named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Celtic College
On-site educational program offering lectures and workshops on Celtic history, genealogy, language, music, whisky, and traditional crafts during the festival.
Clan Village
Gathering space for recognized Celtic clans and heritage societies to connect with members and the public, promoting ancestral identity and cultural continuity.
Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival & Highland Games
Annual multi-day festival featuring Highland Games competitions, traditional Celtic music and dance performances, clan village gatherings, artisan vendors, food and drink, living history demonstrations, and educational seminars through Celtic College.
Wee Folk Shire
Family-friendly zone with interactive activities for children including crafts, storytelling, face painting, play areas, and themed games designed to engage youth with Celtic culture.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Community Festival & Event Production 2 activities
- Develop and manage festival infrastructure and themed spacesOperates multiple dedicated performance and activity venues during the festival, including The Great Hall, Motte & Bailey Arena, Celtic Arts Stage, Dragonfly Stage, Fireside Stage, and Cara Stage. Manages themed areas such as the Clan Village, Wee Folk Shire & The Storyteller’s Tree, and the petting farm in partnership with local organizations.
- Organize annual Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival & Highland GamesHosts a two-day annual festival and Highland Games at the Niagara County Fairgrounds in Lockport, NY, celebrating Celtic culture through athletic competitions, live entertainment, educational programming, and family-friendly activities. The event attracts approximately 12,000 guests and participants each year, featuring over 60 athletes from the U.S. and Canada competing in 11 divisions of traditional Highland Games events such as stone throws, caber toss, and sheaf toss.
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Irish and Celtic Cultural Preservation 2 activities
- Promote Celtic heritage and culture through education and outreachAdvances public understanding of the history and culture of immigrants from the seven Celtic nations—Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Isle of Man, Brittany (France), and Galicia (Spain)—through free cultural classes, lectures, historical presentations, and online promotion of Celtic heritage programs. Offers educational opportunities on topics including bagpipes, Celtic poetry, genealogy, and traditional crafts during the annual festival.
- Provide online community and promotional services for Celtic cultureOffers free online promotion for educational programs related to Celtic heritage and operates a free online classifieds service for individuals to sell or promote Celtic, Irish, Scottish, or Welsh items or services, supporting broader engagement with Celtic culture beyond the annual festival.
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Equitable Access Admission Programs 1 activity
- Facilitate access and inclusion at festival eventsProvides free admission to children aged 12 and under, free off-site parking with shuttle transportation from The Kenan Center to the festival grounds, and inclusive access to food, activities, and cultural experiences for all attendees. Offers complimentary passes and financial donations to visiting clans and space for non-Celtic-affiliated historical and local nonprofits to participate.
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Corporate Sponsorship Programs 1 activity
- Recognize sponsors and supportersDisplays sponsor family names on yard signs at the festival guest entrance and lists them on the organization’s website home page, in the festival guidebook, and in email newsletters to acknowledge their support of the annual event.
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Event and Production Volunteer Coordination 1 activity
- Support volunteer engagement and recognitionOperates a volunteer program that provides free festival admission and food tickets in exchange for at least 4 hours of service during the annual event. Organizes workforce logistics for festival operations and hosts an annual memorial service to honor deceased volunteers and supporters with dedications and gifts to their families.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Create and maintain official Celtic cultural symbolsDesigned and officially registered the Niagara Celtic Festival Tartan with The Scottish Register of Tartans on September 3, 2015, establishing a unique cultural symbol representing the organization and its mission.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$239K
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$239K100%
Investment income$50%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$250K
Program expenses100%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$18K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineOther
balance sheet
Total assets$8K
Cash$8K
Investments$0
Liabilities$102K
Net assets$-94K
Liquid reserves0.4 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +6.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BETH BANKS | FESTIVAL DIR | 20 | $11K |
| PHILIP BANKS | TREASURER | 15 | $7K |
board members · 9
- BENJAMIN MARTIN — DIRECTOR
- CATHERINE BANKS — SECRETARY
- ELIZABETH ALLORE — DIRECTOR
- KATHLEEN LAMONT — VICE PRESIDE
- MATHEW SEIB — DIRECTOR
- OLIVIA DICKENSON — DIRECTOR
- REBECCA SCHWEIGERT — PRESIDENT
- ROBERT TALLADAY — DIRECTOR
- RYAN FLORE — DIRECTOR
relationships · 86
Who they work with
- 1916 Partner — Performing band participating in the Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival
- 4 Kings Distillery LLC Partner — Provides spirit tastings and bottles at the festival.
- Almost Seamus Partner — Performing band participating in the Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival
- Barry's Crossing Partner — Performing band at the Niagara Celtic Festival.
- Be Witched Buffalo Partner — Performing group participating in the Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival
- Bee Spit Meadery Partner — Offers mead tastings, bottles, and honey-based treats at the festival.
- Billy's Beef LLC Partner — Serves food items including beef-on-weck and poutine fries at the festival.
- CNY Gallowglass Society Partner — Conducts broadsword fencing demonstrations
- CNY Gallowglass Society Partner — Partner organization offering hands-on experiences in historical broadsword fencing at the festival.
- Cairde Partner — Performing group participating in the Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival
- Caledonian Pipe Band of Buffalo Partner — Performing pipe band participating in the Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival
- Catch and Release Partner — Performing Celtic-influenced band participating in the Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival
- Celtic Spirit Pipe Band Partner — Performing pipe band participating in the Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival
- Clan Buchanan Society International Partner — Participating clan in the Clan Village at the annual festival
- Clan Campbell Partner — Participating clan in the Clan Village at the annual festival
- Clan Douglas Society of N.A. Partner — Participating clan in the Clan Village at the annual festival
- Clan Grant Partner — Participating clan in the Clan Village at the annual festival
- Clan Hannay Society USA Branch Partner — Partner organization participating in Clan Village to share heritage and traditions of Clan Hannay.
- Clan Henderson Partner — Participating clan in the Clan Village at the annual festival
- Clan Hunter USA Partner — Participating clan in the Clan Village at the annual festival
- Clan MacGillivray Partner — Partner organization representing Clan MacGillivray in Clan Village to celebrate ancestral traditions.
- Clan MacLaren Society of N.A. Partner — Participating clan in the Clan Village at the annual festival
- Clan O'Keefe Partner — Partner organization participating in Clan Village to honor Irish Celtic heritage.
- Clan Wallace Partner — Participating clan in the Clan Village at the annual festival
- Clann Wolfe Partner — Living history group participating in the festival.
- Clann of the Wolf Partner — Promotes Clann of the Wolf, a living history troupe focused on Celtic and Highland history, to encourage public engagement and membership.
- Crikwater Partner — Performing Irish-American folk band participating in the Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival
- Daughters of Scotia Partner — Participating organization in the Clan Village at the annual festival
- David Stayner Partner — Individual performer participating in the Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival
- Divine Nosh by Gibby Partner — Offers handmade baked goods, including gluten-free and sugar-free options, at the festival.
+ 56 more
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Led Preservation and Recognitionmethodology: community-recognitionBy recognizing long-term participants and integrating local businesses and organizations into festival programming, we strengthen community ownership and continuity of heritage because sustained engagement is driven by mutual recognition and shared investment.
- Cultural Immersion Through Living Heritagemethodology: cultural_immersionBy immersing attendees in authentic Celtic traditions, pageantry, and living history, we deepen engagement with and understanding of Celtic heritage because experiential participation fosters emotional connection and sustained interest more effectively than passive observation.
- Intergenerational Experiential Educationmethodology: experiential-education-for-childrenBy designing interactive, play-based experiences for children and families, we ensure the transmission of Celtic heritage across generations because immersive, age-appropriate engagement fosters early cultural identification and long-term community participation.