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NINTH ANNUAL CHRYSLER ARTS, BEATS AND EATS RETURNS AS METRO DETROIT’S PREMIERE FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT VALUE DURING LABOR DAY WEEKEND

PONTIAC, MI. – Oakland County Executive and festival founder L. Brooks Patterson, The DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund and event representatives announce new programming and partnerships for the 2006 CHRYSLER ARTS, BEATS & EATS. This free cultural event, Oakland County's Taste, Music & Arts Festival, includes a stellar line-up of fine artists, musicians and restaurants that continue to make the City of Pontiac the premier family destination for Labor Day weekend, September 1-4, 2006.

“This unique festival offers patrons an incredibly diverse experience of cultural attractions, food and entertainment, providing fun activities for the entire family,” said Frank Fountain, Senior Vice President of External Affairs and Pubic Policy and President of the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund. “We are again excited to be so closely associated with this great Labor Day tradition."

Among the new 2006 attractions will be the Twist Magazine LifeSpa sponsored by Twist Magazine and Life Time Fitness LifeSpa. This calming and inviting respite is designed to rejuvenate and revitalize guests in the festival’s only air-conditioned venue. Patrons will select from mini-spa services that will “revive in five,” “touch up in ten,” or help them become “fabulous in fifteen.” Each service will be available for a $5, $10 or $15 donation with proceeds benefiting the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

Also new this year is the M-CARE Sportapalloza, which offers children ages 5-13 the opportunity to participate in friendly, age-appropriate athletic challenges in some of their favorite sports. Young athletes partake in a “wonderful warm up” and four independent events including: a basketball toss, a golf putting challenge, a frenzied football toss and a soccer shootout. Participants receive M-CARE t-shirts and can qualify for other prizes.

The Health Plus-sponsored arts division of the festival, ranked 7th in the nation among the top juried art shows by Art Fair Source Book, features an array of specialties including ceramics, fabric and fiber, leather, mixed media, painting, photography, sculpture, wood, digital art, drawing, graphics and printmaking, glass, jewelry and metal.

“Michigan is home to a tremendous creative class of people and the state attracts artists from around the country that are equally as talented,” said art co-director Lisa Konikow. “To once again be recognized as one of the country’s premier juried art fairs demonstrates the commitment of our exhibitors as well as our entire event staff.”

Located just north of Huron to Lafayette, at the north end of the festival, patrons have the opportunity to view the work of more than 150 fine artists, view the widely expanded performance schedule on its Flagstar Bank Cultural Stage or bask in the artistic wonderment of master puppeteers, talented classical musical performers and theatre entertainers.

From 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, September 1, art aficionados can be among the first to “Sneak Peak” the festival and view the 2006 artist line-up. The public will be allowed to walk the juried arts area only and are urged to donate $5 per person or $10 per family at the door to support the 11 non-profit partnering arts organizations. Free admission will be granted from
8 to 10 p.m. Guests can also purchase patron tickets priced at $50 for a private tented event that will include shuttle parking, a wine and appetizer reception and live entertainment.

The BEATS segment of the festival boasts a top-notch schedule of national and local attractions on eight music stages. Several prominent acts will be featured each night on the Michigan Lottery Stage including: jazz greats Chuck Mangione and Alexander Zonjic; the hard-driven funk of Cameo; blues rocker Kenny Wayne Shepard; country sister trio SHeDAISY; heir to the reggae throne, Ziggy Marley; and southern rockers .38 Special.

More than 100 popular local bands will also be featured on additional stages including the Dodge Mixed Stage of a music variety, Miller Rock Stage, Diet Pepsi Acoustic Stage, the Martell R&B/Jazz Stage, the Detroit News/Comcast Stage, the Malibu Rum Music of the Caribbean Stage, and Macy’s Kids Stage.

“Whether you’re into one particular type of music, or prefer beats of all genres,” said event producer Jon Witz. “You’ll find what you’re looking for in our intensely diverse music offerings.”
Metro Detroit area’s most popular restaurants and eateries are planning to delight the public’s taste buds during the EATS component of the festival. The restaurants boast an upscale flare and a multitude of diverse food themes, including: Italian, Greek, Steakhouses, Chinese, Soul Food, Japanese, Thai, Mexican, Irish, Cajun, Barbeque and Mediterranean.

For the first time in the festival’s nine-year history, an Italian-French Bistro springs to life at the corner of Pike and Saginaw streets to house a joint venture between Bon Vie and Bravo!, two new outstanding festival participants. Constructed specifically for the festival, the Italian-French dining spot offers authentic Italian and French atmospheres alongside regional cuisine, across an open-air café.

Around the corner from the Bistro, is the one of the coolest tents in the festival, The Cold Stone Creamery Oasis. A new festival restaurant vendor, Cold Stone will bring an array of ice cream and serve their cool treats in a large tent featuring another seating area. Other restaurants new to this year include: Big Buck Brewery; Bull Frogs; Lady Di’s; Lazybones; π Restaurant; Rice Bowl; and Zumba Mexican Grille. Returning restaurants Sweet Georgia Brown and Seldom Blues cement the festival’s reputation for upscale cuisine. They will be serving hungry patrons along with many perennial favorites that have come back again this year.

In addition, the Detroit News Sonic Street will feature hip and cool retailers from across metro Detroit who will offer tattoo art, trendy jewelry, glow products, and other items meant for the young and the young at heart. Anchored by the Detroit News/Comcast stage, Chrysler Arts, Beats & Eats will serve as the backdrop for the Sonic Summer Band finals pitting the best local bands against one another.

Title event sponsor, the Chrysler Group, will again rev up its interactive activities at the Chrysler “Ride & Drive.” Patrons will have the chance to test drive a wide array of exciting vehicles the automaker will have available including the all-new 2007 Jeep Compass, Dodge Caliber, and Chrysler Aspen. Interested drivers also will have access to the powerful Dodge Charger, Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland, Chrysler Crossfire SRT 6, and the most-awarded car in automotive history, the Chrysler 300C. Test drives of the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles will be available at a special staging area near the intersection of Wayne and Pike Streets at the festival. The test drive hours will be Saturday, September 2 and Sunday, September 3 from 11:30 am to 7:30 pm. The test drive hours for Labor Day Monday, September 4 will be from 11:30 am to 5 pm. Drivers must be 21 and over, with a valid license.

The annual Chrysler Arts, Beats & Eats, Oakland County's Taste, Music & Arts Festival, is held over Labor Day weekend, September 1-4, 2006, in downtown Pontiac. The four-day Festival will be open from 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Labor Day Monday. For additional public information, visit www.artsbeatseats.com, or call (248) 334-4600.

 

Source: artsbeatseats.com

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