...and yes I said yes I will Yes.

My friend Tom Shawver of Bloomsday Books and arguably the nicest guy on the planet has an invitation for you that you will want to take full advantage of:

Join us on Saturday, June 16 for a celebration of Bloomsday at the Irish Center! “Bloomsday” is the celebration of James Joyce’s Ulysses, acclaimed as one of the greatest novels of the 20th century. The book is set on June 16, 1904, and follows the thoughts and actions of protagonist Leopold Bloom. The date is commemorated as Bloomsday and is now marked with tributes to Irish arts and literature all around the world. Activities at the Irish Center include the following:

9 a.m. - Irish breakfast sampler and commencement of a live, abbreviated reading of Ulysses. (Contact us know if you'd like to be one of our readers!)

4 p.m. - Showing of the film “Joyce to the World,” an international odyssey that takes a look at Bloomsday celebrations around the world.

5:30 p.m. - Lively Irish music and dance, featuring Eddie Delahunt and members of the Driscoll School of Irish Dance.

7 p.m. - Brief introduction to Ulysses by Kathryn Conrad, Associate Professor of English at KU, followed by a theatrical presentation of “Bloomsday Dublin: 16 June,” an adaptation of Ulysses by Professor Larry Opitz of Skidmore College, depicting key sequences in Bloom’s travels through the streets, pubs and bordellos of Dublin. NOTE: This play is not appropriate for children.

This is Kansas City's 17th Annual Bloomsday Celebration. The event is free and open to the public; donations are welcome. A limited edition of new Bloomsday t-shirts (shown below) will be available during the day.