Meet The Staff

Imagine this: you're at Irish Fest. The music is fantastic, the weather beautiful. You've a plate of fish and chips in front of you, and a brand new Kansas City Irish Fest t-shirt on your back. Now all you need to make this the best day of your life is a cold Boulevard beer. But wait: there's no beer. No Pepsi. No Sierra Mist. No ice. Nothing, but a long wait in line for the water fountain on the square.

A nightmare? Tell me about it. Luckily for you and me, a powerful, redheaded Irishwoman stands between us and that horrible scenario. She's the champion of the thirsty, the baroness of beverages, the queen of the quaff. She's Sarah.

1. Tell us a little about yourself.

I'm engaged to a wonderful, incredibly handsome man, Neil. I'm a full-time Mummy to 4 boisterous girls- Tyler (9), Haley (7), Heidi (5) and Chloe (3). The Brady Bunch ain't got nothin' on us!!! I just wish we had an Alice...... I REALLY wish we had an Alice.

2. Describe your job at the Kansas City Irish Fest for us.

Beverage Committee Co-Chair. In charge of making certain that all Fest-goers are well hydrated at all times! People think it's a glamorous job, tooling around on a state-of-the-art Gator all weekend and hanging out behind the beer trucks. There's much heavy lifting and logistical planning involved however. And corkscrews! I'm also in-trusted with the profoundly important job of procuring corkscrew for the bar tents.

3. You're clearly the straw that stirs the drink at Irish Fest, if you'll pardon the pun. How did you get involved with KCIF?

Well! Way back in 2001, I was working as a banquet server at St. Andrew's golf course. I was working a wedding, just going about my duties (I was serving wedding cake if I remember) and the DJ starts playing The Waterboys "Fisherman's Blues". I stopped in my tracks because unless you're an Irish music junkie, like myself, you don't just hear that song anywhere. Then this adorable couple gets out on the dance floor and starts cuttin' one helluva rug! So a little later I felt compelled to approach said couple. I told them that I love the Waterboys! Then we started talking about Irish music and of course, the Elders.....Then the man asked if I was familiar with the Westport Irish Fest. I had attended every year! So I say yes and he asks if I had ever considered volunteering. I started attending planning meeting shortly thereafter. I've been on the Fest Committee ever since! I couldn't imagine not being a part of this wonderful group of people. By the way, that couple was non-other than than Dan Regan and his now-wife, Jennifer!

4. And they say I don't contribute anything to Irish Fest! What do you like best about the Fest?

Most definitely the people I get to work with. And also being part of something so huge that provides a great time for so many people. Fest weekend is better than Christmas to me. I look forward to it all year. When we take our little break from planning in the fall, I swear I go through Committee meeting withdrawals. Maybe it's the lack of fresh Boulevard Beer though.

Sarah also swears there will be no lack of Boulevard, Coor Light, Pepsi, Mountain Valley Water or any of our cold beveages on Irish Fest weekend. And if Sarah says it, count on it. If you'd like to join Sarah's team and think you can keep up with her, she's looking for a dozen or so special volunteers. You MUST be able to do some heavy lifting and you must be over 18. Most help is needed on Sunday night. Contact Sarah directly for these volunteer opportunities, at onesplitpea@yahoo.com