ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – After 15 years of celebrating Celtic music, culture, history, and community in historic St. Augustine, Romanza-St. Augustine, Inc. is announcing that the Celtic Music & Heritage Festival and the St. Patrick Parade is coming to an end.
The festival, founded in 2011, drew hundreds to Francis Field downtown performances by international and U.S. Celtic bands, authentic Highland Games and Celtic artisans. It also featured heritage food, whiskey tastings, workshops, lectures, and other family activities.
Recommended Videos
“This festival has always been about more than entertainment,” said Albert Syeles, President of Romanza-St. Augustine, Inc. “It has been a celebration of heritage, friendship, volunteer spirit, and the extraordinary story of St. Augustine as America’s Oldest Celtic City.”
The festival helped shine a spotlight on St. Augustine’s unique Celtic legacy, including the city’s claim to the first recorded St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the now-United States in 1600 and the first recorded St. Patrick procession in 1601.
Romanza-St. Augustine, Inc. says the difficult decision is a result of lack of state grants for arts and culture events since 2024, declining support from local government, difficulties with U.S. work visas, increased costs of supplies and labor, and other adverse developments.
Despite the events ending, Romanza-St. Augustine says it remains committed to supporting arts, culture, music and heritage programming that enriches the community and honors the city’s remarkable history.