About Us

Our Goal is to provide Instant Access to Detailed Information that is Technologically efficient and Environmentally friendly. Our data is relevant to the professional exhibiting artist, crafter, musician, agent, vendor, or service provider. We publish our event data on Thousands of Festivals, Art & Craft Shows, Music Festivals and Other events, plus offer information on Products, Services and Resources related to the art, craft, festival and music biz. The FNO staff has a combined 40+ years of experience in the festival/art & craft market, the music business, and data technology. Learn more about our staff below. For further info, Contact FNO, view our Privacy policy or visit our Press Page.

Festival Network Online Offers

Comprehensive Nationwide Detailed information for Professionals.
Thousands of events throughout the U.S. updated and expanded daily.

Event Listings & Promotion Opportunities for Festivals.
We provide FREE listings and exposure for festivals and events.

Listings and Links for art, craft, festival, music biz Related Products.
Other Resources related to the festival biz. Find Suppliers and Services
plus list your product or service for FREE.

A Searchable Online Database with basic information on All our events.
Our Basic Show Info Search is of particular interest to Festival Goers.

Meet the FNO Staff
Kurt Irmiter Partner Owner
	When Kurt was about 10 years old, he met a man his Dad was purchasing a travel trailer from. For some reason Kurt found this man to be very interesting and liked something about him. Later he asked his Dad what the man did, he said "he owns a couple of different businesses, he is a real entrepreneur." Kurt told his Dad, "That's what I want to be!" Kurt's Mom & Dad told Kurt he could be whatever he wanted to be. Forty something years later after starting a lawn cutting business at 12, Kurt has owned: an entertainment booking agency, video taping service, festival food concession, college corner bar, ice cream/sandwich shop, web development & hosting company, and FNO. Along the way he managed a movie theater, delivered news papers, pumped gas, picked peaches, sold news papers door to door, worked as an insurance claims adjuster, boarded horses, ran a ball park concession, managed his singer/comedian brother, Kier and managed a rock band... Currently Kurt is co-owner of FNO and owner of BFDNet.net, (web hosting & development) and he is involved with a new non-profit Musicforhumanity.org. He has a BS in Financial Management from Clemson University and has 20+ years of experience in the festival business and the entertainment business. He is on a mission to revive the word "groovy", much to the amusement and sometimes embarrassment of his friends and wife. He and Connie have lived in Asheville for 14 years. Kurt plans to be an entrepreneur the rest of his life.
Connie Morris Partner Owner
	Connie is co-owner of FNO and the CFO of the company. She is a major animal enthusiast and passionate about animal welfare. She created and manages Lost Pets of Western NC, a free lost/found animal web site. Connie has lived in the Asheville area for 14 years with her husband and business partner, Kurt and their 2 cats. She has a degree in Urban Planning that she, thankfully hasn't used in a long time. She was in the special events business with Kurt for many years. She is an avid list-maker which keeps her from wandering around trying to remember what she was going to do next. She loves living in Asheville and is very grateful for the wonderful people (and animals) she has met here, especially the amazing team at FNO. Her other fun past-times are planning special events and doing house renovations.
Shawn Kilby Research
	Shawn started with Festival Network Online in 1997. Those were the early days when the office was in the basement of Connie and Kurt's home. Shawn lived right around the corner from the office, so the morning commute could be done by bicycle. Shawn started out working in the office a couple of days a week, eventually was away from the company for a year or so, and now does research work from home part-time. Her full-time job, along with her husband Wesley, is raising their young son Tanner. They share their home with four furry family members, Chloe & Daisy (dogs) and Coco & Bitsie (cats). Shawn enjoys gardening, camping with her family, and helping out at Tanner's school.
Beth Rhatigan Marketing/Customer Service
	Beth has been with FNO since 2001 working in a variety of capacities and locations. She is currently responsible for Marketing and Customer Service (with Carrie), but stay tuned that may change again shortly! That is just one of the many ways in which FNO is a very flexible working environment. The part of her job she enjoys the most is having the opportunity to speak to our diverse and interesting members. When she is not at work Beth enjoys raising her three children with her husband Joe, spending time alone and quiet walks in the woods.
Judith Richardson Advertising
	For most of her career Judith has dealt in the visual arts. She has represented local, regional and internationally acclaimed artists. Judith enjoys working in advertising because it enables her to work with diverse people across North America. She enjoys the give and take of working with clients in order to discover their individual advertising needs. Judith has developed a loyal customer base and approaches each prospect with a long-term relationship in mind.
Julie Cochrane Marketing
	Julie has been happily working with the FNO team since December 2004. She attended Dreyfoos School of the Arts and the University of Central Florida, backpacked Europe, studied in Madrid, and has exhibited her photography in shows and competitions. Visit her website. Family, art, music, plants, friends, adventures, movies, and rainy days are a few of her favorite things. Julie is expecting her first child at the end of December and is currently on maternity leave!
Sara Research and Database Management
	Sara has been working for FNO since 2006. She was introduced to Kurt and Connie through her sister Shawn who just happens to work for FNO also. She enjoys spending time with her family, playing Thomas the Train with her 4 year old son Tyler and ball with her playful Boxer, Roxie.
Carrie Harder A little bit of everything
	Carrie has been employed with FNO since March 2007. She studied Visual Arts at the University of Kentucky and later went on to get her degree in Multimedia Design from the University of North Carolina - Asheville. She does many different things at FNO including, but not limited to, Customer Service and design work. She lives in Asheville with her son and in her time off she enjoys art, making things, live music, our lovely mountains, good books and good friends. (Photo by FNO's own Julie!)
Michelle Morrison Database Editor
	Proving that long distance relationships can work, Michelle now works for FNO from her home in Wheeling, WV. Leaving the beautiful mountains of Asheville behind was not an easy decision but she isn't further than a quick email or telephone call away. Deciding to take her education endeavors a bit further, she is studying historic building preservation and restoration at one of the best schools in the country. When she is out of the wood or plaster shop, she is lounging with her greyhound Marley and doing her best to keep the database squeaky clean.
Smoothy Groundskeeper
	Smoothy works very hard at distracting the humans at the office and gets paid in doggy treats. She loves coming to work and her tasks include napping, playing with her toys, running around and messing up the rugs, begging for lunch scraps, and making sure squirrels don't get too close to the office. She also is a big activist for Connie's website Lost Pets of Western North Carolina. When she is not at work, her hobbies include creek-swimming, sitting on the front porch, following mom (Julie) around the house, walks around the block, snow-flake-catching, and tug o' war.

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