Saturday Night with Rachel Shirley at Irish Fest '08

Time is an amazing thing. I may have mentioned time before. It is hard to believe that it was a week ago tomorrow when a three day pass was the way to fun and entertainment. Indy's Irish fest has come and gone again. It was a packed weekend, that wasn't a three day weekend. I worked on Friday, then Rich and I went to the Irish fest at Military park. We met up with compatriot and coworker Michael Wallace Wilson. This is nothing new, we've been doing this for four years straight. Friday night we acquainted ourselves with the layout and locations of the vendors and the all important beer trucks. Friday night was over almost before it began, and other than food and a glass or two of Guinness the only purchase I made was a Black Sheep tie. Being thoughtful citizens and wise beyond our years (even Wilson's) we reserved an Embassy Suite for our Saturday night party and partiers.

Me with Keith Roberts , Front man for the Young Dubliners,
photo: Rachel Shirley © 2008
Saturday: We didn't arrive at the festive site until around 5:30, since we stopped at the Suite on the 14th floor and dropped of all non-essential items and affects. Then a short walk got us to the gates of the park. Soon enough we found Mike Wilson diligently working away at Beer Truck #5 (I think). See, Mike volunteers to work the Irish Fest's every year, and Rich and I volunteer to attend. Mel Shoffner arrived not long before we completed our first pass around the grounds with Jenni, who (like Mel) was not in the Friday evening fest festivities. One of our favorite venders this year was artist/painter T. W. Williams of the 317 area code. We all liked several of his pieces (I think Rebecca even liked one or two but it is so hard to tell with the hard drinkers!) and in a surprise move rich bought one of his favorites before we left for the Embassy Suites and our hired room for the evening. Jenni, who's bursa bereaved knee which she had a cortisone shot in a few day earlier, left before the final acts of the fest crew were acted out. The remainders of our crew all wandered over to the Claddagh Stage and watched The Young Dubliners live while finishing off our food/beverages tickets. Rachel Shirley one of my Roberts camera customers who Rich, Mike and I hung with on Friday night returned form a Wedding shoot in St. Louis to finish the night with our group again. Rachel and I bought Young Dubs merch and got the autographs of the entire band after the encore song.

Then for most of us the last stop of the evening was Sneaky Pete's Irish Peat Bog cooking concession, I've blogged about Pete in the past. Another great Irish fest was in the bag and our core, short Jenni who had already left and Wilson who decided to head out instead, marched to the Suite of a different drunk. No, that was an illusionary phrase I was not to far into my cups on this evening.
Chuck Pace ©2008 
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