Bluegrass Irish Society

What Bluegrass Irish Society does

The Bluegrass Irish Society (BGIS) is a non-profit cultural organization incorporated in September 1980 in Lexington, Kentucky, dedicated to promoting and preserving Irish culture in Central Kentucky. The society serves as the principal vehicle for Irish cultural programming in the Bluegrass region, organizing the annual Lexington St. Patrick's Parade and Festival—one of Lexington's longest-running civic traditions—and supplementary programming including Irish dance workshops, set dancing clubs, concerts, and educational events. BGIS operates through a volunteer-driven model with free membership (no dues) and is governed by an eight-person Board of Directors led by President/Co-Treasurer Megan Moloney and Vice President/Co-Treasurer Liza Hendley Betz.

The society's product portfolio centers on community cultural events rather than technology products. Core offerings include the annual St. Patrick's Parade (running down Main Street in downtown Lexington), the free day-long St. Patrick's Festival at Henry A. Tandy Centennial Plaza, the newly launched ticketed Friday-night kickoff concert (Lexington St. Patrick's Eve LIVE! at the Lyric Theatre), the Cèilí Mór Kentucky workshop weekend, monthly Set Dancing Club gatherings, Irish dance workshops with visiting Dublin instructors, and the Shamrock Shuffle 3K charity run benefiting Lexington Habitat for Humanity. BGIS uses standard digital channels—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter under @LexStPatsParade, a WordPress event website, and email—to drive awareness and participation.

BGIS's revenue model relies on event sponsorships and modest ticket fees rather than membership dues. Sponsorship tiers include a long-standing naming sponsor (Alltech since 1980), Festival and Parade Sponsors at $500 each, and Friends-tier contributions ranging $25-$150+. The Friday-night kickoff concert is priced at $15 advance / $20 at the door, and Cèilí Mór workshops at $5 per day. The organization's most consequential commercial relationship is with Alltech, whose Irish-immigrant founder lineage aligns symbolically with the mission and which has anchored the event financially for 45 years.

Name

Bluegrass Irish Society

Legal name

Bluegrass Irish Society

Website

https://bluegrassirishsociety.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Bluegrass Irish Society is a Lexington, Kentucky-based non-profit founded in 1980 that promotes Irish culture in Central Kentucky through the annual Lexington St. Patrick's Parade and Festival, concerts, dance workshops, and educational events, serving the local community of Irish-Americans and Irish-culture enthusiasts via a volunteer-driven, sponsorship-funded model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Community Programming

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Heritage & Traditional Festivals (Folk, Ethnic, Indigenous) (MPAGAEAB), Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI)

Keywords

• Irish cultural events
• Community festival organization
• Heritage celebration programs
• Nonprofit cultural society
• Irish music workshops

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Sponsorships: The organization generates revenue through event sponsorships at various levels including Naming Sponsor, Parade Sponsor ($500), Festival Sponsor ($500), and Friends of the Parade and Festival ($25-$499). Sponsors receive recognition through logo placement, social media mentions, and website listings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Bluegrass Irish Society is a nonprofit community organization incorporated in September 1980 in Lexington, Kentucky, that promotes and celebrates Irish culture through events and programs. Its core activities include organizing the annual Lexington St. Patrick's Parade and Festival, concerts, cultural workshops, and other community gatherings centered on Irish heritage.

Product overview

Bluegrass Irish Society is a community cultural organization, not a technology company. It offers a portfolio of Irish cultural events and programs: the annual Lexington St. Patrick's Parade and Festival (its flagship events since 1980), the new Lexington St. Patrick's Eve LIVE! concert series, the Céilí Mór Kentucky educational workshop weekend, set dancing club gatherings, Irish dance workshops, and a Shamrock Shuffle charity run. Membership is free with no dues. The society does not offer software products, APIs, or technology services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AlltechcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 1980Alltech has been the naming sponsor of the Alltech Lexington St. Patrick's Parade and Festival since the first parade in 1980. The company, founded by Irish immigrants Pearse and Deirdre Lyons, provides significant sponsorship support including naming rights, tent installations, and ongoing financial backing that has helped grow the event into one of Lexington's longest-running civic traditions.
• Lexington Parks and RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLexington Parks and Recreation produces the annual St. Patrick's Parade and Festival in partnership with the Bluegrass Irish Society. The city department provides event production, venue management at locations like Henry A. Tandy Centennial Plaza, and operational support for the celebration.
• Failte Irish ImportsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFailte Irish Imports, owned by Liza Betz (Bluegrass Irish Society Vice President), is a community partner that provides support for Irish cultural events. The shop serves as a drop-off location for sponsorship payments and represents the local Irish business community.
• Bluegrass Ceili AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBluegrass Ceili Academy is a partner in presenting Irish dance programming and the annual St. Patrick's Festival. The organization provides dance performances and collaborates on cultural events like the Céilí Mór Kentucky workshop.
• Kentucky McTeggart Irish DancersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKentucky McTeggart Irish Dancers partner with the Bluegrass Irish Society to provide Irish dance performances at the annual festival and collaborate on dance workshops and cultural programming.
• Downtown Lexington PartnershipminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDowntown Lexington Partnership is a community partner that supports the St. Patrick's Parade and Festival as part of its mission to promote downtown Lexington events and business district activities.
• Lexington Habitat for HumanityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLexington Habitat for Humanity benefits from the Shamrock Shuffle 3K run that precedes the St. Patrick's Parade, with proceeds from the running event supporting the nonprofit's housing mission.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ancient Order of Hibernians: America's oldest Irish Catholic fraternal organization, with local divisions that sponsor parades, cultural events, and heritage programming across the U.S. — directly comparable to Bluegrass Irish Society's mission of preserving Irish culture through community events.
• Milwaukee Irish Fest: One of North America's largest free-admission Irish cultural festivals, combining music, dance, and heritage programming with a sponsor-driven revenue model — analogous to the Lexington St. Patrick's Parade and Festival but at substantially greater scale.
• Savannah St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee: Operates one of the largest and longest-running St. Patrick's Day parades in the U.S. (since 1824). Shares Bluegrass Irish Society's volunteer-driven, sponsor-financed civic parade/festival model and emphasis on Irish heritage celebration in a single Southern city.
• Irish Network USA: A nonprofit membership organization connecting Irish and Irish-American professionals across U.S. cities through cultural events and community programming — comparable to BGIS's role as a community focal point for those interested in Ireland and its traditions.
• Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann: The global organization dedicated to preserving Irish traditional music, dance, and culture, with regional branches running workshops, sessions, and festivals. Directly comparable to BGIS's Céilí Mór Kentucky weekend and Set Dancing Club programs.

Regional players

• Cincinnati Celtic Festival: A regional Celtic cultural festival in the Ohio Valley offering music, dance, and heritage programming similar to the Lexington St. Patrick's Festival, but in an adjacent geography and serving a larger metro area.

Broad incumbents

• Irish Arts Center: A New York-based nonprofit presenting Irish and Irish-American music, dance, film, and visual arts year-round. Functions as a broader incumbent in the same cultural-heritage space but with paid staff, a permanent venue, and a substantially larger programming footprint.

Emerging players

• Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA): Ireland's largest cultural and sporting organization, with North American divisions promoting Gaelic games and Irish culture. Overlaps with BGIS's Irish heritage mission but is organized around sport rather than festivals.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/LexStPatsParade
• Facebookfacebook.com/LexStPatsParade
• Instagraminstagram.com/lexstpatsparade

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bluegrass Irish Society