Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheri Bush.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I guess you could say that I married into it! I married an Irish musician, who introduced me to the North Texas Irish Festival. Through him, I began to manage an Irish band. That band was hired by the festival to play, so I got to know the people on the board and the entertainment committee, and eventually, I was asked to join the board of the Southwest Celtic Music Association. I joke that I was brought on to the board and someone keeps moving the exit door! I became the president ten years ago and became the entertainment director seven years ago.
This festival revolves around the music. You can’t be around that music and not want to dance! Only the Irish can make a dirge or a war song fun. The music at the North Texas Irish Festival is spectacular and the talent level is amazing. And the people who play it are fun, nice, easy to be around. It’s a genre that is very inclusive and brings people together. It’s great music and I’ve loved getting to know more about it. Finally, after 20 years, I can tell a reel from a jig. The differences, subtleties, nuances in the music – and the stories, all the stories! — are what makes it such an interesting, enjoyable thing to be involved in.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Many people don’t know that the North Texas Irish Festival — this amazing, professional, outstanding event that has been held for almost 37 years now — is run by a team of dedicated volunteers. There are almost 1,000 volunteers who pour their heart and soul into this. Truly, it’s unusual to find an event this size run almost entirely by volunteers. It’s unusual, if not unheard of. The bond that we volunteer form is really something. So I would say that is certainly a challenge because all of these dedicated folks are somehow making time to put on this event in the midst of their own very busy lives — jobs, families, etc. — and then volunteer to make something special for everyone else. Certainly, that can be a challenge. But we all love it. I can personally attest to the fact that no one would work this hard (for free) if they didn’t love it.
Also, many people don’t understand that most of our festival is inside. Certainly, we have many fun things to enjoy outside, as well, but even our outdoor music stages are covered. We’ve learned many things over more than three decades of running this festival. So, if the weather is great, come out and enjoy it with us. If the weather is less than optimal, still come out and enjoy the festival with us! Everything from kids’ activities to musical stages, dancing, chefs, and more is INSIDE. It can be a challenge communicating that to everyone each year, but it’s the truth. Rain or shine, this festival is something really fun to come do with your whole family.
Please tell us about Southwest Celtic Music Association.
The Southwest Celtic Music Association Inc. (SCMA) is the producing organization for the North Texas Irish Festival. Almost 1,000 volunteers will help in organization, promotion, and execution of this year’s festival. The first such festival was held on March 5, 1983, at the legendary Nick Farrelly’s Lounge on Oak Lawn and was billed as the First Texas Céilí. This event was so popular that it has continued every year since on the first weekend in March as the North Texas Irish Festival. Shortly after the first festival, the all-volunteer Southwest Celtic Music Association Inc. was formed to promote the study, performance, and preservation of traditional Celtic music, dance, and culture. In 1984, the event was moved to Fair Park and its name changed to the North Texas Irish Festival. The Southwest Celtic Music Association Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit cultural corporation headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and serves a five-state regional area. The organization maintains a web site at www.scmatx.org.
The North Texas Irish Festival is the largest celebration of Celtic culture in the Southwest, and one of the largest in the U.S. It draws incredible musicians from all over the world each year.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Oh, we start over each year! We take the lessons learned from previous festivals and always plan for bigger and better the next year. That’s how you survive for 37 years as one of North Texas’s most-loved cultural traditions. We’re always learning!! Certainly, we are always looking to improve, but none of us would change the way it has developed over the years.
Pricing:
- Tickets for the North Texas Irish Festival are available online in February at www.ntif.org. Admission is FREE on Friday from 6 to 7 p.m.; $10 after. A one-day ticket is $20 on Saturday and $15 on Sunday at the gate, while a two-day ticket is $25 and a weekend pass is $30. Discount tickets are available at area Tom Thumb and Albertsons stores. Children 11 and under are FREE when accompanied by adult family member. Seniors over 65 or current military members (with valid military ID) receive $5 off all gate prices. Dogs are allowed in on a short leash with a $1 requested donation to animal rescue groups supported by the festival. Leprechauns (in full ceremonial dress and carrying pot of gold) are FREE.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.NTIF.org
- Phone: (214) 821-4173
- Email: info@NTIF.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ntif_scma/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NTIFDALLAS/
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NTIF_SCMA
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/north-texas-irish-festival-dallas?osq=north+texas+irish+festival
Image Credit:
Southwest Celtic Music Association
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