festivalPass Stories

Hey Festival Friends! What do you get when you combine great food, the best California wine, top chefs and top Food Network personalities with great weather? You get the Del Mar Wine & Food Festival. On this episode, our guest is Food Network personality and the co-founder of the Del Mar Wine & Food Festival, Troy Johnson.  A lifelong San Diego resident, Troy takes us through his career as a music and food writer and TV personality to launching this incredible festival in the city he loves.  For a decade now (yes, a decade) Troy has been a featured judge on Guy's Grocery Games on the Food Network and takes us behind the scenes to the hilarious story of the first time he met Guy Fieri himself.  Troy also shares his story of taking over San Diego Magazine with his wife and doing his part to use that platform to lift up restaurants during and after the pandemic. The inaugural Del Mar Wine & Food Festival will feature the best chefs of San Diego and the Baja Peninsula and will feature key events like a Dos Hombres Mezcal pairing dinner with Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston. We also hear there will be a dry aged bone marrow tasting, which we've never seen on the food festival circuit before. There will also be appearances by other celebrities including Surfing Champion Rob Machado and a celebrity PickleBall Tournament hosted by Drew Brees!  Mark your calendars for September 6-11 and be there in San Diego for all the action!    To find out more about the Del Mar Wine & Food Festival and Troy: Del Mar Wine & Food Festival website:  https://delmar.wine/  Follow the festival on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delmarfest/   Follow Troy on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/heytroyjohnson/  Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_troyjohnson    Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/getfestivalpass/  Twitter - https://twitter.com/getfestivalpass Website - https://festivalpass.com

Welcome back festival friends. On this episode of FestivalPass Stories, our Host, Pat Tully sits down with Paul Reder, the founder of Bass Camp Festival, the electronic dance party in Reno on Lake Tahoe.     July 28-30, 2023, Bass Camp will host its 6th annual festival taking place on multiple stages and locations over a 3-day period. The festival will be headlined by Deadmou5 and Madeon and Bass Camp Festival will take place at a new home in Wingfield Park, right in the Truckee River!      "We are beyond excited to host Bass Camp VI in Wingfield Park this summer with the gorgeous Truckee River flowing through the festival grounds," says Paul Reder, Founder/CEO of Bass Camp Festival, Inc. "The river and all grass park will be a brilliant addition to this already amazing annual event as well as a great place to cool down in the water while listening and dancing to our many talented artists this summer," says Reder.     Pat takes us back to Paul's early days in the music business booking acts for his fellow Co-Eds at the University of Arkansas to his 12 plus years working with some of the biggest music and comedy acts including Stevie Nicks, Sting, Jerry Seinfeld and many others at Caesars.      A decade ago, Paul decided it was time to go out on his own and created PRE Entertainment which produces over 150 shows and festivals annually including 3 that he owns The Lake Tahoe Reggae Festival, The Lake Tahoe Bluegrass Festival, and Bass Camp Festival.     Hear more about these stories and some great music festival stories here on this episode of FestivalPass Stories.     To find out more about Bass Camp and his Paul:   Bass Camp Fest website: https://basscampfest.com    Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/basscampfest    Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/basscampfest    Connect with Festival Pass!   Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/getfestivalpass/    Twitter - https://twitter.com/getfestivalpass   Website - https://festivalpass.com  

Is there anything quite like an Atlanta live music festival? They are famous, but one in the 90's was infamous and it's now back, in modern form. Freaknik Festival was so over the top that Hulu recently released a mini-series: Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told.       On this episode of FestivalPass Stories, our Host Pat Tully goes behind the scenes with one of Atlanta's legendary party promoters, Carlos Neal, to hear the stories behind why he decided to bring back the 90's festival that still has people talking.       With a Master's Degree in in data science and machine learning and an undergraduate degree in finance, Calos delivers a unique set of skills, employing data and modeling to prepare budgets, projections and capacity for all his events. Those elements were missing from the original FreakNik Festival and will make this version a safer, more enjoyable party while still keeping its edge.      Neal's After 9 Partners group has added a non-profit foundation to Freaknik, making it a true party with a purpose.        Freaknik is sponsored by MetaWorks and MusicFX which is also adding a digital wallet element and NFT offerings for the artists.      Find out more about Freaknik, how to get tickets and the lineup on this episode.      Hear more about these stories and some great music festival stories here on this episode of FestivalPass Stories.     To find out more about FreakNik Festival check out:   Andrew McMahon website:https://www.freaknikfest.com   Follow him on Instagram:https://instagram.com/freaknikfestival   Connect on Twitter:https://twitter.com/freaknikfest     Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getfestivalpass/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/getfestivalpass   Website: https://festivalpass.com  

Festival friends it's a treat when we get to talk to a founder of an iconic festival and on this episode of FestivalPass Stories, our Host, Pat Tully sits down with the founder of the iconic South Beach Wine & Food Festival and the New York City Wine & Food Festival, Lee Schrager.   Lee takes us back to the beginning days of SOBE WFF and tells us how it all started on the gorgeous beaches of Miami and then gives us the inspiration behind franchising that festival to NYC.   Schrager's official title is the Chief Communications Officer & SVP Social Responsibility for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, the world's largest distributor of wines & spirits.    But the title he is most excited about right now is as founder of the brand-new inaugural Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival (NPIWFF) taking place at the iconic Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. Headlining chefs at NPIWFF include Aaron Sanchez, Andrew Zimmern, Alex Guarnaschelli, Michael White, Jose Andres, Duff Goldman and more!    Besides the chefs tastings, there are events including the Rum Runner's Walking Tour, Sunset Dinner Cruises, wine tastings and more.    Schrager's wine & food festivals have always been focused on culinary greatness and giving back. NPIWFF will continue that tradition partnering with the Blue Project Foundation saving sea species and their extraordinary habitats.   Hear more about these stories and some great music festival stories here on this episode of FestivalPass Stories.    To find out more about the Nassau Paradise island Wine & Food Festival:   Website: https://www.atlantisbahamas.com/wine-and-food-festival    Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/npiwff/    Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/npiwff   Fine out more about the Blue Project Foundation https://blueprojectatlantis.org/   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/getfestivalpass/  Twitter - https://twitter.com/getfestivalpass Website - https://festivalpass.com  

Fans of the 2000's music, this one's for you! Our Host, Pat Tully sits down with one of the most prolific indie pop singer-songwriters of the past two decades, Andrew McMahon.   Pat takes us on a musical journey of Andrew's meteoric rise through his early days with the group Something Corporate, which he started in high school, to his first solo project Jack's Mannequin to his current solo project Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness.   Andrew has been writing songs since he was 9 years old and led Something Corporate to major chart success in the early 2000's before branching out on his own.    Along the way, Andrew used personal painful and joyful experiences in his life to fuel his music. His own personal health struggles were the influence in many of his solo numbers and motivated him to start the Dear Jack Foundation to provide programming to benefit adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer.   His new album Tilt at the Wind No More comes five years after his last release, Upside Down Flowers. The album captures McMahon at a turning point: celebrating his 40th birthday and 15 years of marriage, raising a daughter, hiring a whole new team, life!    On this album he works with Producer Tommy English (K. Flay, Carly Rae Jepsen) and Producer Jeremy Hatcher (Harry Styles, Shawn Mendes).    Listen to hear more about the music, the journey and Andrew's own personal festival stories!    Hear more about these stories and some great music festival stories here on this episode of FestivalPass Stories.    To find out more about Andrew McMahon and his music: Andrew McMahon website: https://andrewmcmahon.com/  Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amnthewilderness/  Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewmcmahon/  Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/getfestivalpass/  Twitter - https://twitter.com/getfestivalpass Website - https://festivalpass.com  

Festival friends, welcome back to another episode of FestivalPass Stories. On this episode our host, Pat Tully brings us a “force to be reckoned with,” which is what the media says about the Synth-Pop trio of Kayah, Emily and Leah AKA Moonkissed.   The band burst onto the scene after meeting at a party on New York's lower east side. It was love at first sight and the band immediately clicked.   Tully talks to them about how they not only met and clicked, but how they got through the difficulty of the pandemic while not being able to perform for their loyal fan base.   The Pandemic brought about serious creativity from artists and Moonkissed was no exception. Their song “Clubbing in your bedroom” resonated with everyone and became an instant hit.   Kayah Cohen on the track: 'Clubbing In Your Bedroom,” is an invitation to get dressed up for no one and nothing and to move your body in order to heal. The song was written in an attempt for salvation and levity amidst pandemic despair.'   Now back on the live music and festival circuit, Moonkissed were named a SXSW official Artist in 2022, a big moment for the band.   To be Moonkissed is to be loved and we know you will feel ‘Moonkissed' and inspired by this awesome band after listening to this episode.   Hear more about these stories and some great music festival stories here on this episode of FestivalPass Stories.   To find out more about Moonkissed and their music:   Moonkissed website: https://moonkissedmusic.com/   Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moonkissedmusic/   Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/moonkissedmusic     Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/getfestivalpass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/getfestivalpass   Website - https://festivalpass.com

Welcome back festival friends! On this episode our host, Pat Tully talks with Joe Hertler to get the story behind the Michigan music scene and his band, The Rainbow Seekers.   Joe was making his own music in college, then began collaborating with his good friend Ryan Hoger and The Rainbow Seekers were born. Micah Bracken, Aaron Stinson and Ryan McMahon would complete the ensemble.   The band says they will “make a sprightly young groove doctor out of anyone” and their infectious energy delivers on that promise.   Joe takes time out from putting the finishing touches on the band's 5th album to sit with Pat and let the fans in backstage to hear about the band's experience at Bonnaroo, Electric Forrest, Summer Camp and more.   Joe also talks about what it was like to get discovered and signed to a major music label and the challenges that entails.   Hear more about these stories on this episode of FestivalPass Stories.   To find out more about Joe Hertler, The Rainbow Seekers and their music go to their website: https://joehertler.com/  Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joehertler/  Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/joehertler    Connect with Festival Pass!  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/getfestivalpass/  Twitter - https://twitter.com/getfestivalpass  Website - https://festivalpass.com 

Welcome back festival friends! We love talking music on FPS and the more unique, the better. On this episode, our Host, Pat Tully talks with the incredibly unique sound of Dixon's Violin, the world's premier visionary violinist. What makes him so unique is how Dixon merges his love of technology with the love of the violin to create a sound unlike any other.   Dixon developed his own “looping system” based on the idea that if it can be done with the guitar, why not for the violin?   In one of his TED Talks (he's done four), he uses the looping system to create a brand-new song that not only the audience has never heard, but Dixon himself has never heard either!   Dixon has played at festivals, corporate events, but mostly just for himself and the love of the music. In every performance, Dixon's goal is to inspire people and he definitely inspired us.   Hear more about these stories and some great music festival stories here on this episode of FestivalPass Stories.   To find out more about Dixon Violin and their music:  Dixon's Violin website: https://www.dixonsviolin.com/  Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dixonsviolin/  Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dixonsviolin   Connect with Festival Pass!  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/getfestivalpass/  Twitter - https://twitter.com/getfestivalpass Website - https://festivalpass.com

Music fans, festival fans, you are in for a treat on this episode of FestivalPass Stories as our Host, Pat Tully, interviews award winning recording artist, Crystal Starr...and yes, she would like you to know that is her real name!     Crystal takes us inside the “Starrship,” her home recording studio, to share with us her life in music and how she taken her talent to the ‘stars.'     From a young age, Crystal was performing for her family and friends with ease. There's talent, but when that talent is combined with a stage presence, you have the making of a star and that was evident at an early age with Crystal.   It was no surprise that SOURCE Magazine dubbed her “The girl with the golden voice” because we heard it ourselves.  Her influences come from many genres but the 80's simply drip from her music.   From playing festivals like “Electric Forest” to her philanthropic work with “Little Voices,” her style and passion shine through.   We had a great time in the Starrship and we know you will too. Enjoy!   Hear more about these stories and some great music festival stories here on this episode of FestivalPass Stories.     To find out more about Crystal Starr and her music: https://www.crystalstarr.com/  Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crystalstarrmusic/  Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IamCrystalstarr    Connect with Festival Pass!  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/getfestivalpass/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/getfestivalpass Website - https://festivalpass.com

Welcome back festival friends. Today, our host, Pat Tully sits down with Food Blogger, Content  Creator, Brand Ambassador, Culinary Traveler, Recipe Developer and Social Media Consultant  Chef Dennis Littley.    Yes, the man has done it all from institutional food service for hundreds a day to small private  dinner parties, Chef Dennis has done it all.     A lifelong love of food started when Chef Dennis saw the “Galloping Gourmet” TV show. Life  takes us all in different career directions and we rarely get to do what we love. Chef Dennis was  heading down the wrong path of accounting when he finally woke up and went back to school  for a degree in food science. From there he took jobs in nursing homes and restaurants to build  his skill set and resume and soon those jobs turned into a career in his passion, food.     After turning lunch at a high school into a can't miss ‘experience' he turned his attention to  coaching amateur chefs and demystifying home cooking so people can make restaurant style  and restaurant quality meals.     On his website AskChefdennis.com he holds the hand of all of us out there who desire to be  able to cook for our loved ones or host a dinner party. What started from a blog became a  consulting and media food juggernaut.    Hear more about these stories on this episode of FestivalPass Stories.     To find out more about Chef Dennis and his food:  Chef Dennis website: https://www.askchefdennis.com/  Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askchefdennis/  Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskChefDennis    Connect with Festival Pass!  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/getfestivalpass/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/getfestivalpass Website - https://festivalpass.com

Ivan Jackson is the unique front man of Brasstracks. In this episode, Pat Tully sits down with Ivan to discuss his life in music and how his passion drives him. Growing up in a musical family, Ivan's Dad was offered the band leader job on one of the longest running shows on TV. He tells the story of how his father said “no” and how that led to even bigger moves for his family.  Ivan attended the famous LaGuardia High School in Manhattan, the performing arts public high school that inspired the hit 80's drama “Fame.” From there he continued his education and quickly went into business for himself producing music in a Brooklyn loft he rented with a friend.  That hustle would continue as he continued to make a name for himself, collaborating with the likes of international K-Pop sensation BTS as well as Mark Ronson, Miley Cyrus and many more. Soon a collaboration with Chance The Rapper would lead to 2 Grammy Nominations. Another with Harry Styles would lead to another.  Hear more about these stories and some great music festival stories here on this episode of FestivalPass Stories.    To find out more about Brasstracks and their music: Brasstracks website: http://brasstracks.co/ Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brasstracks/  Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/brasstracks   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/getfestivalpass/  Twitter - https://twitter.com/getfestivalpass   Website - https://festivalpass.com

Welcome back festival friends! When music and Summer meet in Atlanta it can mean only one  thing: Festival season!     On this episode, our host, Pat Tully, sits down with the founder of The Candler Park Music  Festival, Josh Antenucci. Josh cut his teeth in the live events business in Washington, DC, where  he began working in bars, nightclubs and live events while at George Washington University in  the heart of downtown DC.     His love of music and live event production led him to launch his own DC music festival and  would lay the foundation for his next move further south to Atlanta.    Antenucci co-founded Atlanta's Rival Entertainment in 2004 and operates three independent  venues including the iconic Center Stage Theater.    Since its origin, Rival Entertainment has narrowed focus on the creation and production of  unique live concert experiences, which Antenucci produces, overseeing event operations,  production, concessions & safety. Notable events include the annual Candler Park Music  Festival in Atlanta's Candler Park neighborhood.    Josh shares insight, challenges and successes along the way including producing Outkast's  infamous 3-day reunion concert, Prince's last live performance at Atlanta's Fox Theater and  more.   Check out more about Josh and Candler Park Music Festival    Festival website https://candlerparkmusicfestival.com/    Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candlerparkmusicfestival/     Connect with Festival Pass!    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram  https://instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival   Website - https://festivalpass.com

Festival friends, when music and Meade (what?) come together along with jousting and giant turkey legs, it can only mean one thing: Renaissance Festival and on this episode, our host, Pat Tully takes us on a mystical tour of the Scarborough Renaissance Festival, stating in early April and going right into May! This is no weekend warrior festival, folks.   A North Texas Spring tradition since 1981, the Scarborough Renaissance Festival has everything you can imagine from a time period event and much more. Crowds are delighted by world class jousting, arts and crafts and of course the food. And who can go to a Renaissance festival without having a proper chalice of Meade? Yes, the fermented honey beverage from medieval times.   Wait until you hear the stories about the Renaissance and Celtic themed weddings!   And of course, there's the world class unique shopping village and so much more. Enjoy the episode and you don't even have to be in costume to do so.   Here's more about the Scarborough Renaissance Festival: Festival website https://www.srfestival.com/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theSRFestival/   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram https://instagram.com/festival_pass/ Twitter https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website https://festivalpass.com

Welcome back, festival friends. On this episode of festivalPass Stories, our host, Pat Tully, sits down with a guy who was born in the home of The Blues, Memphis. When you grow up there, the music is in your blood. Jim Ethridge knows all about that.   The founder of “Lost Art Music Festival” started his music career when he began hosting a radio show at the University of Georgia. Upon graduating, he immediately went to work for Vanguard Records and then onto a digital marketing agency where he worked directly with talent and brands on major campaigns. He then joined City Winery and helped to grow the company to multiple US Cities beyond NYC where it all started.   At City Winery, a live music venue focused on intimate entertainment and fine food and drink, he got the idea too launch a festival for fans of his favorite music and what he calls “The best in Americana.” Now in it's second official year (after a forced Covid pause), the festival will feature some of the best blues and Americana music. It takes place at the Foxhall Resort outside of Atlanta. Festival attendees can expect a true hospitality experience like they would get at City Winery, with great beer, wine and food options. Presented by Cathead Distillery, VIP packages are available and camping packages are available as well. To find out more about the festival and buy tickets/packages check out the information below: Lost Art Music Festival website: https://lostartmusicfest.com/ Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lostartmusicfest/   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/  Instagram - https://instagram.com/festival_pass/  Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival  Website - https://festivalpass.com

Friends, welcome back to FPS. We LOVE talking music and on this episode, our Host, Pat Tully,  sits down with artist Bill Small. As far back as Bill can remember, there was music in the small household and he got the bug early, thanks to his sisters taste in music. He's made a living as everything from a singer to a songwriter to an entrepreneur and a Mystequiero...we'll find out what that means in the episode. Theater was a big love in Bill's life and in high school he worked at the Whole Theater company in New. Jersey. After high school he went to the Berklee College of Music in Boston.  He eventually made his way to Austin, TX where he has been a member of a few bands. The next (and current) stop on his music tour is Nashville, TN. Pat catches up with Bill and his life in Nashville, while discussing touring with his bands and the art of writing the perfect song.   Check out Bill's new music and stay connected with him on his website and his facebook page. His website: https://billsmallmusic.com/ Follow him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wbsmall   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://instagram.com/festival_pass/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website -  https://festivalpass.com

On the latest episode of festivalPass Stories, our host, Pat Tully sits down with Chef, author, and entrepreneur, Paul Virant.   The restaurant business is tough, and you need the right attitude to just survive, let alone thrive, but Chef Virant has done just that, thrive. Pat goes through Chef's culinary journey from after school kitchen jobs to owning his own restaurant. Chef Virant takes us behind the kitchen door to hear his personal story of passion and inspiration in the food industry and the good, bad, and ugly he has seen along the way. He ‘dishes out' some incredible stories from his days at The Culinary Institute of America and to his early days back working for Chef Wayne Nish in New York City.   A native of Chicagoland, he gets his big break and his dream comes true when he is invited to audition for the legendary Chef and Restauranteur, Charlie Trotter. His audition story makes him a restaurant legend.   But the big moment comes when he realizes a need for Chicago City style restaurants in the fast growing and affluent suburbs of Chicago, like Hinsdale. Soon he opened Vie and it quickly becomes a hit. He's the talk of the town and is awarded a coveted Michelin Star.   From there he opens Vistro Prime and then it's back to the city to open Chicago's first okonomiyaki restaurant, serving both Hiroshima and Osaka styles of the savory Japanese pancake. Gaijin was born. The word means “outsider” in Japanese. Chef Virant embraces this perspective and honors traditional preparations and techniques, as well as his well-known passion for pickling and preserving (true story).   Oh, and he is an author as well! And how could we forget his stints on Iron Chef America and Chopped!   As a business owner he knows how important it is to give back to the community. So, when he is not running his restaurant empire, you can find him volunteering for schools and charities in the Hinsdale and Chicago area.   Find Chef Virant at https://www.paulvirant.com/ or https://www.instagram.com/paul_virant/    Connect with Festival Pass!   Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival   Website - https://festivalpass.com

Born in Arizona, Julio Santo Domingo instantly became an international star as his family moved to Geneva Switzerland just a month after his birth.   An entrepreneur at an early age, he started a new radio show at his high school playing his favorite genre, Reggae. He named it simply “The Reggae Show.” This was just the beginning of a music career that would span the Atlantic and back over the next 3 decades.   Building on his fledgling high school DJ career, Julio took his arts talents to the US and attended college at Boston University. Not satisfied with the music scene in Boston, he spent every possible weekend in New York City finding the best underground parties in warehouses and clubs. At the same time, he was expanding his musical interests and amassing a large electronic music collection.   He realized he could DJ as well or better than any of the DJ's at the parties he was attending, so he decided to start his own parties and used the dawn of social media to promote them.   After college he moved to NYC full time (where he still resides) to start a regular weekly Wednesday Reggae party at the legendary Belmont Lounge and an Electonic dance party called “Sheik and Beik.”   He was in high demand and would also host industry nights and one-off warehouse parties including one infamous evening at “Supreme Trading” in Brooklyn. Julio tells the legend of this Halloween party complete with cleaning a floor covered in blood moments before his guests arrived. He was then booked for a DJ gig at Art Basel. At the time he was already thinking of hosting his own underground music tent at Bonnaroo when a friend who worked at that festival, resigned. The two got together and decided to start their own in Florida and the concept for the Okeechobee Music & Arts festival was born. His friend (Paul) found a great property and on Julio's way home from that Art Basel gig, he saw the land, bought it and it was game on.   This is the 5th anniversary of Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival. Get tickets on https://www.okeechobeefest.com/ and follow them on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/okeechobeefest/   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://instagram.com/festival_pass/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website - https://festivalpass.com

Welcome back friends to another episode of festivalPass Stories. This week, our host Pat Tully sits down with the dynamic duo of Mellik Gorton, and Meghan Mallan known as The Non Renewed! An Indie rock band out of Denver, the duo met through an app designed for musicians to meet. In 2019 they met up to jam with a group of people and soon realized that they were better together than in a larger band. They began playing covers of music they love and then as trust developed, they began to share music they wrote and started recording their own songs.    The name “The Non-Renewed" is a tongue-in-cheek ode to Meghan's teaching contract being “non-renewed. Meghan was a music teacher in the Denver public school system.    This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it opened a door for Meghan to pursue her dream of a music career.     Mellik wrote the tune That Much, tracked the vocals; then Meghan took it and ran with the production to create their first single and they were off and running.    While the duo continued to explore their older writings and searching for the next single, they launched their social media campaign. Then Meghan reveals a story behind a relationship  breakup that led to another great single from the band called Smoke You Out.     Pat becomes surprised to learn that both Mellik and Meghan both recently attended their first music festivals.     However, the band is eager to get out on the road and get on the festival circuit. Their first big live show is taking place at The Lost Lake Lounge in Denver. Watch and follow as this band continues to grow and come to a festival near you!   Resources: Instagram: @thenonrenewed Website: https://linktr.ee/thenonrenewed   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://instagram.com/festival_pass/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website - https://festivalpass.com

Welcome back friends to a new year, and brand new episode of Festival Pass Stories Podcast! Today's guest is the founder of the Gator By The Bay festival in San Diego, the one and only, Peter Miller.    People that start live events (festivals in particular), seem to always have a passion that molds their ideas and establishes a niche. For Peter, that passion was dancing, and the enjoyment of being around great music. Peter grew up in the Washington DC area, went to UC San Diego and graduated with a BA in Communications. So, what would make a guy with experience in professional video production want to start a New Orleans inspired festival? As it is told by Peter himself, it all happened one night in Louisiana with a certain man playing an accordion. The feeling he got was indescribable, and from that moment he knew that he had to share it with as many people as possible.    At first glance, it may seem a bit “random” to bring the culture of the bayou to sunny California. Gator By The Bay festival delivers such an authenticity, that the event is even supported by the state of Louisiana and its community. It's the largest Louisiana-themed event on the West Coast. It takes place on Mother's Day weekend, and is four days jammed-packed with entertainment for the whole family. The festival is also encouraged by the city of San Diego, and the San Diego Bon Temps Social Club. Gator By The Bay was established in 2001, and plans on making its marvelous return in 2022.    So, what goes on at “SoCal's Premiere Cajun, Zydeco, Blues, Live Music & Crawfish Festival? Well…a little bit of everything. Not only are there thousands of pounds of crawfish that comes in from Louisiana, but there are also alligator, gumbo, barbecues that run all day, beignet vendors, and every other delicious treat that New Orleans has to offer. There is also the market area where you can buy all sorts of jewelry, art, and other trinkets that make great gifts. The music that you hear from the moment you walk in is spectacular. Everywhere you go, you'll be sure to hear a different sound that keeps the crowd smiling. And it's all capped off with a big parade, led by Peter Oliver himself.    There is no replacing the celebration that is Mardi Gras which happens on March 1st this year, but Gator By The Bay is an experience all it's own that you don't want to miss. Watch this episode to hear Peter's stories, and to get more info on how to get tickets for this May.    “I walked into the bar, 1988, the Thursday before Jazz Fest, and I hear this band and the guy had an accordion, and I couldn't believe it, I found it and I didn't even know I was looking for it.” - Peter Oliver   Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   Resources:  Gator By The Bay's Website: https://gatorbythebay.com  Gator By The Bay's Twitter: https://twitter.com/GatorByTheBay  Gator By The Bay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gatorbythebay/  Gator By The Bay's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gatorbythebay/   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/  Instagram - https://instagram.com/festival_pass/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival  Website - https://festivalpass.com/

Hello friends! Welcome back to another episode of Festival Pass Stories podcast with host Pat Tully. Today's guest is the captain of all vibes, the owner and founder of Whet Travel and Groove Cruise, Jason Beukema!    If you've been following this podcast, you are probably familiar with some of our guests that stared live events with out-of-the-box concepts. Jason has successfully composed a festival like we've never seen before. Jason started in the business as a motor couch tour manager for Southern touch Tours. After learning the industry, Jason put his BA in Entrepreneurship from Central Michigan University to good use. He decided that he wanted to give people a joyous experience in his own way. So in 2004, he founded Groove Cruise, and the rest is history.    The mission of Groove Cruise is to, “create world-class festival experiences for lovers of dance music as a way to connect and celebrate life on the open ocean. If you love beautiful scenery, great food, like-minded people, and electronic and dance music, you have to get on this ship somehow. It's not just a floating music festival either, but also hosted parties and entertainers all over the ship. Groove Cruise is known as “the love boat” because of engagements and weddings going on.    The year 2022 is going to be huge for GC, starting with events in Orlando and Cabo in January.    “I use to read evaluations about what people like and don't like about vacations…it has nothing to do with where you go, it's all about who you're with. So, my whole business is based on being around like-minded people.” - Jason Leukemia (Groove Cruise)    Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   Resources: Groove Cruises's Website: https://www.groovecruise.com  Groove Cruises's Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrooveCruise Jason Beukema's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/traveljason/  Jason Beukema's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traveljason/    Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website - https://festivalpass.com/ 

Hello Friends! Welcome to another episode of Festival Pass Stories Podcast with host Pat Tully. This week, we are delighted to introduce singer, songwriter, actor, producer, and philanthropist, Dallas Hart!  There aren't many people that embody the phrase “multi-talented”, but Dallas certainly does; you might say that he was born to perform under the bright lights. Growing up in Michigan, Dallas knew that that he wanted to be an entertainer. He started to mold his craft as early as six years old when he would do impressions around the house. It's doubtful that you'll find it on his IMDB page, but he recorded a show impersonating the legendary Steve Irwin in his backyard when he was a kid. Dallas always created films for his school projects as well. His story is proof that being a go-getter will allow you to live out your dreams.  Just like many other actors before him, Dallas had to build his reel from the ground up. What started with a few short films, became guest appearances on television shows. He worked several jobs while going on auditions, and stayed dedicated to his art. Ultimately, he found representation, and booked his breakout role in the hit TV Series “Rizzoli & Isles” in 2016. Not long after, while he was working as an Uber driver at Coachella, he earned the chance to tryout for a Netflix Original Series, and he got the part. Now, Dallas is a household name from his portrayal of Leo Cruz in four seasons of “Greenhouse Academy”.  Acting isn't the only art form that Dallas is passionate about; he's also an amazing singer-songwriter. His band Haert released their EP this year titled “Should I…”, and their new single called “Reflections”. Dallas also has plenty of other film projects coming down the pipeline as a screenwriter and producer, including a thriller titled “AMP House” in post-production. What could be his most ambitious and “hart-ful” venture is the “You & I Project”. Watch this jam-packed episode of FPS to learn how you can get involved and help a great cause!  If you haven't seen it already, you have to check out “Greenhouse Academy”, only streaming on Netflix. You can also find Dallas Hart's music on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music. “Everything music wise started building during the pandemic. Now that things are opening back up, I'm looking for opportunities to tour, and just perform at any festivals that I can get my hands on now.” - Dallas Hart    Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Dallas at: Dallas Hart's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dallrulz/  Dallas Hart's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actordallashart/  Dallas Hart's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dallas-hart-1a97403/   Dallas Hart's IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4698235/    Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/ Website - https://festivalpass.com/ 

Welcome back to another episode of Festival Pass Stories Podcast, hosted by Pat Tully and presented by Dos Hombres. We have a very special guest this week, friends. It's our pleasure to introduce writer, actress, producer, and comedian, Jenny Zigrino.  Her undeniable talent as a writer and producer has pushed her career to new heights as well, and she is now on the brink of stardom. Jenny has been an active stand-up comedian for the past five years, and she is still going strong. Jenny has been a reoccurring guest on the popular late night show “Conan”, and placed 2nd on the Wayans Bros. “Funniest Wins”. Her impressive list of credits also includes “Comedy Central Stand Up Featuring,” “Comedy Central Stand Up Presents,” and the television show “Punchline”.  Jenny's impressive run on the stage and TV has allowed her to showcase her gift as an actress on the big screen. You have seen her in the films “Too Late”, “Bad Santa 2”, and “50 Shades of Black”. Perhaps her most impressive work has been her creation of the awesome show, “Badass Bitches of History”, where she also was the host. You can check out the show on the streaming platform Paramount+. Jenny has been a guest on “MTV's Girl Code”, “Adam Ruins Everything”, and has been featured on FOX, TruTV, Oxygen, and TBS.  We are all about live events on FPS, and Jenny loves them too. She continues to crush stages around the country like the “badass babe” she is. The pandemic has allowed her to refine her craft, and prepare for her biggest performance yet. This week at the New York Comedy Festival, Jenny will be taping her one-hour comedy special and album recording, “Jen Z” in Littlefield, Brooklyn on Sunday November 14th. Shows start at 6:30PM & 9:00PM. Admission is free, so go to her website for a ticket before they are sold out!  Like our previous guests on Festival Pass Stories, we will be watching closely as Jenny Zigrino's star gets bigger and bigger. Her charm, wit, and impeccable crowd-work makes her shows a must see.   It's not like therapy, it's just talking to other people who also know what I'm going through. They are laughing because they relate to it." - Jenny Zigrino   Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   Resources: Jenny Zigrino's Website: http://www.jennyzigrino.com    Jenny Zigrino's Twitter: https://twitter.com/jennyzigrino    Jenny Zigrino's IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4103945/    Jenny Zigrino's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennyzigrino/   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Website - https://festivalpass.com/ 

Welcome back friends to another great episode of Festival Pass Stories Podcast! This week, we had the pleasure to share some laughs with Syracuse, New York's own, the profoundly funny stand-up comedian, Moody McCarthy!  Matthew “Moody” McCarthy grew up wanting to be a musician, but he always enjoyed comedy as well. After attending New York University, Moody grew the desire to take his talents to the stage and entertain audiences by telling jokes. He began his career as a comic, and covered sports at one of Syracuse's top morning radio shows, “Y95FM”. Soon, Moody started to get recognized by his peers for his ability to improv, which led to booking bigger shows.  Comedians dream of performing live on late night television. It's one of the best ways to improve a comic's image, and it's also an honor to share the same platform as so many greats from the past. Moody has found himself under the bright lights on many occasions. Throughout his career, Moody has performed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live”, “Conan”, and appeared twice on “The Late Show with David Letterman”. Moody has also done his act on “Star Search”, “Last Comic Standing”, and “America's Got Talent”. Moody gives the credit to his family and upbringing for his comedy success. Growing up as the sixth of seven children in a big Irish family, and being a husband and father is very much a part of his presence on stage. Moody continues to make people laugh and is consistently working his craft at private parties, corporate events, and fundraisers. He's also working on a screenplay that we hope to see made in the future.  “Any kind of stimulus in life, just getting married, having kids, buying a house…anything you do is good for your comedy. You want to get knocked out of your comfort zone.” - Moody McCarthy   Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   Resources: Moody McCarthy's Website: http://www.moodymccarthy.com Moody McCarthy's Twitter: https://twitter.com/moodymccarthy Moody McCarthy's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comicMoody/ Moody McCarthy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moodymccarthy/   Connect with Festival Pass! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Website - https://festivalpass.com/

Welcome back friends to another episode of The festivalPass Stories Podcast! We have something quite bizarre for you this week. Pat Tully takes a deep dive into the history of Fruita, Colorado, and talks with Tom Casal of Mike The Headless Chicken Festival.  Before we get into this great event, you need to know the story behind it. In 1945, a man by the name of Lloyd Olsen went out on his farm to prepare chickens for the market. Everything was going routinely except for one rooster who kept pecking around longer than usual; even for a bird without a head. As an experienced farmer, Lloyd found this to be odd, but he still went on about his day. The next morning, Lloyd found Mike, “sleeping with his head under his wing.” Amazed by the animal's determination to live, Olsen found a way to feed him with an eyedropper, but there had to be an explanation for what happened. So, they took Mike to the University of Utah to study the phenomenon. Turns out that Mike's brain stem was still healthy, allowing him to grow and live for another year and a half. During those 18 months, Mike was known as, “The Headless Wonder Chicken.” After hiring a manager, the Olsen's toured nationally with Mike in Los Angeles, Atlantic City, and New York. Mike the miracle grew to be roughly 8 pounds, and was valued to be worth approximately $10,000. The history and fame of Mike The Headless Chicken is still recognized in Time Magazine, Life Magazine, and the Guinness World Records.  The city of Fruita, Colorado has their own way of remembering Lloyd's old rooster. They've done it by embracing their history and hosting Mike The Headless Chicken Festival. This two day event has it all; live music, (last year's lineup includes The Samples & The Williams Brothers Band) a pancake breakfast, a 5K run, competitive eating, disk golf, a classic car show, and a bunch more. You can also enjoy a professionally judged Poultry Show and witness these beautiful birds on the big stage. Mike The Headless Chicken Festival is gearing up for 2022, so start planning your trip to Fruita now; the event is fantastic for the entire family.    “I was pretty aggressive…Mike the Headless Chicken Festival brings a national name. I went to them saying, ‘ we have people from all over the world coming to the festival; and I can do some really cool things if we can up our sponsorship.'” - Tom Casal (MTHCF)   Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Mike on: Mike The Headless Chicken Festival's Website: https://www.miketheheadlesschicken.org/mike    Mike The Headless Chicken Festival's Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeChicken    Mike The Headless Chicken Festival's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MikeTHChicken   City of Fruita, Colorado's Website: https://www.fruita.org    Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival   Website - https://festivalpass.com/ 

Hello again friends! Welcome back to another episode of Festival Pass Stories Podcast. This week, we have a live event that's too far out to be called a festival. Our host Pat Tully talks hot air balloons with guest Tom Garrity of The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.  Tom's impressive resume started as an intern at the Dallas Morning News. He quickly moved up the ranks in broadcasting, eventually working as a news director, producer, and reporter. His perseverance landed him a job in New Mexico. After winning Emmy's in News Media, Tom decided to focus on public relations, so he founded The Garrity Group in 1997. Since its inception, Tom's company has, “helped various organizations with strategic planning, issue management, crisis communications, media relations and campaign development/management.” Their clientele list has grown exponentially, but the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is one of Tom's favorites.  This live event is a visual masterpiece. Host to over 500 hot air balloons and nearly one million people, the Balloon Fiesta will take your breath away. Let's set the scene: a perfect fall day in the Rio Grande Valley serving as the backdrop to hundreds of balloons of all shapes, sizes, and colors taking to the sky. It has to be one the most majestic sights a person can witness. What also makes it so exciting is the precision of the pilots that man them. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest of its kind. It's a nine day party, with entertainment of all types. It takes place from October 2nd to October 10th.  You can find a breakdown of the schedule, tickets, and donation info on their website. Also, make sure that you download the app to track the balloon's location at any time during the event. They just may be flying over a city near you.    “When I got there I was just blown away to see all these balloons launching in waves. It was such a visual feast to see all those balloons back then…taking to the sky and flying in the Albuquerque Box.” - Tom Garrity (AIBF)   Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   Resources: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta's Website: https://balloonfiesta.com    Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta's Twitter: https://twitter.com/balloonfiesta    Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balloonfiesta/   Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/balloonfiesta/   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter:  https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website:  https://festivalpass.com/

Greetings friends! Welcome back to the festivalPass Stories podcast. This week, Host Pat Tully is joined by three people who are paving the way and opening doors for women in the movie business. It's our pleasure to introduce the ladies of FLOW Film Festival & Market, Kimberly Douglas, Tiffany Porter, and Alexandra Bello.  Over the last few years, the entertainment industry has been somewhat exposed for its lack of diversity in leadership roles and the mistreatment of women. In fact, the FLOW website highlights these facts with staggering statistics. Only 4% of directors in Hollywood are women, and only 3% are cinematographers, even though 51% of moviegoers are female. These numbers are undoubtedly unfair. Which is why Kim, Tiff, and Alex are working relentlessly to even the playing field.   With 15 years of experience in the industry as an actress and behind the camera, Kimberly Douglas decided that she wanted to start something of her own after an awful encounter on a film set. She met Tiffany Porter at a film festival, who had been in the performing arts as a young child, and had worked in fashion, and music. Together, they founded Florida Leaders Opening Worlds Film Festival and Market (or FLOW). Alex Bello, the Executive Director and President of Marketing of FLOW has developed features and shorts, and has worked as an actress, producer, and director. These three strong individuals are spearheading the FLOW mission, which is, “promoting women in the film industry in non-traditional senior and leadership roles, and the films that employ them."  So, why should you go to, enter, and support the FLOW Film Festival and Market? Simply because you get to experience stories that are hidden gems (movie buffs know that this is what we search for). Entering and being accepted into FLOW guarantees that your film will receive distribution of some kind; a perk that most festivals don't offer their filmmakers. Also, you will get to meet and network with people that are either aspiring film professionals, or already established in the industry. Lastly, you can be a part of something special…we're talking to you donors and sponsors! Our guests go into great detail about the festival, and FLOW's website lists the awards, rules, submission guidelines, etc. The event will take place from September 26th to October 2nd, so get your tickets now! If you're out there listening to this podcast and you have a vision that you want to share, submit it to FLOW Film Festival & Market; your project will be in great hands. Enjoy this jammed-packed episode, and we'll see you next week!   “Everybody has their own little agenda and their own expertise, and I wouldn't have it any other way. A great team is full of people that compliment each other, and that's exactly how we're doing it.” - Alexandra Bello (FLOW Film Festival & Market)    Catch the interview on festivalPass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find FLOW Film Festival on: FLOW Film Festival's Website: https://www.flowffm.com   FLOW Film Festival's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flowfilm/about/   FLOW Film Festival's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowfilmsfestival/   FLOW Film Festival's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flowfilmfestivalmarket   Connect with festivalPass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website - https://festivalpass.com/

Hello friends! Welcome back to another episode of Festival Pass Stories podcast. This week, we're taking it back to the music scene. If you're a fan of country rock, you'll love this guest. We have singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Mark Mackay.   Mark learned how to play music while growing up right outside of San Francisco, California. His parents were insistent on him learning how to play an instrument as a child, so Mark began practicing classical piano at nine years old. He admits that playing piano was not the cool thing to do in the eyes of a nine year old boy, but he's grateful that his parents made him stick with it. After deciding to transition his talents into learning how to play the guitar, and specifically country music; Mark's affinity for the art was flourishing and his career would soon follow. Already giving everything he's got to his craft, Mark's mindset was to move to LA where he attended the College of Contemporary Music, and became a musician full-time.  There isn't a special formula to make it in the business; a lot of things have to go right at the same time. Mark made great connections while going to school which aided in his success. What really impressed our host Pat Tully, is that Mark climbed his way up to where he is today. What first started as playing in front of small crowds at local bars, turned into playing for bigger audiences at major music festivals and iconic venues. After releasing two EPs, Mark was named as one of the Top 100 National Live Acts by Music Connection Magazine.  Mark's charisma on stage has allowed him to perform covers and original songs at places like The Ryman Auditorium. He also sang the National Anthem at AT&T Park for his hometown San Francisco Giants. Music aficionados would classify Mark's music as a mix of country and rock n' roll. Songs like “Always Rains in Portland” and “ Get Me Through the Night” showcases all of his musical ability and energy as an artist. Live events are what we live for at FPS, and Mark has toured with acts like REO Speedwagon, Luke Bryan, and Keith Urban. We hope that Mark continues his trajectory to become Country Music royalty himself.  We really appreciate Mark for coming on to the show, so please show support by listening to his latest EP, “Leaving California” on Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms. Make sure to also connect with him on social media and visit his website for bookings and tour dates.    “It's like a golf game. In the music business, you want to get far and everything needs to be firing on all cylinders. Lightning's got to strike when everything is working. It's really hard to do.” - Mark Mackay    Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Mark on:    Mark Mackay's Website: http://www.markmackayofficial.net    Mark Mackay's Twitter: https://twitter.com/m2mackay     Mark Mackay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markmackay/   Mark Mackay's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markmackayofficial/   Connect with Festival Pass!   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/pass_festival   Website: https://festivalpass.com/ 

Welcome back to the festivalPass Stories Podcast with host Pat Tully! We've been away for a few weeks, so for this episode, we're giving you two guests for one. The Co-Founders of Imagine Music Festival, Glenn and Madeleine Goodhand! Imagine Music Festival lives up to its epithet as “An Aquatic Fairytale”. Many festivals sell their base on an experience, but IMF is like entering another reality. It's one of the most anticipated EDM festivals of the year, and the largest in the state of Georgia. Its got everything you want in a live event. Great musical performances, beautiful scenery…an overall vibe. Concert goers missed Imagine in 2020, as it was rescheduled for health and safety concerns. But it's officially happening and it's coming up very soon.   Glenn Goodhand studied at John Marshall Law School and worked in the legal system. Even though he was business-minded and career-driven, he also had a fun side. Glenn is a former B-Boy and was made a legend from the epic raves he use to throw. He's also one of the pioneers responsible for bringing the EDM genre to the Metro-Atlanta area. Glenn's wife Madeleine has a similar background. Also a go-getter and multi-talented, Maddy has credentials in advertising and marketing. and she does modeling. Together, they form the perfect team to run Imagine Music Festival.   We are so excited that IMF is returning to the city of Atlanta and Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia. The festival will be starting on Friday September 17th, and will finish on Sunday September 19th. Single-day, VIP car camping, and a lot of other ticket packages are still available. Exclusive pool parties, food, drinks, flame-twirlers, unique sets, an incredible lineup; it's going to be a celebration you don't want to miss. Check out this episode, follow on social media, and get your tickets at Imagine Music Festival's website ASAP.    “Starting the festival looking back, we didn't really know what we were getting ourselves into. Just from Glen's background, I think he just understood what it took to create this really good party.” - Madeleine Goodhand (IMF)    Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Madeleine and Glenn on:   Imagine Music Festival's Website: https://www.imaginefestival.com  Imagine Music Festival's Twitter: https://twitter.com/imaginemusicfes   Imagine Music Festival's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imaginemusicfestival/ Imagine Music Festival''s Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/imaginemusicfestival/   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website - https://festivalpass.com/ 

Welcome back friends! We're delighted to give you the 50th episode of the festivalPass Stories Podcast. This week, we have the pleasure of introducing one of the board members of Corks, Forks, Rhythm & Brews Festival, Kristen Thorson. Kristen got involved with Corks Forks after her husband volunteered her to join the team a few years ago, and she's considered it her side hustle ever since. As a South Dakota State University graduate with a B.S. in Food and Nutrition Science, Kristen works full time in health care, is on the Board of Directors of the Alameda Boys and Girls Club, and still finds time to be an integral part in organizing one of the biggest events in Northern California.  The Bay Area is world renowned as one of the hubs of advanced tech, but it's also appreciated for its beautiful scenery and wine production; making it the perfect setting for delicious spirits and good music. Corks, Forks, Rhythm & Brews is the ultimate festival, delivering an all-around feel good experience to sponsors, volunteers, and attendees of course. The event plays host to over a dozen local eateries; the same goes for their wine, beer, and spirit exhibitors. If you're a wine enthusiast, Alameda's Spirit Alley is where you want to be in early October.  The slogan, “Eat. Drink. Give Back,” is truly what Corks Forks is all about; and what attracted Kristen to the event. Throughout her life, Kristen has given so much of herself to good causes, and Corks Forks is a fundraiser for the youth of the Alameda Boys & Girls Club. The Boys & Girls Club is an organization that has been a crucial gear in communities around the country, putting children on pathways to success. The proceeds from the festival goes back to the neighborhood, making a good time at the event that much more enjoyable. In this episode you'll get the inside scoop from Kristen on Corks, Forks, Rhythm & Brews Festival, happening on October 2nd. Get your VIP tickets ASAP, dig in to the best food on the West, sip some wine, and be entertained by “The Mother of All Dad Bands,” The Love Handles…you don't want to miss it.    “For being such a young event, we have amazing potential to grow. We market it as the affluent event. But it's not a pretentious event. It's super chill and super fun to attend…it is something special.” - Kristen Thorson    Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Kristen on:   Kristen Thorson's LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-thorson-02244b96/    Corks Forks Rhythm & Brews' Website: https://corksforksonthepoint.com    Corks Forks Rhythm & Brews' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corksforksrhythmandbrews/   Corks Forks Rhythm & Brews' Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/corksforksrhythmandbrews/   Connect with Festival Pass!   Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/    Instagram: https://instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter:  https://twitter.com/pass_festival    Website:  https://festivalpass.com/  

Welcome back to the podcast that covers all things live events, festivalPass Stories. We love a sneak peek, and this week's guest brought just that. Please welcome the owner and partner of Fast Forward Events, Michelle Metter.  Michelle got her start in the entertainment business over 20 years ago as an event director. Today, Michelle is highly respected in the events world, and she's often sought out to speak at industry gatherings. Her knowledge in public relations is extraordinary, and the driving force behind the success of the events that she's a part of. Despite working so hard year-round, Michelle still makes time for her family and traveling the world.   In January of 2005, Michelle started Fast Forward with her partner Ken Loyst, and together, they built the company into the enterprise it is now. What makes Fast Forward different from other events companies are their core values. Michelle is a forward thinker and loves to bring people joy in their lives, and Fast Forward events is an extension of those principles.  Other than hiking and scuba diving, Michelle is also deeply passionate about food and wine. This is why the Fast Forward team is responsible for one of the best culinary events in the country, the San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival. Locals, celebs, and people from around the world gather for his week-long celebration. Done in the beautiful and diverse scenery of San Diego, the festival includes hundreds of wines and restaurants, and you can't forget about the grand tasting! We can't thank Michelle enough for giving us the scoop on the upcoming San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival experience. The event will go from November 11th to the 14th, and tickets are on sale now; make sure to get them while you can. Visit fastforwardevents.com for info on some of their other exquisite events.     “You really wanna make sure that you're working with talent who feels proud to be a part of what you're creating. That way they'll return, and they'll say the right things, and feel like their time is well spent.” - Michelle Metter    Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Michelle on:    LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-metter-89b7a25/    Fast Forward's Website- http://www.fastforwardevents.com    San Diego Bay Wine & Food Fest's Website- https://www.sandiegowineclassic.com   San Diego Bay Wine & Food Fest's Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/sdbayfest/ Connect with Festival Pass!   Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/    Instagram - https://instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival  Website - https://festivalpass.com/

Hey friends, welcome back to The festivalPass Stories podcast! For this week's episode, we're taking it down to the Big Easy! Please welcome the Executive Director of the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience, Aimee Brown.  Aimee has gained invaluable experience as an event curator. As a graduate of Loyola University New Orleans, Aimee has worked with some of the finest non-profit organizations for hospitality in the country. She started as an Assistant at Tales of the Cocktail Foundation and was given the task to plan their Spirited Awards. From here, Aimee felt that she found where she wanted to be; at gatherings with great wine, food, and people.  Shortly after becoming a mom, Aimee started at a new non-profit as the Assistant to the Executive Director at the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience, or NOWFE. This was the perfect opportunity for someone with aspirations of running large festivals. Aimee was tasked with helping out with day-to-day operations, vendors, sponsors, and everything in-between. When it was time for NOWFE to select the successor of the Executive Director, Aimee had the background to be considered and earned the job.  New Orleans is all about a good time, and that what you get with NOWFE events. They do a great job of getting wineries and restaurants together to make a fun and safe experience for the community. Since COVID happened in 2020, NOWFE Wine Dinner series has become an all-year extravaganza; and people are still excited about their bigger events like Vinola and Grand Tastings.  The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience, with the help of it's sponsors and donors, has raised over 1.5 million dollars for so many organizations in the city. Hospitality, food, and live entertainment are what New Orleans does best. We can't wait to go to Louisiana and taste the legendary cuisine and wine for ourselves at NOWFE.    “So, we kind of rebranded during 2020 where we're doing things all year around. I love it so much, and I'm so passionate about it. Anytime an opportunity comes up I want NOWFE to take it, and that's what we've been doing.” - Aimee Brown    Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Aimee on    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimee-brown-569393148/   NOWFE's Website: https://nowfe.com    NOWFE's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowfe/   NOWFE's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewOrleansWineFoodExperience    Connect with Festival Pass!   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/    Instagram:  https://instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter:  https://twitter.com/pass_festival    Website:  https://festivalpass.com/

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the festivalPass Stories podcast. We have a jam-packed episode for you this week as Pat interviews two special guests. It's our pleasure to introduce the Communications Director and Development Coordinator (respectively), Caine O'Rear and Cece Pless of Mobile Baykeeper.  Mobile Baykeeper is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to protecting clean water, air, and keeping the community and environment of Mobile Bay Watershed and Coastal Alabama safe and healthy. Acknowledged as “North America's Amazon,” The Mobile-Tensaw Delta in Alabama is known for its diversity in it's ecosystems; also stretching to parts of Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Formed in 1997 (then West Bay Watch), Mobile Baykeeper is not just about their in-house team doing great work for the environment, but it's also about the efforts of thousands of volunteers and citizens over the years.  Our guests can certainly speak to the good deeds of the Baykeeper's members. Caine is a native of Mobile and a bit of an outdoorsman himself. As a former editor-in-chief of American Songwriter Magazine, Caine is instrumental in being the bridge between the members of Mobile Baykeeper, and the public. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Cece started as an intern at Mobile Baykeeper after studying “the sustainability of international fisheries. Now, she helps the cause by recruiting sponsors and leading volunteering and fundraising events.  Speaking of festivities, Mobile Baykeeper is recognized for its entertainment, as well as being hands-on in helping the environment. This is Festival Pass after all, and Baykeeper knows how to throw a lively event. Some of their annual events include Bay Bites (a food truck festival), Bay Inspiration (a showcase of the Baykeeper mission), and Bay Bash (a gala for their biggest sponsors and supporters). The pandemic has turned these events virtual, but we look forward to them returning live in the future.  Caine and Cece explain how we all can individually do our part to help the environment, and the Mobile Baykeeper website includes an abundance of educational tools for those watching who want to get more involved in helping the planet. Make sure to purchase tickets for their upcoming events while they're still available, and assist the organization through donations.     “We're helping these businesses but they're making the switch to more eco-friendly material from single-use plastic. What we're trying to do is offset some of that cost by giving them a lot of P.R…and generate some passive-aggressive peer pressure for other businesses in downtown Mobile to also make the switch.” - Caine O'Rear (Mobile Baykeeper)   Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Caine and Cece on:    Mobile Baykeeper's Website- https://www.mobilebaykeeper.org   LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/mobile-baykeeper/   Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/mobilebaykeeper/    Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/MobileBaykeeper/    Connect with Festival Pass!   Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/    Instagram - https://instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival    Website - https://festivalpass.com/

Welcome back ladies and gentleman to another episode of the best podcast on all things entertainment and live events, Festival Pass Stories! This week, we had the pleasure of speaking with someone who has nearly 40 years of experience in the events space, the great Carson Tang.  Carson, a native New Yorker,  never wanted to be one of the best live events planners in the world, but that's what ended up happening. As an alumni of Brooklyn Tech High School, Carson knew that he wanted to help people in some way. The first event that he ever planned was a Battle of the Bands in his school auditorium, an idea that came to him because the space was being underutilized. From that point on, he's been in the live events business and has delivered value and greatness ever since.  Starting in 2004, Carson Worldwide has specialized in, “experimental events, marketing, meeting, brand building, operations, and productions.” One of his biggest events, Oyster Fest, is coming back better than ever this October, and we couldn't be more excited. Carson loves to connect with people and unlock their potential, as exhibited in his work with Power Mastery and A Hike Through Life. These events have brought so much joy to people, and have created a family-like community.  You can say that live events professionals have two things in common: they know how to identify opportunities that others may not see, and they can really get the ball rolling on what normal people may consider outrageous proposals and deadlines. Carson Tang is a guru of logistics and efficiency. It's why he's been trusted by corporations and brands like Nissan, Macy's, and Estee Lauder. He's also been able to create some of the most iconic live events that continue to strive today.  It's always special when you get to listen to an expert speak passionately about their discipline. Carson gives us one of our most detailed interviews ever; jam-packed with stories of events that he's put on for clients, and how he's planned for them. This episode is a must-watch if you have dreams of breaking into the festival and live event business.    “We all have a niche that we excel at. I believe that within each person over time you pick up a mastery of what you can do, and what you can do well, and recognize that you need other people to help you get there.” - Carson Tang   Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Carson on:    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carsontang1/    Carson Worldwide's Website: https://www.carsonworldwide.com    A Hike Through Life's Website: https://www.ahikethroughlife.com    Power Mastery's Website: https://powermastery.com    Connect with Festival Pass!   Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/    Instagram:  https://instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter:  https://twitter.com/pass_festival    Website:  https://festivalpass.com/

Hello friends, and welcome back to another episode of the festivalPass Stories podcast! Our host Pat Tully sits down with another fascinating guest that has been in the entertainment industry for over 20 years. It is our honor to introduce award-winning producer Chris Homsley.  Television is one of the toughest trades to break into. Largely, it requires education, experience, strong connections, and technical and creative abilities. Even if you possess all those things, a run of good luck doesn't hurt either. Coming from a theatre background from Auburn University with ties in music, Chris knew that he wanted to be behind the scenes on large productions. With a BA in Mass Communications from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and having played in a few garage bands himself, Chris finally got the moment to prove himself doing audio production for a smaller network. His work ethic allowed him to rise in the tv production ranks, and it wasn't long before he was given the responsibility to produce his own projects.  Director Robert Rodriguez once said, “when given the opportunity, deliver excellence and never quit.” You can say that this is the driving force behind Chris Homsley's impressive production career. What started with sound production, became being the Senior Production Coordinator for the iconic Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games in 2002. Chris was assigned the responsibility of managing the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies of the games that year; the first international event since 9/11 at the time. Two years later, he was hired to be the Deputy Director of Operations for the opening and closing ceremonies for the Athens Summer Games. The Salt Lake Winter Olympics went on to win seven Emmy Awards.  Speaking of awards, Chris's trophy case should be pretty full at this point. He's a multiple Emmy award winner; two of which come from his astonishing work with the Red Bull Air Race, which he produced for three years. And he has also captured not one, but three Themed Entertainment Association Awards. Chris has also worked on the Overwatch World Cup, the Crane Dance at Resort World Sentosa in Singapore, and done productions for ESPN, HBO, and Nascar. After all this, Chris hopes to work on a music festival one day. Pat actually breaks some huge FPS news that Chris is currently open for a new project right now.   “It took somebody to come along and say the work that you are doing measures up quality-wise with everything else that's competing in this particular category. So, there are ways to win Emmys without being the star of the show.” - Chris Homsley    Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Chris on: Chris Homsley's Website: https://chomsley.wixsite.com/projects    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishomsley/    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chomsley/    Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrishomsley1   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website: https://festivalpass.com/

Hey there friends, welcome back to a new episode of Festival Pass Stories podcast. As we finally start the process of putting the pandemic behind us, live events are beginning to come back in full force! This week's guest is thrilled about the future of his industry; oenophile and winemaker, Randy Hester.  Randy didn't always want to be a wine maker. In fact, you could say the idea hit him like a bolt of lightning, (that pun will make sense later). As a native of the great state of Texas, Randy went to college at Lamar University, and wanted to dedicate his life to helping children. He worked in the restaurant industry while pursuing his degree; you probably know where this is going by now. Randy was working for a great company, and had a promotion opportunity on the horizon after receiving his Bachelor's with a minor in Philosophy. But there was something that drew him to the service industry, and simply put, it was the wine.   From that point on, Randy decided to follow his gut, created a 10 year plan, and took a leap of faith that lead him to Napa, California. His courage should be applauded because starting over in your 30's isn't something you hear often. Nevertheless, he enrolled in Napa Valley College and got his Associate's in Viticulture and Enology (the cultivation of grapes and the study of wines, respectively). For those who don't know, Napa Valley is a big deal when it comes to American Wine culture. It was the perfect place for Randy to gain exposure in order to execute the final step of his master plan; taking his knowledge back home to Texas.   Now, Texas is known for a lot of things like BBQ, but wine isn't one that comes to mind; until the return of Randy Hester of course. After learning from some of the best winemakers in California, Randy's success in Napa gave him the confidence to start making his own product, and that was Lightning Wines. Since 2014, Lightning Wines has helped spearheaded the Texas wine movement, and produced award-winning, Internationally recognized wines for the public. Now that COVID-19 is loosening its hold on our society, Randy has been planning events and tastings for the rest of 2021. Sign up to the Lightning Wines mailing list, and subscribe to their wine club to get bottles shipped directly to you.  We love Randy's attitude towards the creation of wine, and how it should be consumed. His philosophy is that everyone should be able to enjoy it without feeling intimidated by it. He did invent lighting in a bottle, so we'll take his word on it.    “I'm tasting all these great wines of the world and meeting all these people who are coming to our market…and it occurred to me, that I wanted to create that thing that we're putting on that table, that's enhancing people's lives.” - Randy Hester   Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Randy on:   Linkedin- https://www.linkedin.com/in/randy-hester-7269928/   C.L. Butaud Wines Website- https://clbutaud.com   C.L. Butaud Wines Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/clbutaud   C.L. Butaud Wines Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/clbutaud     Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival   Website - https://festivalpass.com/

Happy Monday everyone, and welcome to a new episode of the festivalPass Stories podcast! We have another outstanding guest of the entertainment industry for you today, former model and super-producer, Billy Gemmill.  Everyone dreams of being a rockstar at one point in their lives. Billy Gemmill's parents were both musicians and were the impetus for his dreams of working in the business. When he was young, Billy would tag along with his mom when she had shows and do sound checks for his father before he knew what they were. As a teenager, Billy wanted to be a punk rock drummer and even played in a few bands. This is when he started to fall in love with production and event planning, as he was the band member that would arrange and promote the shows. Soon, Billy would put his focus into starting his very own production company, but not before life threw him a curveball.  We bring this up every week, but it does seem that everyone that Pat has interviewed has a story when they are presented with an opportunity that they didn't expect. In other words, taking a leap of faith is what all our guests have in common. One day, Billy was out shopping and was approached by a modeling agency. They really liked his look and wanted to work with him. He almost dismissed them because he had no modeling experience. But they were persistent enough that he got on board, and that was one decision Billy would not regret. From that one interaction, Billy was able to work in Italy for years and has modeled for clothing brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, Prada, and Armani.  Billy worked between modeling and producing for some time until he decided to let his entrepreneurial spirit take over his career. We're happy he did because, in 2011, the world got Six One Live, LLC based in Billy's home, the great city of Nashville, Tennessee. Since its start, Billy and his team have helped put on great events for both celebrities and corporate brands alike. Some of Six One Live's most notable clients include Dave Chappelle, ESPN, The Voice, Snoop Dogg, and the NFL Network.  Billy has been working in the festival space in one way or another for over 20 years now. He is excited for what new business may be on the horizon, now that our society is starting to move past the pandemic. Check out this amazing episode, and if you haven't already, sign up to festivalPass to experience live events in the flesh once again.    “There's a lot of opportunity in the city, but there's also a bigger picture. You have to be able to bend, and collaborate, and work with other companies and other people…while also maintaining the Nashville roots.” - Billy Gemmill    Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Billy on:   Linkedin- https://www.linkedin.com/in/billygemmill-producer/    IMDB- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11844254/    Six One Live's Website- https://www.sixonelive.com    Six One Live's Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/sixonelive/   Connect with Festival Pass!   Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival   Website - https://festivalpass.com/ 

Hello friends, and welcome back to another episode of festivalPass Stories podcast, sponsored by Dos Hombres Mezcal. We have another special guest this week, restaurateur, actor, and stuntman, Victor Chan.  Victor must be having more fun than the rest of us. Making a living as a stuntman and a restaurant owner must be as thrilling as it sounds. We love food, and we love to interview people in the restaurant business. Having said that, Victor Chan is probably the only one to take a few hits from Hollywood actors like Michael Madsen and Johnny Depp. Victor's got some juicy stories from his days as a stuntman, particularly one that gets Sopranos super-fan Pat Tully excited. Victor has been in dozens of films in his career and has always upheld the craft of acting despite his start being coincidence; which we know is always a theme on this podcast.  Poet John Milton's quote must be right, “luck is the residue of design.” Fate would lead Victor down another path where he would become what our host Pat has dubbed, “a restaurant-repreneur”. A Bite To Eat was Victor's first cafe, and it would become a huge success in the Seaport community. After three years, Victor needed to look for another space and put in a proposal for a sushi restaurant. Now, Victor owns two sushi restaurants in New York, Sushi-teria and SUteiShi. Follow the links to both places after the episode!  What amazing accomplishments to be a profitable restaurant owner, and a Screen Actors Guild Award Nominee! If you're in New York, you have to try the exquisite sushi at Victor's place, and if you can't make it, then check him out in one of the movies he's been in, you won't want to miss those killer stunts!     “Honestly, you just take the jobs that come to you. Whatever it is; it just so happens that the director likes my look in a cop uniform…I don't mind. It's work for me and I quite enjoy it.” - Victor Chan    Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Victor on:  Victor Chan's IMDB- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0151142/?ref_=nm_mv_close    Victor Chan's Twitter- https://twitter.com/victry    SUteiShi's Website- https://suteishi.com     SUteiShi's Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/suteishinyc/ Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival   Website - https://festivalpass.com/ 

Welcome friends, to another episode of festivalPass Stories podcast; where we talk to the people responsible for the best festivals and live events in the world. This week, we're able to get a glimpse of the "back of the house" with the founder of Eastern Point Collective, Hollis Silverman.  If you've never heard the term before, the “back of the house” refers to what goes on behind the scenes in the restaurant business. Everything from the kitchen, to the break room, and office space is what customers typically don't see while in the front of the house. Even though she was accepted into Le Cordon Blue culinary school in Paris, France, Hollis Silverman is most known for her experience as a manager, and her ability to take restaurants and events to the next level. We say she's most known for her executive work because cooking is still one of her passions. In fact, her chefs have given her major credit for knowing her way around the kitchen. We won't be surprised if Hollis goes to culinary school in the future; anything's possible.  Hollis' journey officially began at Cornell University, where she graduated from the prestigious Hotel and Restaurant Management School. She never stopped learning about the business, and always shared that information with like-minded individuals. A Level II Certified Sommelier, Hollis has gone from Jose Andres' ThinkFoodGroup (where she worked her way up from a Service Director to Chief of Operations) to being a Hospitality Consultant where she helped, “chefs and restauranteurs…to grow their business.” She also spent some time at Great American Restaurants as Chief Innovation Officer.  We say it all of the time, a good percentage of our guests settle into roles that they either stumble upon in some way, or in Hollis' case, never thought she wanted to do at all. Although she loves the food industry, Hollis swore that she would never start her own restaurant. Not only is she going into business for herself these days, but she's starting two restaurants and a gin bar with her Eastern Point Collective team in Washington, D.C. Specializing in hospitality consulting, operations management, and concept development, Eastern Point Collective is available in the D.C. area to help get your vision off the ground.  The Hollis Silverman story is more about people than it is about food. She's done so much volunteer work in her life, and she's dedicated her career to give opportunities and excellent wages to everyone she's worked with.     “Usually people are around food for celebrations. Everything always happens around food. People need something else to hold on to, and food and drink creates that avenue for everybody.” - Hollis Silverman   Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Hollis on:  Eastern Point Collective's Website- https://www.easternpointcollective.com  The Duck & The Peach Website- https://www.duckandpeachdc.com  Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/holliswsilverman/  LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollis-wells-silverman-7212446/    Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website - https://festivalpass.com/ 

Happy Friday festivalPass Stories family! We love to switch it up on this show to give you guys a taste of everything. For our 40th episode, we take you inside the mind of a Grand Champion Pitmaster. Welcome the one and only barbecue extraordinaire, Jay Tinney.   Jay fell in love with cooking back in his college days at Texas Tech University. He figured if he was going to be on his own, and he wanted to eat well, he might as well learn to cook those home-cooked meals for himself. Turns out, this was a great choice, as Jay started to entertain family and friends with recipes that he was developing at the time. Finding your passion by accident seems to be a running theme on festivalPass Stories. We hear it all the time where someone starts in one industry, and almost by mistake ends up in live events and entertainment. Jay was building a career in technology before transitioning to a master's in BBQ.  Not only does Jay Tinney have classified knowledge of the culinary arts, but the man knows a thing or two about festivals. What kind of festivals you ask…food competitions. Tinney Barbecue is not only renowned for its catering service, but it's also a household name in the food competition circuit. Jay's food has placed in the top 10 in brisket, ribs, and chicken; even his beans made the top of the list in a few events. In 2004, Jay's ribs placed 5th out of over 100 participants in his very first sanctioned competition. He also mentions one of his best moments; when his brisket claimed 1st place in his home state of Texas, at the San Antonio BBQ Cook-Off.  We talked about the catering service and food competitions, but we can't speak about Tinney Barbecue without acknowledging the infamous trailer. As it states on their website, this “is not your everyday food trailer.” The Tinney Barbecue trailer comes equipped with a seven-foot wide grill, and rotisserie with a 500-pound capacity, and that's just for the cooking. He's also decked it out with flat screens, and everything else one would need for the best tailgating experience ever. The trailer is so important Tinney Barbecue because it's at the heart of why Jay does what he does. He loves to travel the country to meet new people and to cook meat for new people.  With some hope on the horizon at this stage of the pandemic, Jay in his team is gearing up to get back on the circuit. We wish Jay the best of luck, and we hope to see him at a festival soon. No matter how much it changes, Tinney Barbecue will be a staple in Austin, Texas for years to come.    “When you're cooking on everything from pits in the ground to commercial level pits…if you master them all, I think that gives you the right to be called a pit master.” - Jay Tinney    Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Jay on:  Jay Tinney's Website- https://tinneybarbecue.com Twitter-  https://twitter.com/tinneybarbecue  Instagram-  https://www.instagram.com/jaytinney/  Tinney Barbecue's Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/tinneybarbecue/    Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website - https://festivalpass.com/

Welcome back, friends!! Thanks for tuning in to the festivalPass Stories podcast. This week, you can say that we got time with the “ultimate entertainer” if you will, the multi-talented, Joe Everson.  Joe Everson is, “Bob Ross meets Frank Sinatra,” as described on “Fox & Friends”. That may be hard to visualize, so if you've never seen Joe do his thing, please go to his YouTube channel after watching this episode, he's amazing! Joe is a vocalist, musician, photographer, and painter; he's so talented that he combines some of these arts into one captivating performance. Even though Joe does ‘regular' art that he's commissioned for, he's most known for singing the National Anthem while painting on a canvas at the same time. If this isn't impressive enough, he often does this in a packed stadium or arena surrounded by media.  The term ‘artist' gets thrown around a lot. Here on Festival Pass, we've had the pleasure of interviewing all types of artists; from actors to musicians, to filmmakers, even major league pitchers. Most people have their own definition, but what is ‘art' exactly? What makes something art is hard to put into words, what makes someone an artist is just as difficult to define. Those answers are probably for the observer to decide, and Joe Everson is an artist in every way possible. It's very rare to see someone who has natural gifts in so many different mediums, but Joe makes what most of us consider impossible, look like just another day at the office.  Doing halftime shows during big college and pro games will certainly get your attention, especially with Joe's talent. But what doesn't get enough recognition, is the work that Joe Everson does for charities, non-profits, and supporting our troops. Joe comes from a military background, and his art has raised over 1 million dollars for our armed forces. His art is heavily inspired by veterans and active military. Joe enjoys doing fundraisers as well. Some of his paintings have been bid on upwards of $100,000, and it all goes to charity. In fact, it was at a charity event where Joe and Pat Tully first met.  One thing that most artists struggle with, is how to turn their craft into a source of income. It's one of the most difficult things to do in this business. Luckily, Joe Everson is here to give you the inside scoop through his personal stores, and how to take your career to the next level.   “In my travels being in Greenville, SC, I ran into this little area that's kind of called an ‘art walk'. And I remember thinking, ‘I'm gonna pick that up, and I'm gonna start telling people I'm an artist.'” - Joe Everson   Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Joe on:   Joe Everson's Website- https://www.joeeverson.com    Joe Everson's Twitter- https://twitter.com/joeeversonart    Joe Everson's Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/joeeversonart/    Joe Everson's YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ6q4xMzb8xKuJ-07RSPo_A    Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website - https://festivalpass.com/

What is happening friends?! Your favorite podcast, festivalPass Stories is back with another high-profile interview. If you haven't heard, the last couple of weeks have been a great sign for film. This can only mean one thing: the movies are coming back! And we have the perfect guest to break it all down for you. Let's welcome the founder and CEO of Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, Tim League and Shelli Taylor.  Since lockdowns and closures began around March of “the year that shall not be named,” our sources of entertainment dwindled to only what can be enjoyed in the comforts of one's home. The popularity of streaming was already rising, and with Covid-19 shutting down most businesses, these numbers have exploded. Fast forward to present day, and there are “1000 services'' to choose from as our host, Pat Tully puts it. Taking away nothing from sites like HBOMax, Disney+ and Netflix, but the FPS audience is all about live events. Going to the movies will always be a magical experience, and none really do the movies quite like Alamo Brewhouse Cinemas.   This isn't your regular multiplex. Alamo is all the things that we sorely miss about going to the movies, but turned all the way up to 11. Tim's vision started with just one screen. Now, Alamo is one of the best movie theaters in the country according to some of the biggest entertainment news publications. Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas offer a wide variety of local craft beers wherever you visit. Also, their exquisite chefs construct new menus that are influenced by the films that are being shown, like the African cuisine that was served during Marvel's “Black Panther”. If you're a movie buff, you will adore this place. Even if you're not ready to get back to the movies just yet, you can still support the arts by going to their website and checking out Alamo On Demand, and purchasing some of their exclusive merchandise.   It's a travesty that theaters aren't packed for some of the latest blockbusters like “Kong vs. Godzilla'', or the top of Tim's list, “Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar”, but that's just our reality at the moment. With the massive stoppage, you have to think about the people's lives that have been affected, and that has been Tim and Shelli's focus. They've done so much for their community, their employees, and customers during the pandemic that you can only root for them to get back on top. Their passion for the movies is inspiring, and relatable to all of us here at Festival Pass.  We're only a few weeks away until the Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas in Brooklyn reopens its doors for the first time in a long time. This episode will give you a detailed look into the great things being done by Shelli and Tim, including bringing back the cast to a few classics, and FPS's very first trivia segment. Tune in for more info on the May 7th opening, and to see who takes the movie trivia crown.    “I'm not out to necessarily reinvent the experience. Bright picture, crisp sound, great stories, the lights go down, and you just lose yourself in the movie. Then you share that experience with your friend, and you get goosebumps after having it wash over you.” - Tim League (Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas)   Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Tim & Shelli on: Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas' Website-https://drafthouse.com/nyc   Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas' Twitter-https://twitter.com/alamodrafthouse    Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas' Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/drafthouse/    Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas' Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/alamodrafthouse/   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival   Website - https://festivalpass.com/ 

Welcome back Festival Friends! This week, we have someone who has collaborated with and attended some of the most high-profile festivals during her illustrious career. We give you the queen of fun, Jen Caruso.  Getting the perspective of a seasoned festival coordinator is a big part of what we do here at festivalPass Stories. For those who see a future for themselves in the business, it's important to know how live events differ when attending as a contractor, opposed to going as a patron. Luckily, we have one of the very best to break it all down for our wonderful audience. Jen Caruso's story begins as a lover of music, travel, wine, and excitement. Looking at her work history, you might consider these as prerequisites.  Jen has experience as a Project Manager and Director for festivals that we long for in this current Covid-19 reality. She's worked as a stage manager for the behemoth South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, TX, (“Southby” for the cool kids). She was also the Festival Director at the Charleston Beer Fest. These notable events didn't just fall into her lap, she had to start at the bottom first to earn the respectability of her contemporaries. There's no telling how many signs you have to hold, or people you have to sign up for promotions. Jen Caruso is living proof that if you love to do something, your hard work will be recognized, and will pay dividends in the long run.  The pandemic has not slowed Jen's momentum in the game. Her company Caruso Presents, which focuses on branding and event planning, is still blooming in so many ways. Their clientele list is already impressive, including some of Jen's personal favorite festivals like Bonnaroo and Life Is Beautiful. Some of Caruso Presents most recent partnerships involved Dreamland in Atlanta, and a live event for DraftKings that was done at Super Bowl LV in Tampa Bay, Florida.  “Vision, hustle, heart.” These are the ideals that Caruso Presents is founded upon. There are a lot of hurdles before obtaining a title like Festival Director & Coordinator, and Jen has cleared them all. Listening to the episode to learn more about positions Jen has had in the past, that can also kickstart your career.    “I am choosey…I don't want a festival that just wants to do it to make the bottom line. I want a festival that has some backbone and has real things that are important that they get behind.” - Jen Caruso   Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Jen on:    Jen Caruso's LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-caruso/    Caruso Present's Website- https://carusopresents.com    Caruso Present's Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/carusopresents/   Caruso Present's Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/carusopresents/    Connect with Festival Pass!   Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website - https://festivalpass.com/

Hello festivalPass listeners, welcome back to another episode of festivalPass Stories! This week, our host Pat Tully interviews an insider of an industry that's taken the live events arena by storm. It's our honor to introduce President and Co-Founder of Grow uP eSports, Fernando Pereira.  Video games are no longer the shiny new toy that they used to be. After decades of creating the market, huge strides in graphics, and expanding into cross-platform online play, gaming has moved home entertainment into another realm that many thought was not possible. Yet, if you think there's no way that video games could get any bigger, think again. Competitive gaming, also known as eSports, has burst onto the scene. No longer is playing a game like Super Smash Bros, a friendly clash between bros. Now, some video games are played in front of thousands of people, millions of viewers online, and for a hefty purse. Fernando Pereira had this vision of a packed arena for a gaming tournament, long before the mainstream did.  Before Fernando was known internationally as one of the pioneers of eSports, he was just a kid who loved video games. Growing up in Portugal, Fernando saw that video games could transition into a profession, especially in his home country where he noticed the potential growth in the industry. So, 15 years ago, Fernando started the Grow uP eSports gaming association. Today, Grow uP is the largest multi-gaming society in Portugal, and the company continues to expand rapidly.  It didn't take long for Grow uP to become a global operation. Now Fernando's creation has thousands of members and teammates from all over the world. But still, what's so great about Fernando and Grow uP eSport's mission, is that it's not just about dominating the competition and winning championships, it's more about being ambassadors for the gaming community, and shedding a positive light on a stigmatized profession. They are doing groundbreaking work in this capacity; most recently advocating for diversity in professional gaming through the Girl Gamer Dubai Festival, which is an all-female gaming festival, formed to encourage talented young ladies to join the community.  eSports isn't just about competitiveness, it's about meeting people and having fun. Honestly, there might not be a more entertaining and safe way to communicate in the age of Covid-19, than online gameplay. If you want to get invited to the biggest pro gaming festivals, join the Grow uP community today!     “Brands finally understood, if they want to communicate with a younger audience; it's not watching tv, it's not listening to the radio, it's not reading the newspaper. They're playing video games.” - Fernando Pereira    Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Fernando on:    Fernando Pereira's Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/imissapixel/   Grow uP ESports' Website-  http://growupesports.com    GIRLGAMER Festival's Website- https://girlgamer.gg    Fernando Pereira's Twitter- https://twitter.com/imissapixel    Connect with Festival Pass!   Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival   Website - https://festivalpass.com/

Hey there festival friends! Festival Pass Stories, the best live events podcast on the planet is back with another awesome episode. Our regular audience should know that we're the home of artists, executives, and coordinators of live festivals, but we're also the home of champions. It's our honor to welcome Stanley Cup champion and Hockey Hall of Famer, Chris Pronger to the show.  Becoming a professional athlete is no easy feat. Some of the most talented players in the world at their particular sport don't get the chance to suit up on the biggest stage. That's what makes Chris' career a special one. The Canadian defenseman was drafted second by the legendary Hartford Whalers in 1993 and was named to the NHL All-Rookie team. This was the beginning of one of the most decorated careers in the history of the game. Soon, Chris' talent and work ethic became highly coveted by every championship contending team in the NHL.  During his pro tenure, Chris played for St. Louis Blues, the Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and the Philadelphia Flyers; and he was a major contributor to winning where ever he landed. He's played in the Stanley Cup Finals three times and won the trophy in 2007 with the Ducks. In 2000, Chris was named the recipient of the James Norris Memorial Trophy and Hart Memorial Trophy (Top Defenseman and Most Valuable Player) in the same season. He because the first defenseman to win league MVP since Bobby Orr in 1972. The four-time All-Star also won Olympic Gold twice in 2002 and 2010 with Team Canada, becoming one of the few members of the Hockey's Triple Gold Club.  Life after the NHL has been even more fulfilling for Chris and his family. After 17 seasons as a player, and a few as front office advisor, Chris shifted his focus to life after hockey, and that plan was Well Inspired Travels. It all started with his wife Lauren, whose father was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. His remaining wish was to travel the world with his family. It's such a touching story that Chris shared with us, and it's the foundation of their business. What makes Well Inspired Travels unique from other travel services, is that truly want to get to know who you are, to put together a tailor-made vacation that will change your life.  We are so lucky to interview a sports hero and family man like Chris Pronger. On and off the ice, he's shown a passion and tenacity that will make you a winner in any aspect of life. Now, we just need the pandemic to end so we can utilize Well Inspired Travels, and get back to seeing the world.    “For us, we were able to continue to invest in our business and hire some great people. Overall, we've used the time wisely…and worked on building our business from the inside out.” - Chris Pronger    Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Chris on: Chris Pronger's Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/thechrispronger/    Chris Pronger's LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-pronger-831100b5/   Well Inspired Travels' Website-https://www.wellinspiredtravels.com     Well Inspired Travels' Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/wellinspiredtravels/    Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival   Website - https://festivalpass.com/  

What's going on friends!? We're wishing everyone a happy and healthy St. Patrick's Day from the Festival Pass team. In the spirit of the holiday, we are honored to interview a legend of Ireland. A woman with a wealth of experience in the culinary arts, world-renowned chef, Maura O'Connell Foley.  Maura has been in the industry in one way or another, for over 60 years. It was such a pleasure to watch her reminisce about how her career got started, and all of the lovely people that she had crossed paths with along the way. Most of us can't remember what we had for lunch 24 hours ago, but Maura easily recalls specific details of her fascinating life, and the names of those special individuals that's helped her throughout the journey, and a journey it's been. Cooking is in her blood, and we're ecstatic that Maura took our host Pat Tully through generations of her family's history, and how the trade was ultimately passed down to her. Maura has been very blessed in her life, and so are we having the privilege to hear her stories.  There's something to be said about Maura's determination. Dedicating decades to the mastery of her craft, it's hard to believe that Maura is almost completely self-taught, and has taken only one brief cooking class in the 1960s. The London-born chef took control of her dreams when she would ask restaurants and hotels if she could work in the kitchen to gain live experience; something she believes there's no replacement for in the business. After learning from chefs like the great Sonia Stevenson, Maura became a chef and owner of many successful establishments in the beloved town of Kenmare. Some of these places included cafes, grocery stores, and of course, the famous Limetree restaurant, and the Shelburne Lodge, which she and her husband, Tom still runs today.   It's amazing to listen to someone as revered in her profession as Maura is; especially during Woman's History Month. What she's been able to accomplish in one lifetime is astounding. After all the business that have flourished under her care, earning the coveted Michelin Red M, and reviews from the top publications in the world, it still might not be her greatest feat. Maura's book, “My Wild Atlantic Kitchen” is a culmination of her entire adventure. It's a recipe book like none you've ever seen, with beautiful illustrations and stories. It's a must-have in every kitchen, so pick one up on Amazon right after you hear this podcast.  St. Patty's Day is always a fun and highly celebrated holiday. The Irish exude so much love, pride, and culture, that it's a shame we can't experience that energy the way we have in years prior. Nevertheless, chef Maura has us covered with her very own Patty's Day cocktail. After all, Maura says that whiskey is one of the secrets to a happy life.     “Things have changed so much. Now everything is artisan. Anything that's good, artisan, and that has good ingredients, has gone full circle and survived. That's what people want now.” - Maura O'Connell Foley     Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Maura on: My Wild Atlantic Kitchen's Website-https://www.mywildatlantickitchen.com    My Wild Atlantic Kitchen's Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/mywildatlantickitchen/    My Wild Atlantic Kitchen's Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/MyWildAtlanticKitchen/    The Shelburne Lodge's Website-https://www.shelburnelodge.com    Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website - https://festivalpass.com/

Welcome back friends, to the festivalPass Stories podcast! This week, Pat Tully sits down with one of the hottest up-and-coming indie filmmakers. So let's take a deep dive into the independent film circuit with the talented director, Lance Oppenheim.  Movies have always been a popular source of entertainment. Although the pandemic has halted the production of many film companies and kept us out of the theater, digital streaming platforms have grown exponentially over the last calendar year. For the indie filmmaker, these platforms are crucial in becoming a household name. Lance utilized sites like Vimeo to showcase his short films, and has six Staff Picks under his belt. After showcasing his hard work, Lance began to get the recognition that he deserved as an artist, and he's been on a tear ever since.  Using the momentum of his short films, Lance decided to take on the biggest challenge of his young career, making his first feature-length film. Lance had an idea for a short film but quickly realized that in order to tell the story the way he wanted to, he needed more screen time, which meant more resources. Lance tells one of the best “never quit” stories that we've heard on the podcast to date. After sending countless emails to Darren Aronofsky, (one of the most popular directors in Hollywood) he finally broke through and got the right eyes on his film catalog. After going through meeting after meeting, he eventually got an audience with Darren himself. Darren was so impressed, he decided to join the project as a producer.  Lance worked on the film for months and poured everything he had into it. In 2020, “Some Kind of Heaven” premiered at Sundance Film Festival and it was a huge success. It was the first film that was co-produced by The New York Times, and Lance became the youngest filmmaker to contribute to the papers' “Op-Docs”. The film continued to perform well, and the appreciation from the press and his peers became louder. Lance made the “Power of Young Hollywood” list by Variety in 2020, and Filmmaker Magazine's “25 New Faces of Independent Film”. Lance used the heat the film created from Sundance to get distributing from Magnolia Pictures, who will be distributing the film this year.  The Harvard graduate and 2019 Sundance Ignite Fellow winner's career is just getting started. We're honored that we got to interview him before the world knows the name, Lance Oppenheim. We're excited for what the future holds for the film industry, and we'll be keeping a close eye on Lance's progression as an artist.       “Knowing that there were other films submitted…I thought, ‘ok, it seems that people liked this movie.' I put that in my quiver and kinda continued on, it just made me want to make more of them.” - Lance Oppenheim   Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Lance on:    Lance Oppenheim's Website- https://www.lanceoppenheim.com    Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/lanceopp/    Vimeo- https://vimeo.com/lanceoppenheim    IMDB-  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4565262/    Connect with Festival Pass!   Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival   Website - https://festivalpass.com/

What's up Festival Pass fans! The hottest live events podcast is back with another episode, and we're taking you behind the curtains of a prestigious industry. This week, we had the pleasure of speaking with Certified Sommelier and Real Estate Broker, Ellyn Cook.  For those in our audience who aren't familiar, a sommelier is someone who is a trained professional in the wine service. Just to put things in perspective for anyone looking to pursue a career in the wine industry, there are only 269 Master Sommeliers in the entire world! Ellyn's love of wine was almost stumbled upon and wasn't in her plans from the beginning. However, it took just one day for her to realize that she wanted to work towards education in wine.  After years of hard work and dedication, Ellyn became a Certified Sommelier; but this was only the beginning of a bright future in the wine business. Inspired by her studies, Ellyn had a vision. She decided to take a six-month sabbatical to travel around Europe, and get even more hands-on experience. She visited Italy, France, and other European wine hotspots. Ellyn describes this time as an amazing experience, different from the lifestyle in her current city of Chicago. She was able to work at a cafe on a beautiful island in Scotland, and at a vineyard in Bordeaux.  As COVID-19 vaccinations continue to roll out to the public, restrictions are starting to loosen once again; and hopefully this time for good. So many Americans have had to adjust during the pandemic, but unpredictable times can lead to something new and exciting. Sales is a skill that's very important as a Sommelier. So, Ellyn decided to put them to use, not only in wine but in real estate as well. Ellyn loves to be busy, but also to have the freedom to explore her passion. Thinking back to her six-month stay in Europe, Ellyn decided to embark on a career as a real estate broker, to be able to live a more relaxed lifestyle in the long run. Wine continues to be her primary fascination. Watching this episode really makes us miss wine festivals, remember those? Don't worry, they'll be back before you know it. Until we all get to raise a glass in person, enjoy being schooled by a professional. It's funny, Ellyn totally disagrees with the movie, “Sideways”, so Merlot is cool again.      “That was my favorite part about being in restaurants. Going in, knowing people, trying things off the beaten path, having the chef whip something up for you…it's an awesome community.” - Ellyn Cook     Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Ellyn on:    Ellyn Cook's Website- https://ellyncook.com    Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/ellyncook_chicago/    Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/EllynCookChicagoRealtor/    LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellyn-cook-26887a10b/    Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website - https://festivalpass.com/

Festival Pass Stories is the only podcast that takes you behind-the-scenes of all types of live entertainment. We have another special guest this week so prepare to be amazed. Host Pat Tully interviews professional magician, and comedian, Hayden Childress.  In many cases, magic is the type of skill that is handed down to people who have a passion for it. That's what makes Hayden's career so impressive, he's a self-taught magician. Hayden began practicing magic when he was a kid, and by the time he was 14 he was already doing birthday parties. He doesn't really book children's parties anymore because as Hayden started to grow as an entertainer, the events he performed at became larger. Now, Hayden has traveled across the country to put on live shows and has even performed for big corporations like Bank of America and Lowe's.  Magic is all about a magician's connection to the audience, and that has always been Hayden's number one focus. Entertainers and producers working past the hardships of COVID-19 have become an ongoing theme, one that was carried over from the year we shall not name. We can honestly say that putting on a show virtually, doesn't quite have the same spark as the real thing. However, we have gotten accustomed to them, and virtual shows do have a lot of advantages. In this episode, Hayden gives us insight into what the adjustment was like converting to live stream, as a comedian and as a magician.  With big-scale festivals being put on hold for now, Hayden has used the time away from touring to fine-tune his magic and his brand. He's got a bunch of new tricks up his sleeve, and he's performing them live on Zoom. Watching a live magic show at home sounds pretty cool, right? Not only does Hayden make the “new normal”, socially distanced shows fun, his act really gets the audience involved in ways you wouldn't think possible. Hayden believes that the lack of live shows opened up new opportunities to meet new fans.  Magic gives us all a sense of wonder, just like festivals do. It was our pleasure to host comedian, magician, and recent TED talker, Hayden Childress. Listen to his stories in this episode, and make sure that you follow him on social media, as well as Festival Pass.   “I like to challenge the status quo. That to me is what magic is about.” - Hayden Childress     Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Hayden on: His Website- https://haydenismagic.com    Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/haydenismagic/   Twitter- https://twitter.com/haydenismagic    Hayden Childress' TED Talk- https://www.ted.com/talks/hayden_childress_the_magic_of_interactivity   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival   Website - https://festivalpass.com/

Welcome back friends, to the 30th episode of festivalPass Stories podcast, sponsored by Dos Hombres. We have another famous guest this week, Emmy nominated host of “Bass 2 Billfish”, Peter Miller.  There was always a connection between Peter and fishing. He learned everything about being a fisherman from his father while growing up in Tappan, New York. He can even remember thinking that he wanted a fishing tv show. But before he was given the keys to his own television program, he had to prove himself as a professional fisherman. After attending the University of Miami and receiving a marketing degree, Peter Miller validated his expert status as a fisherman with three world sailfish championships, along with over 100 prominent swordfish, sailfish, and marlin events.  Now, with the victories under his belt at the top of fishing, Peter was ready to step into the spotlight as the star of his own show; fulfilling a childhood dream. NBC Sports launched “Bass 2 Billfish with Peter Miller”, and the show gained early momentum. It wasn't long before Peter became a nature celebrity, and “Bass 2 Billfish” started to get a huge following. With multiple Emmy nominations, the Discovery Channel decided to double down on the brand, and started “Uncharted Waters with Peter Miller”. And once again, Peter has proven to be a skilled angler and a charismatic television host that the fans love to follow.  One of the better perks about being a celebrity is the endorsements, and Peter Miller has his fair share if we're being honest. Some of the top names in the sport like Bass Pro Shops, Invincible Boats, and Mercury Marine have sponsored Peter, and have built long-term relationships. Other big-name brands like Yeti Coolers, Citizen Watch, and Salt Life have also jumped into the Peter Miller business. Peter and his platforms on social media and television have millions of followers and viewers, allowing the partnerships between companies to flourish throughout his career.  Not only is Peter Miller an exceptional fisherman, and a powerful brand ambassador, he is also a giving philanthropist and thoughtful environmentalist. Learn more about the charities and organizations that Peter has worked with in this milestone episode of festivalPass Stories.     “My dad took me on a charter boat…and I caught a hammerhead shark when I was like 10. That was it, that's when it really kicked in. I though I was going to have a fishing tv show one day.” - Peter Miller     Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   Resources: “Uncharted Waters” Website- https://www.unchartedwaterstv.com    “Bass 2 Billfish” Website- http://www.bass2billfish.com    Peter Miller's YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/user/PeterMillerFishing    Peter Miller's Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/petermillerfishing/    Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website - https://festivalpass.com/

Welcome back friends, to another episode of festivalPass Stories podcast. This week, our host Pat Tully interviews the highly-acclaimed, chef Erwin Schrottner.  Chef Erwin grew up in Ligist, a small town in Austria, right outside of Graz. This is where he found his love for food and cooking. As a young boy in the southern part of central Europe, Erwin got acquainted with live stock, fruits, vegetables, and the importance of fresh food on his family's farm. Just about every ingredient that they needed was grown on their farm; he even recalls the farm having beehives for fresh honey. When Erwin was 15, he decided to begin his journey towards becoming a chef. Starting out as an apprentice in kitchens, hotels, and restaurants, Erwin learned the ins and outs of the culinary business by starting from the bottom.  Fast forward to 1998, Erwin decided to take his talents to New York City after working on his craft in Germany and Switzerland. He started to make a name for himself in the states by playing major roles at high-end hotels and restaurants, not to mention some excellent connections that would continue to accelerate his culinary career. Eventually, Erwin and his business partner, Andrew Chase, would open a restaurant of their own, Cafe Katja. Cafe Katja specializes in traditional Austrian cooking with a great craft beer selection. If you are ever in New York City, you have to visit Cafe Katja and try their famous wiener schnitzel.  Chef Erwin isn't just acknowledged for knowing his way around the kitchen, he also has a wealth of experience in the business side of restaurants. After the success of starting his own restaurant, Chef Erwin has been asked to help other businesses behind-the-scenes. Another impressive feat is that he was approached to do a cooking show, and after interviewing, the program ErwinCooks was born. In this show, chef Erwin takes us through the history of Central European cuisine, and the influence it's had on American culture. Erwin cooks up some delicious, traditional Austrian comfort foods on ErwinCooks. The food and the show are so good that he won an Emmy! The easiest way to put a smile on someone's face is with good food. As much as we love entertainers and festivals, chefs can make live events just as enjoyable.    “What is so ‘in' now, the organic farming; this was done hundreds of years ago because there was no mass production. All of it was organic farming. We just got away from it, but now we're going back to it.” - Erwin Schrottner    Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   You can find Chef Erwin on: Cafe Katja's Website- https://www.cafekatja.com/    ErwinCooks Website- https://www.erwincooks.com/    Cafe Katja's Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/cafekatja/    Erwin Schrottner's Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/schrottner/    Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website - https://festivalpass.com/

Attention, festival fanatics!! We are inching closer to experiencing the energy of live events again! This week, our host, Pat Tully sits down with another outstanding guest. A cinema favorite, actor, Holt McCallany.  Who doesn't love movies? These days, watching a film is a form of entertainment that isn't the same. Eating popcorn and sitting in a theater to watch an anticipated blockbuster is a part of our culture. We love the actors and actresses that play in these movies and Holt has had the pleasure of working with some of the best actors and directors of this generation. Some of Holt's best work, like his role as the mechanic in “Fight Club,” and his performance in “Mindhunter” as Bill Tench, were directed by the great David Fincher.  This episode embodies what Festival Pass Stories is all about. One of the best stories that we've heard on this show is how Holt made his move to Hollywood at the age of 14. Passion, focus on one's crafts, and passing knowledge to like-minded individuals is what Holt McCallany is all about. Taught by mentors like the great Jack Lemmon, Holt has learned that helping other artists is just as important as his own success. Holt has helped many people's careers by giving back his time.  We know that our audience appreciates the dedication of those who have come on festivalPass Stories podcast. Acting isn't all about being a celebrity, it's about hard work. Acting is based on a lot of practice and research. Holt gives us amazing stories of studying people he's played, like boxing legend Teddy Atlas in the HBO Film, “Tyson”. Holt McCallany's attention to detail is why he's been working in the business for over 35 years, and he continues to thrive with more films coming out this year.  Great actor, producer, and an all-around fun guy, Holt McCallany is extremely talented and well respected. Fans of cinema know that Holt is consistently in good films, and he always delivers a solid performance. This episode has a special place in the Festival Pass archive.    “I love film festivals. And the reason is that the people you meet there are people that are really passionate about cinema. And I've been passionate about it from the time I was a child.” - Holt McCallany   Catch the interview on Festival Pass Stories! https://festivalpass.com/stories   Resources: Holt McCallany's Website-  http://holtmccallany.com   Holt McCallany's IMDB- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564697/   Holt McCallany's Twitter- https://twitter.com/HoltMcCallany   Holt McCallany's Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/holtmccallany/   Connect with Festival Pass! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/getfestivalpass/   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/festival_pass/   Twitter - https://twitter.com/pass_festival Website - https://festivalpass.com/