Thanks Given

We have this thing here in Kansas City tomorrow. Thanksgiving, we call it. We all get the day off work and we eat turkey and spuds and watch football. Most of all we sit around and get all thankful for stuff. Stuff like turkey and spuds and football, sure. But other stuff too, like babies and old people and roofs and jobs and blogs. If you don't have this Thanksgiving thing in your town, you should really look in to it. Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in Cowtown, I'll take a minute to throw down some Irish Fest thankfulness on your asses.

I'm thankful as I can be for the 100,000 of you fine, good looking people who braved the gorgeous weather and came to Irish Fest this year. You made it our biggest and best year ever in every way. Thank you for spending a few of your hard earned dollars with us. I'm thankful for the generous and committed sponsors who continue to support Irish Fest in these challenging economic times. I'm thankful and more than a little envious of the amazingly talented singers, dancers and musicians who came from the four corners of the Earth to the heart of America and made our stages the special places they were. I'm thankful for the 1000+ volunteers who make the whole giant thing go, and go so splendidly. I'm thankful for all the vendors who keep us tented, toileted, t-shirted, electrified, audible, neat, fenced and secure. I'm thankful for the other vendors who provide our patrons with all the the goods and gear and Irish Fest souvenirs their hearts desire. I'm thankful for my fellow founders, my fellow directors and my fellow staff members who make up the leadership team of the Kansas City Irish Fest. Never has there been a better group of people, co-workers and friends. I'm thankful for all the friends made, new and old, at festivals across America, Canada and Ireland. I'm thankful for Crown Center for continuing to such great partners. And I'm thankful for this wonderful city for embracing us and making us the best festival in town.

So thanks. A big sloppy, gravy-soaked kiss to all of you.