Well, Hello There

Long time no see. I've not meant to ignore you. After all the madness of Irish Fest, packing, moving, unpacking, etc., on Friday last I flew up to the wonderful Michigan Irish Music Fest. My intention was to blog from up there and tell you all about all the great music I was hearing and the wonderful fest innovations I was stealing, but...well, I'll be honest with you, I was having too much fun to even turn the lap top on.

But it was great. The festival is a bit smaller scale than KCIF with 3 main stages and one smaller–think Park Stage–sized one. The grounds are spectacular, hard by the shores of Muskegon Lake with green grass and rolling hills. And the people who run it are spectacular as well and treat guests visiting from other festivals like high kings.

Lots of old KCIF friends in the music line up this year, including The Elders, Gaelic Storm, most of Slide performing in other guises (more on that later), Goitse, Danny Burns, Seamus Kennedy, Cathie Ryan. Some new and fantastic finds: Runa, Fullset, and Aine O Doherty. And as most of these festivals are, lots of mighty craic with friends from festivals across the nation.

KCIF was well represented, if not by me then certainly by Barbara Scanlon who took her genealogy show (and her cranky old husband Ed) on the road. She gave a couple well received talks and did lots of research for Michiganders curious about their Irish roots. And my youngest boy Tommy was back for a second year with his Shamrocker Irish guitar video game.

Pictured left to right, Uncle Bloggy, MIMF boss Chris McCarthy Zahrt and Matt Sullivan of the Great American Irish Fest, Utica NY.

There are not enough thanks in the world to express my appreciation and affection for everyone involved in the MIMF. Their warmth, hospitality, generosity and humor always makes me feel right at home. And they throw a hell of a party. Love you all, Muskegonites!