About Us

Festival Network Online publishes the most extensive and comprehensive database of festivals and fairs in North America. We wrap this data around technologically current tools and resources relevant to the professional exhibiting artist, craftperson, musician, band, service provider, booking agent, vendor, promoter, and festival goer. FNO is a leader in the festival and fair industry. We publish our event data on 20,000+ festivals, art and craft shows, music festivals, and other events, and provide a social network platform for members of this market.

Nestled in the mountains of Western North Carolina, Festival Network Online is staffed by nine genuine individuals with a combined 40+ years of experience in the festival/art & craft market, the music business, and data technology. Real people you can call and talk to on the phone! Most importantly, we provide our customers with personal and rapid attention in order to aid them in their quest for success in the festival market.

FNO's Giving Tree ...reinvesting in a better world.
Here at FNO, we believe that money is most valuable when it flows. We have launched a program to help keep it flowing to the people and organizations that work so hard to make the world a better, more peaceful and compassionate place. Each month, we choose 2 organizations to receive a percentage of our gross revenues. So thank you for your support, your advertising and membership dollars that allow us to pass it on. Learn more here.

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.
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 Social Networking
	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. Her daughter Fable was born in December 2008.
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/Customer Service
	Michelle has been happily working for FNO since 2007 and it is likely that she will be answering your questions when you call in for help. She is a Jill-of-all-Trades when it comes to hobbies but she likes to get out of the office and into the workshop restoring and making stained glass windows while furthering her passion of historic building restoration. It's not all work however...on her nights off, you will likely find her swing dancing the night away.
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.
Roxie Greeter
	Roxie is an avid believer in labor laws, so as not to break them, she only works about two 15 minute shifts a day. Which includes, patrolling the premises for any unknown beings to greet and searching for food that has been dropped. She then rests the other 7 1/2 hours. So to say the least, we don't get much out of her but that is ok because she is 9 years old. As you can tell in her picture she is laid back and always out for a good time. Her favorite things to do are playing frisbee, fetch (stick or tennis ball, doesn't really make a difference) and being the welcome wagon wherever she may be.
Rascal & Cada (aka Wild Thing) Office Therapists
	Rascal & Cada are the newest members of the FNO team. They came in November as temps, but did such a good job, we offered them permanent positions. They make sure everyone is in a good mood and will go to great lengths to accomplish that. They enjoy unrolling and wrapping themselves in toilet tissue, chasing fake mice and napping on anyone's available lap or in the paper recycling boxes.

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