Eagan Funfest Ambassador Behind the Scenes Rewind

As of July 10th, 2018 I will have been an Eagan Funfest Ambassador for 365 days. I will have gone to more than 50 events, and I will have met hundreds of new people. While those numbers might seem like a lot, the largest number is the number of memories I’ve made over this year (some of which were really silly). Let’s rewind. Not to the night of coronation last year. But all the way back to where my Ambassador journey began; The Eagan Funfest Ambassador Candidacy.

The Candidacy is a 6 week process in which kids like me get to experience a bit of what it’s like to be an Eagan Funfest Ambassador. My time as a candidate was fantastic. It was there that I learned quickly how to come out of my shell. It helped me make a bunch of new friends. The most impactful thing I learned from the Candidacy is how to speak in public. I didn’t have much experience with that, but practicing it throughout the candidacy taught me that it’s just as easy as talking to a friend. Going through the candidacy process, then also being selected to be an ambassador, showed me that being an Eagan Funfest Ambassador is truly something to be proud of.

Throughout my reign as an Eagan Funfest Ambassador I’ve been able to do so many fun things like volunteering, appearances, parades, and more. At almost all of them you see us Ambassadors looking pretty official in fancy clothes. But what you don't get to see is all of the crazy silly moments we have behind the scenes. Where all that “official-ness” goes out the window, and we get to be crazy kids. I have a lot of great memories of those times, but some of my favorite include Madeline dancing around at the community center, Julia not being able to stop laughing, me throwing snowballs off into the distance, or finally (my personal favorite) Jillian trying to teach Lauren how to high five. There is never a dull moment!

One of the best things about being an Ambassador is interacting with the people. The Ambassador program really helped me learn how to meet new people and hold conversations with people I don’t know. It’s a real world skill that helps me daily and will for the rest of my life. I’ve learned that talking to people is fun, too. Sometimes someone is only curious about where the nearest lemonade stand is, but most of the time people want to learn about me or the Ambassador program. I have had many meaningful conversations that I would have missed out on without this skill. Another great perk to being an Eagan Funfest Ambassador!

The one thing I learned most about during my time as an ambassador is the City of Eagan! I only moved to Eagan a couple years ago and even though I came from a neighboring city, I had absolutely no idea just how many cool things Eagan has to offer. Market Fest is one my favorite Eagan functions! The activities at Holz Farm are also a great time, and who doesn’t love a hayride or some cider? Halloween Hodgepodge, Movie in the Park, Feed My Starving Children… I could go on and on. The one event I can’t leave out is the Eagan Funfest! Two full days of celebration - a bike parade for the kids, the royalty ice cream eating contest, a carnival, and the BEST fireworks show ever! I have had such a great time learning about and attending all of these events and look forward to serving the Eagan community in the future.

Before I wrap this up I’d like to say a few “Thank You’s”. First, I’d like to thank the judges for selecting me to be a 2017-2018 Eagan Funfest Ambassador. Thank you to the Funfest Ambassador committee for finding all of these fantastic events for us to attend and making sure everything goes as planned. Thank you to my family for encouraging me to do this, for all of the rides you’ve given me, and for showing me how to tie my tie! Thank you to Tom Ferber for uploading every single Ambassadors blog posts. Thank you to all of the Eagan Funfest Alumni for giving me an example to look up to. Thank you to the candidates for continuing to carry on our legacy. Thank you to my sponsor, Sunburst Chemicals, for making all of this possible. An extra special Thank You to my fellow Ambassadors for hanging around no matter how many bad jokes I make. Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank you - yes, you reading this blog post! This program couldn’t be what it was if we didn’t have the support of our community. Thank you for taking time to read my blogs, coming to our events, but most importantly introducing yourself to me. I’ve had a great time meeting the residents of Eagan and surrounding areas. Being an Eagan Funfest Ambassador has been amazing! See you at the parade !

Aaron Kabat, 2017-2018 Eagan Funfest Ambassador