What’s New
Your guide to what’s new, what’s hip and what’s happening at Kansas City Irish Fest 2011. For a daily dose of Irish Fest, please visit our blog
Contest Winners Announced!
September 12 2011Thanks to everyone who entered and judged (especially those who braved the weather Saturday). We had good turnout for all the contests, but were a little light on Sunday. (HINT: that's the day to enter!) Send your suggestions for next year's themes to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Cow Art Contest
Ryan Wenneker - First place
Nika Mumaw - Second place
Soda Bread Baking Contest Winners
Thanks to Pryde's Old Westport for donating prizes!
Amateurs-Only
Mary Jo Fisk took first and second place with two different recipes
Colleen King took third place
Masters-Only
Charles d'Ablaing from Chaz Restaurant in the Hotel Raphael took first and second place with two different recipes
Keith Buchanan from The Teahouse & Coffeepot took third place
Knitting Contest Winners
Thanks to Yarn Shop & More for donating prizes!
Amateurs-Only
Carma Cervetti - first place
Shannon Bower - second place
Heather Wilke - third place
Masters-Only
Teri Plemel - first and third place
Gina Hills - first place
Photography Contest Winners
Thank you to Nancy Hendrickson for donating prizes!
Ginny Zane - First place (Sat)
Laura Morford - Second place (Sat)
Darla Pittman - Third place (Sat)
Martin Ufford - First place (Sun) and grand prize
Stephen Edwards - Second place (Sun)
Cinty Easton - Third place (Sun)
Brewing Contest Winners
Thank you to Bacchus & Barleycorn for donating prizes!
Michael Straily - First place
Richard Cartwright - Second place
Michael Downs - Third place
KCIF: Live Streaming ALL Weekend Long
August 30 2011Back by popular demand is our live stream of Irish Fest all weekend long. However, this year we're streaming our two main stages, ALL weekend. We DEFINITELY want you to attend every day of the Fest, but we understand it's not always possible. Therefore, we're here to help. Our live stream will be found HERE, and will start at 5 p.m. on Friday.
Comedy Line-up Change
August 08 2011Due to illness, Maeve Higgins will not be able to travel to perform on the comedy stage this year. Instead we will have Aidan Bishop who will be joining Elenor Tiernan on our Comedy Stage.
A native New Yorker, Aidan, began his comedy career in his hometown however since relocating to Dublin he has become one of the top comics working in Ireland today. As organizer and resident MC of the now famous International Comedy Club, he has honed his craft in the same room as some of Ireland’s most famous comedians.
However his ambitions have not been confined to the small borders of the International. In the past two years Aidan has appeared in all major Irish festivals, including the Kilkenny Cat Laughs and the Carlsberg Comedy Carnival. In 2008 Aidan made his Edinburgh Fringe Festival Debut with his solo show, ‘Bachelor Pad’ to critical acclaim. His television debut came with RTE 2’s Savage Eye as part of ‘Project Ha Ha’. He comes to KC this year immediately after completing a run at the Edinburgh Festival with ‘Mispelled’, a show that was born out of his experiences of dyslexia.
Aidan Bishop will be performing with Eleanor Tiernan at the Off Center Theatre on Saturday, September 3rd and Sunday, September 4th. Both shows are at 8:00pm and tickets cost a mere $5 and can be purchased here. https://www.ezticketlive.com/checkout/event_view.asp?id=71
Calling all Whiskey fans: The Whiskey Tasting Tent
July 14 2011Like whiskey? Then you’ll love Kansas City Irish Fest’s new Jameson Irish Whiskey Tasting Tent, which will available for guests 21 years and older. Attendees with a valid I.D. will be able to enjoy a sampling of up to six whiskeys in a forty-five minute presentation by a Jameson Ambassador, followed by a 30 minute Q & A. Tickets are $10 in advance online and $15 at the fest. This does require a separate admission ticket to the festival.
Dates and Times
Friday, September 2nd, 8 p.m.
Saturday, September 3rd, 1 p.m.
Saturday, September 3rd, 4 p.m.
Sunday, September 4th, 1 p.m.
Sunday, September 4th, 4 p.m.
Ticket good for your scheduled day/time only in the tent, located on the upper Terrace Level. Must be 21 to enter the tent. ID's will be checked upon entering.
Tickets can be purchased HERE
$5 Friday!
July 13 2011On Friday, September 2, all adult admission tickets only $5. That's right... FIVE DOLLARS?. You can purchase tickets online at http://www.kcirishfest.com or at area Hy-Vee stores. You can also save $5 on Saturday and Sunday's tickets by buying in advance! ($10 in advance, $15 at the gate.)
What to expect in 2011…
July 12 2011Kansas City Irish Fest will offer everything you expect from the Fest in 2011. But here are a few things that have been enhanced or changed.
- **The Big Screen you're used to seeing at the Boulevard Stage will be even bigger this year. It's going to take over the background of the Boulevard Stage and hang like a curtain. And the best part: We'll be able to use it during the day!
- **Kids will love rolling around in our Human-Sized Inflatable Hamster Ball!
- **The Kid's Theme this year is the "High Kings of Ireland"! Kids are encouraged to come dressed as a king or queen!
- **The Park Stage has been moved further east into Washington Park to avoid any sound bleed with the Boulevard Stage!
- **Contests this year are offering a Masters category in knitting and baking. If you have won a prize in this contest, or judged this contest in the past, you’re eligible for the master’s category!
- **Corporate Tent Area is back! This area provides a private place for coworkers to gather, gulp & gab for a few hours. Much better than the water cooler, huh? If your company is interested in booking this area, contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
- **Most importantly, you need to know that there is construction going on during Irish Fest. The Halls building at Crown Center will be under construction during the Fest to make way for Legoland and Sea Life Aquarium. This will affect the festival in a minor way, moving some of our heritage components to other areas of the festival.
“Jig” Is coming!
July 11 2011We're proud to have "Jig, The Irish Dancing Documentary" playing at the same time as Kansas City Irish Fest in Crown Center's theaters. Times to be announced shortly. We know there will be a lot of Feis dancers excited about this announcement!
About Jig:
"Two years in the making, JIG, was funded by BBC Scotland and Creative Scotland. It was the first time the controlling body of competitive Irish dance had ever allowed an outsider to film this fiercely competitive world.
Sue Bourne discovers wonderfully diverse characters of all ages from the United States, Holland, England, Ireland, Scotland and Russia performing in what is a hot bed of dedication, hard work, obsession and passion. When it comes to the final competition, the rivalry between the contestants escalates as the film reaches its nail-biting climax."
Congrats to our 2010 Raffle Winners!
September 11 2010Make sure you purchase your raffle tickets next year at the Fest for your next chance to win some fun experiences!
- Round trip Airfare to Ireland: S. McMahan of Westwood, KS
- Boulevard Tasting Party: M. Blumenkemper of Florissant, MO
- Snug Passes for two in 2011: L. Spaulding of Kansas City
Cheers!
September 09 2010The staff and committee of Kansas City Irish Fest thank to the thousands of volunteers and tens of thousands of attendees who made the 2010 Fest possible. See you Sept. 2-4, 2011.
Live Streaming
September 02 2010Can’t be at the Fest all 3 days? No problem. We’re streaming live all weekend long. Click here to watch. We’re also updating our Facebook and Twitter pages all weekend with news and updates.
New for 2010: Art in the Park
April 10 2010Modeled after Merrion Square in Dublin, the first annual Art in the Park will include artisans showcased in the beautiful tree-lined Washington Park, adjacent to Crown Center Square. This year, KC Irish Fest corresponds with First Fridays – the first Friday of each month when the neighboring Crossroads Art District hosts the one of the nation’s largest art crawls.
New for 2010: NEW Stage
April 06 2010Located in the grass and shade of the western side of Washington Square Park, our new stage will provide us with the perfect place to present smaller, more intimate acoustic acts in a kind of cozy bistro setting. This will be our 6th performance stage, and 7th stage including Comedy. Shady and cool, this new stage is going to be a place you'll want to spend a good chunk of your Irish Fest weekend.
