Your Big Break

I've mentioned this before I think, but I really want to get the word our about it. Because I start laughing just picturing this scene.

Fuchsia Band guitarist/flutist/pianist/vocalist/chick magnet Mick Heffernan is conducting a workshop at Irish Fest this year called "Learn An Irish Tune With Mick." You show up with your fiddle. Or your guitar. Or if you prefer, your sousaphone, marimba or trombone. And Mick will teach all assembled a tune, to be named later. Everybody learns one tune, the same tune, to be played together. You have 45 minutes. But after the workshop is over, you might want to go home and practice it. Because on Sunday during the Fuchsia set on the Boulevard Stage, all of you newly minted session players will be invited up to play your tune as part of the very first Kansas City Irish Fest Stationary Marching Band.

In the audience? Directors and bigwigs from Irish Fests across the country. Ed Ward of the mighty Milwaukee Fest picks you and your oboe stylings out of the crowd and signs you on the spot to headline next year's festival in Wisconsin. Your debut album "O'Boe: Redefining Irish" goes triple platinum. You marry a model, adopt a bunch of kids from a third world country, star as yourself in the film version of your life story, live the life of Riley, or Heffernan ever after.

Far fetched? Maybe. But as I always say, Irish Fest is where dreams come true. Well, I've been meaning to start saying that anyway.

Learn A Tune With Mick is at 12:15 Saturday on the Heritage Stage. The Fuchsia Band and the KCIF Stationary Marching Band perform at 4:00 Sunday on the newly expanded Boulevard Stage.