Fountain Hills Omits Festival Budget, Economic Impact Data | The Locally Times
The Town of Fountain Hills promoted its 2026 Irish Fountain Fest with expanded features but did not release financial details or economic impact projections.
The Town of Fountain Hills announced its 2026 St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, including the annual Irish Fountain Fest on Saturday, March 14, 2026, and the Greening of the Fountain on March 17, 2026. The Town's announcement, posted March 14, 2026, detailed an expanded Kids’ Zone, a larger event-wide beer garden, and the introduction of non-alcoholic Guinness 0.0. Event Coordinator Ryan Preston described the festival as the "biggest yet," featuring live Celtic rock music, Irish folk performances, and traditional dance. ## Missing Financial Details Despite the promotion of expanded attractions and a larger event, the Town of Fountain Hills did not include any budget information for the 2026 Irish Fountain Fest in its public announcement. Records do not specify public funds allocated, revenue sources, or financial arrangements with vendors and sponsors for the expanded features. The Town's announcement also did not provide data or projections regarding the festival's economic impact on local businesses or the town's economy. The Town of Fountain Hills' public records do not detail the process for approving and overseeing the financial aspects of large public events like the Irish Fountain Fest. The specific budget allocated for the 2026 festival is not publicly available, nor are metrics used to evaluate economic impact or revenue generated from activities such as the event-wide beer garden.