I performed at the Chicago Maritime Festival last February and it was a fantastic experience. Chris and Tom Kastle did an absolutely AMAZING job at putting this together. What really made it special was that the week before the all-day event on Sat. Feb 28 was the week-long residency that we did in Chicago Area schools. I was in fantastic company with "Salty" Walt Askew, Holdstock and MacLeod, The Nothern neck Shanty Singers, and of course, Tom and Chris.

I know that Tom and Chris have been spearheading this for a number of years and I do hope that it continues. It's a fantastic event that celebrates the wonderful Maritime culture of the Great Lakes and the Midwest.

Debra Cowan