Press Release
Cindy Lerick Joins Irish Fair of Minnesota
Veteran Event Management Executive Sets Anchor to Minnesota to Lead Irish Fair
St. Paul – March 19, 2020 – Irish Fair of Minnesota (IFM) announces Cindy Lerick, past board president of the International Festival and Events and executive director of several local and nationally-noted festivals and events, has joined IFM as Executive Director. Cindy will be replacing Erin Cooper who was Executive Director for the past five Irish Fairs and announced her resignation earlier this year. Erin and Cindy will be working together on transition through the end of March.
Lerick’s impressive resume includes experience as executive director at Saint Louis Art Fair, Sausalito (CA) Art FaIr and the Uptown Art Fair, here in Minneapolis. She returned to St. Paul last year to run her event consulting business. Cindy joins IFM as several local fairs and festivals have hit the pause button in 2020 due to rising costs, market changes, and most recently with the coronavirus.
“We were fortunate to find Cindy here in our backyard,” said Tom Whelan, IFM’s board chair. “Someone with her experience who also already understands our market only comes around once in a blue moon, I mean once in a Guinness! We look forward to her helping take IFM to new levels.”
The 41st Irish Fair, already St. Paul’s largest ethnic event, will take place on St. Paul’s Harriet Island beginning Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9. A preview party on Thursday, August 6 kicks off the weekend.
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About Irish Fair of Minnesota
Irish Fair of Minnesota is a 501 (c) (3) charitable nonprofit founded in 1980 to link the past, present and future of Irish culture in Minnesota. Its mission is to promote and cultivate Irish culture through music, dance and family activities to anyone who is curious about it and to preserve a rich heritage of traditions for future generations. Festival proceeds are reinvested in Minnesota’s Irish cultural community or shared with new immigrant groups through the organization’s Legacy Fund.
