Contests Are Back, Bigger & Better For 2008!

Back for 2008 Irish Fest—CONTESTS plus ONE!

BAKING CONTEST

SCONES! The 2007 Baking Contest was a huge success, thanks to everyone who participated, from entrants to judges. Special thanks to Farm to Market Bread Company for their generous donation of prizes. For 2008, we’re asking for SCONES, the best you know how to make. Dig out Great Aunt Moire’s recipe and practice a few times on your family—like they’d mind! Bring your creation, along with a completed entry form, to the Kansas City Irish Fest at 11:45 a.m. either Saturday, August 30 or Sunday August 31 for judging. Entries will be judged on appearance, aroma, texture and, of course, flavor. The contest is open to all ages, just amateurs only, please.

PRIZES: Just like last year, there are great prizes for first, second, and third place winners on both Saturday and Sunday, and a very special prize for Grand Prize Winner, chosen from the daily winners.

Official rules and an entry form available here.

KNITTING CONTEST

CABLES! The 2007 Knitting Contest was also a huge success, thanks to all who participated, entered and judged. Special thanks to Yarn Shop and More for their generous donation of prizes. For 2008, we’re asking you to show off your best CABLES. Saturday we’ll judge wearable items (think mittens, sweaters, etc.), and Sunday, non-wearable items (blankets, bags, etc.). Bring your hand-knitted (or crocheted) cabled creation to the Kansas City Irish Fest at 1:45 p.m. either Saturday, August 30, or Sunday, August 31 for judging. Entries will be judged on quality and craftsmanship, appearance, and the appropriateness of yarn choice to the finished piece. There is no restrictions on the date the pieces were created. Both categories are open to all ages, just amateurs only, please.

We will also accept all quantities of donated 7x9” knitted (or crocheted) rectangles, any pattern, any yarn. These rectangles will later be joined together to form quilts and then given to local charities.

PRIZES: Just like last year, there are great prizes for first, second, and third place winners on both Saturday and Sunday and a very special prize will go to the Grand Prize Winner, chosen from the daily winners.

Official rules and an entry form available here.

PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST

AMERICAN FOREGROUND, IRISH BACKGROUND! Last year’s contest was an enormous success, thank you to everyone who participated, from entrants to judges. Special thanks to photographer, Barry Hendrickson for his generous donation of prizes. The theme for this year’s photography contest is “American Foreground, Irish Background.” Portraits, landscapes, still lifes, in Ireland or elsewhere—however you choose to interpret the theme is up to you. Bring your 8x10” or smaller unframed photo (preferably mounted on foam core or mat board), along with a completed entry form for each entry (two per person maximum), to the Kansas City Irish Fest by 3:45 p.m. either Saturday, August 30 or Sunday, August 31 for judging. There is no restrictions on the date the photograph was taken. Photographs will be judged on adherence to (or interpretation of) the theme, and the quality of photograph. The contest is open to all ages, just amateurs only, please.

PRIZES: Just like last year, first, second and third place winners will be awarded both Saturday and Sunday with great prizes. A very special prize will go to the Grand Prize Winner, chosen from the daily winners!

Stick around after the judging for a free informal discussion with Barry Hendrickson about methods and muse for his beautiful photography.

Official rules and an entry form available here.

New for 2008—“Fest Favorite” Awards!
For a very small donation (think quarters) to a local charity (to be decided soon), you can vote for your favorite photograph. The photographs with the most votes win.

New for 2008—WRITING CONTEST

MY IRISH HISTORY! Submit your (clean!) original lyric, poem or short story, 400 words or less on the subject of “My Irish History.” Entries may be humorous or dramatic, fiction or non-fiction, or anything in between (two entries per person, max.), as long as you wrote it yourself, not your deceased Uncle Oisin. Entries must be received no later than August 22 -- that's a week BEFORE Irish Fest.

PRIZES: The first-place winning entry will be posted online and read aloud on the Crown Center Stage by a competent storyteller. There will be wonderful additional prizes for first, second and third place winners, to be announced BEFORE the Irish Fest starts!

Official rules and an entry form available here.

For questions, contact Cami Travis-Groves, contest coordinator, contests@kcirishfest.com.