Highland Games and Festival, the Parade of Shamrocks, education programs, concerts, classes and community events, and brought millions of visitors to the region, according to the CCA.<\/p>\n
The Celtic Classic began in 1988 and drew thousands of visitors. In recent years it has had to contend with bad weather, with 2023 being a particularly bad year. Heavy rain caused attendance numbers to drop and the festival suffered financial losses.<\/p>\n