"They’ve given us our own stage for the weekend – the Celtic Roots Stage," says Doherty, who is attending the festival in a managerial role this year and won’t be performing.

"It’s a great opportunity to perform as a collective musical family and well as individuals. They’ll be front and centre with huge exposure. It’s an exercise in market expansion. A lot of the top festival organizers go to Milwaukee and check out new artists they want to invite to their festival."

Also attending the festival are: Ryan MacNeil of MacNeil Woodwinds who crafts wood instruments including whistles and more and Kathi Giberman of Patternworks, whose original designs are based on quilt, Celtic and folk-art themes and include framed prints and jewellery.

Both will demonstrate their work and sell their products attempting to expand their markets in the same way as the musicians, says Vicki Fraser, a spokeswoman with the Nova Scotia Tourism, Culture and Heritage Department who will accompany the Nova Scotia delegation.

Cultural representatives include Music Nova Scotia, the East Coast Music Awards, Celtic Colours International Festival, the Judique Celtic Music Interpretive Centre, the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts, the Nova Scotia Highland Village Museum, the Atlantic Craft Trade Show and the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo.

"The Irish festival presents a unique opportunity to promote Gaelic culture and products to more than 130,000 people over three days," says Fraser. "It’s a pilot project for the department. It’s the first time we’re promoting Nova Scotia as a world-class tourism destination based solely on its rich and diverse culture." >> more