CLEVELAND, Ohio – Running cultural events in the 21st century is a Sisyphean slog. There are economic pressures, changing demographics and competition with every step, all while pushing that heavy rock uphill.
Maintaining authenticity in an increasingly disposable world is a heavier lift. Doing it well for 40 years would have anyone kissing their Blarney Stone.
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That’s how Caitie Cataldo, creative director of the
Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival
paints it. The family-run festival hits a milestone this weekend at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, 19201 Bagley Rd., Middleburg Heights.
Cataldo has been involved “since I was diaper age,” she told Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer and is showing no signs of slowing down.
“My grandpa started this festival with a group of his friends,” Cataldo said. “I was born in Ireland, but came over as a toddler and it has been the identity of our family. We didn’t have family reunions. We had the festival. It’s been the fabric of our family.”
A highly anticipated 40th anniversary celebration happens Friday, July 18, to Sunday, July 20, 2025, at the fairgrounds and features an extraordinary lineup of internationally renowned Irish and Celtic performers alongside beloved local favorites.
Over the course of three days, attendees can enjoy music across four stages – headlined by world-renowned Irish band, The High Kings, social-media sensation Ally the Piper and Cherish the Ladies, a staple of Irish music for decades.
“We’re thrilled to welcome such a dynamic lineup of talent to mark this milestone year. We’re celebrating a big anniversary, so we wanted to deliver a lineup that we know attendees will love, festival director Phil Parente said.
“There’s a lot of great entertainment, and we hope to see everyone there.”
If it feels like organizers zeroed in on music for this year’s festival, you would be right.
“My grandpa never wanted to focus on anything hokey or stereotypically Irish,” Cataldo said. “He was known for having a real good read on who – especially from Ireland – was or would be a mover and shaker in Irish music.”
Cataldo said the festival has featured several debut acts that have gone on to great things.
“We have worked really hard to get that identity, we’re exceeding the needs and intentionally and purposefully bringing people into the heartbeat of Ireland.”
Cataldo said they’re looking at this anniversary year as a launching point forward.
John O’Brien, Sr. first gathered a group of friends and founded Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival in an effort to showcase and preserve Irish traditions.
His realized vision became the first Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival which drew over 3,000 visitors. By 1991, it had outgrown the small wooded venue used during its first years and relocated to its current environs.
Cleveland’s Irish Cultural Festival is a non-profit, annual civic event, benefiting local and national charities while highlighting the many aspects of Irish culture. Festival organizer have donated more than $770,000.00 to local and national charities since they began.
It’s wrapped up in a great family-friendly atmosphere that Cataldo and organizers want to keep growing.
“Where are we going from here? We want people to walk onto the grounds and feel like they have stepped into Ireland in a small way,” Cataldo said – adding that the festival is rounded out with a cultural hall, a children’s area, Irish sports and even a Sunday Mass.
“We’ve also leveled-up the food experience, which is hard to do on a fairground. We have great vendors who can offer Irish food, but I think we’re knocking it out of the park this year with Irish Stew, Fish and Chips, Bangers, Boxty and Colcannon – mashed potato upgrade!”
Comfort food and music are key components, but Cataldo said that the key to it all is that “friendly family and friend-run vibe,” she said.
“That’s it. That is Cleveland. It’s nonprofit, we donate to charities. Cleveland is culture. Cleveland is family.”
Hours of the festival are Friday, July 18 from 5 p.m. – 11 p.m.; Saturday, July 19 from 1 p.m. – 11 p.m. and Sunday, July 20 from 1 p.m. – 10 p.m. Daily tickets are $20; a $50 weekend pass is available. Kids under 10 are free. Free parking is available. Learn more at
clevelandirish.org
.