09/14/2026
This past weekend, we celebrated our 52nd and final festival of the 2026 season in Evansville. 🙏❤️
What a year it has been.
When I look back on this season, more than anything, I feel grateful.
These festivals simply don’t happen without the incredible people who help bring them to life — our staff, volunteers, vendors, sponsors, venue partners, the City of Evansville, and everyone who continues to attend, support, encourage, and believe in what we’re building.
To each of you: THANK YOU. Your support means more than you probably realize.
A little personal note:
This year has also been especially meaningful because I haven’t had to walk through it alone.
My girlfriend Melissa, has been beside me for nearly every festival and race this year. She’s helped with planning, offered honest and valuable feedback, helped source new products and ideas, worked alongside me, encouraged me through stressful moments, and supported me on the days when the hours were long and the challenges felt even longer.
This past weekend was a perfect example of who she is.
She took a personal day from teaching in East Tennessee, woke up at 2:30 a.m., drove all the way to Indiana, and then worked beside me for nearly three long and exhausting days. She didn’t return home until 1am this morning.
She didn’t do it for recognition.
She didn’t ask for anything in return.
She simply wanted to be there — supporting me and something that means so much to me.
By the end of the second day, I could see the exhaustion on her face, but she never complained. She kept a positive attitude, kept helping, and kept showing up.
A little over a year into our relationship, I’m incredibly grateful for a woman who continues to choose to be present in my life — who supports my dreams, encourages me, loves me through the difficult days, and stands beside me when things aren’t easy.
Melissa, your love and support mean more to me than I probably say often enough. Thank you for believing in me, sacrificing your own time, and simply being there. ❤️
This season brought plenty of highs, lows, challenges, long days, lessons, and memories — but we made it through.
And when I look back on it, I’ll remember much more than 52 festivals.
I’ll remember the people who showed up.
The people who believed.
The people who helped.
And the people who stood beside me.
My heart is full of gratitude.
Above all, glory to God for another season completed, for the strength to keep moving forward, and especially for the people He has placed in my life along the way. 🙏
52 festivals. Ten incredible years of producing. Countless reasons to be thankful. đź’ť
