Longtime volunteer with the Trenton Scottish Irish Festival, Beth Cleaton. (Photo: Quinte News)
Quinte West’s Economic Development Committee is recommending council provide financial support for the Trenton Scottish Irish
Festival as it changes gears for the 28th annual event this September.
In the past few years, the Scottish Irish Festival has gone from a one day local event to a two day event featuring expensive star talent.
The festival lost $60,000 last year and while some of the shortfall can be attributed to bad weather, most people involved want to bring
the event back to its roots and cut it back to one day, featuring area pipe bands and much less expensive Celtic entertainment.
To make the transition, longtime Scottish Irish volunteer Beth Cleaton asked the committee for $20,000 and city in-kind support worth about $5,000.
The volunteer organizing committee has a budget of almost $30,000 for this year’s festival, while last year’s budget was almost $50,000.
Mayor of Quinte West Jim Harrison and councillor Michael Kotsovos both thought the committee could lessen expenses by cutting back on advertising and entertainment costs, but in the end the majority of the committee approved the request as presented.
Quinte West council will consider the matter during 2018 budget discussions coming next month.
