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Saturday, 21 August, 2010 10:10 AM

Officials release music line-up and restaurants for Arts, Beats and Eats

ROYAL OAK, Mich. -- Organizers of the 2010 Ford Arts, Beats and Eats festival in Royal Oak have announced the complete music line-up and list of participating restaurants. This year’s festival will have more music stages than last year and more food on hand for all to enjoy.

“We think it’s going to be a record-bursting event,” said Arts, Beats and Eats founder and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. “More people, more events, more restaurants, we have nine stages instead of five. Everything is expanding down here. If the weather is good, we’re going to set some record attendance as well. We invite people to come down and enjoy the excitement over Labor Day weekend. We’re estimating a $10-million bump in the economy, mostly in south Oakland County area.”

This year’s national headliners for the Michigan Lottery stage include Clint Black, Saving Abel, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Candlebox and Macy Gray. Additional headliners are Sponge, Alto Reed & His Motor City All-Stars, Rhythm Corps, Mayer Hawthorne, Alexander Zonjic & Friends, Larry Lee & The Back in the Day Band, WAR, The Auctioneers, Kansas, Annabelle Road and Frankie Ballard. The Royal Oak Symphony will also perform on the national stage Friday afternoon.

“Just a really broad line-up of national and local music artists, 200 bands, nine stages, more than we’ve ever had,” said Jon Witz, the festival’s producer. “A fabulous art fair that was created by 400 art applications that were juried to the top 135 by the top artists in the country. Fifty-six restaurants, three family areas and just an array of entertainment that will take over most of downtown Royal Oak.”

A 14-person committee was responsible for selecting the local musicians that will perform at the Ford Arts, Beats and Eats. Some of Detroit’s finest bands will entertain the crowd this year. The Twistin’ Tarantulas, Impact 7, TJ Kelly, The Orbitsuns, La Chispa & Company, Shoe, The Killer Flamingos, CRUD, and The Urban Nomads are among the long list of local bands at this year’s festival. (Click here to view the complete music line-up for the 2010 Ford Arts, Beats and Eats).

“Everybody is going to find some music that they enjoy and it’s all free,” Patterson added. “We purposely tried to select music from every kind of sector and genre that you can think of so the audience can find something to their liking and then sit in and enjoy the day. The main stage is a converted parking lot, which will actually have a stage built there. It will be outdoors and have the same kind of ambience as the one in Pontiac.”

Three new entertainment stages are being added for the festival this year. The Vince and Joe’s Stage, Ford Fiesta Stage and US Park Stagecrafters Theater Stage are new for 2010.

“The main stage is at Sixth/Seventh and Main,” Witz explained. “Also, we have the stages at Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Fourth Street, north on Washington, in the Jimmy’s parking lot, in the Walker-Crawford paint parking lot, the Oakland Community College parking lot, the Royal Oak Music Theatre with the Made in Detroit Stage, they are all over town.”

The Vince and Joe’s Stage will feature international music and dance such as belly dancing, world fusion, Indian dance, Flamenco, Celtic and Klezmer. It will also feature four cooking demonstrations throughout the day.

The Ford Fiesta Stage will offer music from many genres including Indie acoustic, pop/rock, electric, alternative, rocktronic, rock ‘n soul, modern rock and fusion. The US Park Stagecrafters Theater Stage will feature breakdancing, improv, poetry, comedy, theatrical performances, music clincs and hula dance.

Restaurants participating in the festival are not your average hot dog and hamburger stands. These are some of the finest restaurants across metro Detroit that have decided to bring their specialties to the festival. No food item will cost more than $5.

“Food’s mostly on Washington,” the festival producer explained. “It’s up and down Washington Street and some on Fifth Street. Food and restaurants will be spread out. We’re also encouraging people to dine at Royal Oak restaurants on Main Street and throughout downtown as well.”

Some of the restaurants that will be set up on-site include Blackfinn, American Saloon, Cafe Habana, Cafe Muse, Coldstone Creamery, cup.cake, D'Amato's, Ernie's Pizza Café, Goodnite Gracie, Inn Season Café, Mezza Mediterranean Grille, Sangria Tapas Café, Tom's Oyster Bar, Town Tavern, What Crepe, Woody's Diner and Zumba Mexican Grille.

Parking has been a large problem for the festival’s move to Royal Oak since it was first thought of. Officials have come up with a solution by making 10,000 parking spaces available and creating a shuttle system that will transport passengers from the Royal Oak High School and the Hazel Park Raceway. All parking lots in or around downtown Royal Oak will charge $10 during the festival and parking will be free at the shuttle lots. However, shuttle rides will cost $3 for adults and $1 for children.

“Jon and his team have worked very, very hard and what he is announcing is the way to get into town without driving a car,” the Oakland County Executive explained. “There’s going to be routes set up for buses rotating on a 15-minute cycle so you can park off-campus. So you can park your car there and ride the bus in. I recommend that because it’s going to be a lot easier with public transportation.”

This year’s Ford Arts, Beats and Eats will feature 135 artists. Booths will be set up on Washington between Lincoln and Seventh and also on Seventh between Lafayette and Washington. Every type of art will be available to view and purchase.

“It sounds like it’s going to be a fantastic show, a lot of fun,” said Teresa Saborsky, Chair of the National Association of Independent Artists. “I would really encourage everybody to come down. Listen to the music, eat the wonderful food and the art is going to be incredible.”

Ford Motor Co. is the title sponsor of the Oakland County festival this year. In years past, Chrysler had sponsored the festival. For the first time, the new Ford Explorer and the 2011 Ford Edge will be on display in front of Pronto! at 608 S. Washington Ave. The Ford Fusion Hybrid, 2010 Taurus and 2010 Mustang will also be on display. The new Ford Fiesta will be available for test drives for all attendees 21 and older.

The Royal Oak City Commission voted 4-3 to allow attendees to openly carry guns at the festival. The decision was made about several long hours of debate. Patterson was upset by the decision, however gun rights supports say it will bring more business to the festival. Witz hopes that those who disagree with the city commission’s decision should sign a petition to make large festivals gun-free zones.

The 2010 Ford Arts, Beats and Eats runs for four days from Sept. 3 through 6. Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Labor Day Monday.

For more information on the 2010 Ford Arts, Beats and Eats, visit www.artsbeatseats.com.