Volunteer On April 1st!

Okay, so here's what we had last year, give or take.

57,998 happy festival goers, and 2 who we'd just as soon stay home this year (and you know who you are). 800 people at Sunday Mass, 150 of those atoning for Saturday night. 397 laughing uncontrollably at our 3 Irish comedians, and 3 who didn't really get it. 119 runners and walkers registered for the 5K Run for Education, 4 who were still trying to make their way back to hotel from Saturday night. 319 barrels of beer, all consumed responsibly, most brewed right here in KC by our good friends at Boulevard Brewing Company. 4,167,029 smiles. 472 sentimental tears shed. 1 pub-owning baby. 1 marriage proposal. Too many kilts.

That's a lot of numbers, but I know an even more important one.

1500.

That's the number of volunteers that we'd like to have signed up 166 days from now when we open the Irish Fest gates. If you were among that number last year, God bless you. Your hard work and dedication make this great event happen. If you weren't, then I hope you'll make this the year you decide to join the Irish Fest family. On line volunteer forms will be up on our website April 1st. Between now and then, think about what you'd like to do, then sign up early for your dream job. And no, mine isn't open. Not yet anyway.

One more number for you. Two. That's how many wonderful, unfailingly cheery volunteer coordinators we have. We call them the Sunshine Twins. You'll meet them here on March 31st.