Twin Cities Irish Fest organizers working to overcome $185,000 deficit

Rising costs are forcing the organizers of some of the Twin Cities' largest summer festivals to reconsider their cash flow streams, as Twin Cities Irish Fest turns to the community to try to ensure the event survives in years to come. 

Twin Cities Irish Fest, formerly known as the Irish Fair of Minnesota and held in Harriet Island Regional Park in St. Paul, has launched a fundraiser with a $185,000 goal. As of Friday night, a $70,000 deficit remained. 

Ryan Mayer, a board member with the organization that puts on the annual three-day event, said the deficit is ultimately a result of vendors facing financial pressures. He said that the same factors impacting rising grocery and gas prices are impacting the companies that help handle everything from fencing to staging to tents, costs that are then passed on to the festival itself. 

"So it's kind of a perfect storm," Mayer said. 

He explained that the primary problem this year is a logistical one. He said that in the past, organizers could wait until after the festival in August to pay vendors; it meant that they would have the necessary cash on hand thanks to tickets and other sales. This year, however, economic hardship has pushed vendors to ask for major deposits up front. 

The fundraiser is designed to allow Irish Fest to change up it's cash flow model, according to Mayer, so they can readjust and be in a position to pay up-front fees for years to come. 

Entertainment retainers have also become more expensive, especially for international acts, Mayer said. 

"We're just asking for a little help to get us over this hump and help stabilize us so we don't have to do this ever again," Mayer said. 

Dayna Martinez, executive director of the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, said that they are also seeing changes. The two-day event in St. Paul's Mears Park is free, but Martinez said that it's been a challenge to maintain some of the big money donors that keep it that way. This year, organizers faced an initial shortfall of about $60,000 that has now been reduced to $30,000. 

"Mostly it's the companies say, 'We just don't have the money this year to devote to community festivals,' unfortunately," Martinez said. 

Twin Cities Jazz Festival has found success in applying for more government grants and turning to smaller donors, Martinez explained, adding that she is excited for this year's lineup in June. 

The jazz festival will go on in St. Paul from June 19 to June 20 this year, while Irish Fest is slated to bring visitors to Harriet Island Regional Park from August 7 to August 9. Organizers are also planning on hosting a block party on June 27 if they reach their $185,000 fundraising goal by then.