ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Oakland County’s premier festival is back! The 24th annual Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats & Eats presented by Flagstar Bank returns this Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 3-6, in downtown Royal Oak. The highly-anticipated celebration features more than 200 performances across nine stages, a highly ranked juried fine arts show and dozens of local restaurants, as well as slight changes to its original ticketing system, allowing patrons to purchase all concessions directly from the restaurants and bars and to minimize touch points.
“We went for the music this year!. Not only do we have some of the biggest names in our history, but we’ve been able to a hit home run with our local music line-up as well,” said Jon Witz, Festival Producer. “ We’re also happy to announce a 10% across the board pay increase for local bands from 2019 booking fees.”
THE BEATS
With nearly 20 new musical acts added to the nearly 200 returning favorites, the Beats at this year’s festival are unparalleled. Featuring all genres of music across nine different stages, the bands play on for four days and nights of local and national entertainment. The Michigan Lottery National Stage will feature all-star performances by one of the most commercially successful bands of the 1990s, Grammy Award winning Stone Temple Pilots (“Interstate Love Song,” “Plush”). Also performing on the National Stage is The Guess Who (“No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature”), Bobby Brown (“My Perogative”), The Gin Blossoms (“Hey Jealousy”), Neon Trees (“Everybody Talks”), Justin Moore (“Why We Drink”), Mac Watts (“Wise Man”), American rock band Starship (“We Built This City”), a tribute band that transports it audience through five decades of music Your Generation In Concert, the ultimate Beatles tribute band BeatleMania Live!, The Voice finalist of 2016, Laith Al-Saadi and Detroit R & B sensation, Thornetta Davis.
Metro Detroit’s most talented and widely-recognized local bands will be showcased on eight additional music stages offering a variety of different genres. The local stages include: House of Dank Performance Pit Area; Shorts/Old Nation Alternative Stage;
Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort Rock Stage; Makers Mark R&B Stage; Flagstar Bank International Stage; Detroit News Country Stage; Oakland Community College Cultural/Acoustic Stage; and the Detroit Institute of Arts Kids Stage.
Joining Arts, Beats & Eats favorites are nearly 20 new local acts from all genres: R&B from Cullen Emadrey and The Further Adventure of Fatboy & Jive Turkey; rock bands Frame 42 and Mac Saturn; alternative by CARA, Ben Daniels Band, The Hacky Turtles and 75 Days of Sun; international music from Half Way There, Martin Chaparro and Renaissance Festival Presents: Pictus; country artists Christian Ohly and BIG Riggs Band; and acoustic performances by Dan Minard, Abhay and Delaney Natke.
There are also a roundup of returning favorites to the festival, such as Alise King, Melanie Rutherford, The Howling Diablos, The Reefermen, Raye Williams, Killer Flamingos, Gasoline Gypsies, Kari Holmes, Joe Jaber & The Last Divide, Roots Vibration, Thunderwude and Acoustic Ash.
JOIN THE ZUMBA PARTY
Zumba fans can once again celebrate by dancing and sweating on Saturday, Sept. 4, during the Priority Health Zumbathon Celebration withDJ Wax Tax N Dre. The long-running, favorite festival activity returns, transforming the Michigan Lottery Stage from 10-11:30 a.m. into a red-hot, exhilarating dance fitness explosion. Tickets for the Zumbathon are $8 and include free parking from 8 a.m.-noon, free admission for the participant and a guest to the festival, and a free bottle of water.
The 2021 Priority Health Zumbathon benefits HAVEN. As Oakland County’s only comprehensive program for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, HAVEN provides shelter, counseling, advocacy and educational programming to nearly 30,000 people each year. Last year 1,600 people participated in a sold out Zumba Fitness party at the festival. In conjunction with Vibe Fit Studio, a metro Detroit fitness studio, the class will feature more than 150 other local Zumba instructors from across Michigan.
THE EATS
One of the top taste festivals in the country makes its triumphant return over serving a full menu of alluring taste options from more than 40 restaurants and caterers throughout metro Detroit. Festivalgoers can indulge in foods from around the globe, dig into savory barbecue, enjoy guilt-free fresh greens and salads or indulge in mouthwatering desserts.
The festival welcomes a new, local Mexican restaurant to the Eats this year: Tequila Blue is a cantina in downtown Royal Oak located on top of the 526 Main Dueling Piano Bar. It serves up an appetizing slew of tacos, burritos, enchiladas and other spicy Mexican treats.
Also new this year are the fine dining options of local restaurant ImaginATE. Its executive chef, Omar Mitchell, has more than 28 years of experience in the finest restaurants and presents his unique vision of culinary delights. The restaurant’s selection of steaks and other meats are all locally sourced and freshly made and is sure to be a big hit at the festival.
RETURNING FAVORITES
There are plenty of restaurants coming back to the festival that helped make Arts, Beats & Eats one of the top taste festivals in the country. This includes the affordable gourmet options of Crispelli’s bakery and pizzeria, from thin-crust pizza to Italian specialty dishes, Sedona Taphouse, which specializing in hand-cut steaks, sustainable seafood selections and heart healthy offerings, and Café Muse,which offers fresh, locally produced and organic ingredients to create comfort food with a twist.
Other returning highlights of the festival are popular chain Wahlburger’s, owned by the family of actor/singer Mark Wahlberger; Gosia’s Pierogies, whose food is made from a secret family recipe originating in Poland and handed down from generation to generation; Trattoria Da Luigi, a local, rustic Italian restaurant with succulent pizzas and other delights; and Beans & Cornbread, a soul food restaurant with a variety of mouthwatering meals.
Priority Health comes back with their Healthy Options program. Participating festival restaurants will receive the Priority Health Healthy Options designation, signified by a Healthy Options sticker at the food booth, by offering a certified food in one of six categories: Low-Carb, Low-Fat, Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Vegan, and new this year, Dairy Free.
THE ARTS
The 2021 Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats & Eats has signed on Beaumont Health to sponsor the art festivities this year. The Beaumont Juried Fine Art Show, one of the nation’s top fine art events, will feature more than 100 artist booths with talented artists from across the nation offering art in a variety of mediums, including jewelry, metal, ceramics, digital art, drawing, fabric/fiber/leather, glass, mixed media 2D and 3D, painting, sculpture, graphics/printmaking, photography and wood. Artists are eligible for cash awards totaling $7,000.
New artists to the festival include: Dustin Wagner (glass), from Springfield, Ohio, who handcrafts a wide variety of vases, bowls, drinkware, and one-of-a-kind beauties; Espacia Fotiu (mixed media 2D), of Warren, Michigan, whose paintings and creations are inspired by zen, philosophy and human experience; and Carolyn Garay (painting) from Ypsilanti, Michigan, who has mastered the art of oil paintings, drawings and mixed media, exploring the mysterious by creating mindscapes, vortexes, creatures, “humans” and even cyborg-ladies.
2021 FESTIVAL HOURS AND ADMISSION
The 24th annual Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats & Eats will be open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3-Sunday, Sept. 5; and 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 6. Admission is free before 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 3 and $10 after 5 p.m. Every other day is $5 before 3 p.m. and $10 after 3 p.m.
The festival will be collecting donations for Hunger Relief. Festivalgoers who would like to donate an extra $1 can simply add it on to their credit card transaction or to jars at the entrance gates. Forgotten Harvest, Gleaners Community Food Bank, Open Hands Food Pantry and Lighthouse Food Bank will share the funds collected. This program is sponsored by Kroger, who will match donations up to $10,000.
FAMILY FUN ALL WEEKEND LONG
Fun, family-friendly programming and entertainment abounds throughout the four-day festival in the Oakland County Parks Kids Zone, which was moved to 4th Street near Main this year. The Kids Zone will feature a display of photos of the parks and information about what Oakland County Parks has to offer families through out the year.
Kids will enjoy a full lineup of award-winning artists and performers, as well as exciting interactive entertainment on the Detroit Institue of Arts Kids Stage. Events on this stage include a VTS/Song writing workshop with art pieces from the DIA’s Inside|Out collection, along with children’s folk singer Joe Reilly and Reg Pettibone’s Ho-Chunk dance and storytelling.
CULTURE ON 4TH BY FLAGSTAR BANK
This year, Flagstar Bank is dedicated its “Culture on Fourth” space to celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as amplifying Black, Indigenous, and people of color-owned businesses. Restaurants included are the delicious and beautiful chocolate fruit bouquets of Lekker Chócó Treats and the delicious pitas from A Taste of Motown.
Culture on 4th also will feature a live mural painting from local artist Anthony Lee. Lee is a painter and illustrator whose work depicts a post-apocalyptic world populated by a variety of different robots searching for a new way of life. The work’s sense of loss and abandoned industrial imagery echoes the feeling of parts of Detroit.
Flagstar’s area, located on 4th Street, will include the Flagstar International Stage, a platform for musicians including Celtic, Reggae, Brazillian, Polka and more, to play music from across the world.
FLAGSTAR BANK FOOD DRIVE
Flagstar Bank will continue its partnership with Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan to host a pre-festival food drive in support of the more than 500 local soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters and other agencies served by Gleaners. Flagstar Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: FBC) is a $20.2 billion savings and loan holding company headquartered in Troy, Michigan Flagstar Bank, FSB, provides commercial, small business and consumer banking services through 160 branches in Michigan, Indiana, California, Wisconsin and Ohio.
Each year, the Flagstar Bank Food Drive provides around 10,000 meals for local individuals and families. From Monday, Aug. 16 to Tuesday, Aug. 31, patrons can receive a $5-off coupon for admission to the festival by donating three or more canned goods at participating Flagstar Bank locations listed below and at artsbeatseats.com. Limit four
tickets per person. Gleaners is looking for canned food items higher in protein, sucgh as canned tuna, canned chicken, peanut butter and more.
- Troy (16 Mile/Coolidge Hwy) 2050 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48084
- Troy Corporate Branch (Long Lake and Crooks) 5151 Corporate Drive, Troy, MI 48098
- Troy (Lang Lake and Rochester Rd) 5017 Rochester Rd., Troy, MI 48085
- Berkley (12 Mile/Woodward) 28653 Woodward Ave., Berkley, MI 48072
- Bloomfield (Long Lake/Telegraph) 3915 Telegraph Rd., Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
- Beverly Hills (13 Mile/Southfield Road) 17430 W. 13 Mile Rd., Franklin, MI 48025
- Madison Heights (13 Mile/Dequindre) 31049 Dequindre Rd., Madison Heights, MI 48071
HOUSE OF DANK PERFORMANCE PIT
New festival sponsor House of Dank, Michigan’s premier cannabis company, is delivering the new House of Dank Lounge, which will be an oasis for festival guests, featuring special seating and entertainment. It will also be the new home of the performance pit stage.
The House of Dank Performance Pit Area will deliver top DJs, musicians, cultural performances from around the world, breakdancers, strolling entertainers and more. Its location at 6th and Center streets will be the perfect entrance segue into the festival’s national entertainment viewing area.
Performances in the Pit Area include Scott Lee, an incredibly talented upcoming singer/songwriter from Detroit who plays with a conviction and commitment rarely seen these days; Al’Exist, a souful hip hop performer who delivers nothing but heart while performing, capturing audiences with dynamic deliveries of real life struggles and triumphs; and Weeknight Motion, a band of two boys with a passion for sharing fun tunes and jumping around on stage.
While consumption of cannabis will not be permitted within the festival footprint, attendees aged 21+ can purchase branded merch, CBD products and meet cannabis experts, who can provide educational information on cannabis’ medicinal and therapeutic benefits, as well as receive special offers for products at one of House of Dank’s eight Michigan locations.
FAMILY DAYS RETURNS
Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats & Eats and Delta Dental will once again host the 8th annual Family Days presented by the Autism Alliance of Michigan. On Saturday, Sept. 4, Sunday, Sept. 5 and Monday, Sept. 6, hundreds of children on the autism spectrum and family members will enjoy a one-day access pass, which includes free parking, free admission for up to five family members, a free bottle of Aquafina water upon entering the festival from 10 a.m.-noon, and free lunch for the first 550 registrants per day.
Additionally, the festival will open one hour early for participating families to give their children free private access to the festival carnival. Participants must have a family member on the ASD spectrum to be eligible for this program.
2021 SPONSORS
Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, Flagstar Bank, Ace & Sons, Beaumont Health, City of Royal Oak, Delta Dental, Detroit Institute of Arts, The Detroit News, DTE Energy, Everdry, Graham & Fisk’s Wine-In-A-Can, Hawthorne Suites, House of Dank, Imperial Beverage, Kroger, Leaf Filter, M1 Studios, Makers Mark, Mancan, Marriott Southfield, Oakland Community College, Oakland County, Oakland County Parks, Oozelife, Pepsi, Priority Health, Renewal by Andersen, Short’s Brewing Company, Stellantis, Tito’s Vodka, US Park, WeatherGard Windows and WindowPro.
In 2019, more than 343,000 visitors attended the four-day festival, raising more than $233,000 for local charities. With a long-standing commitment to community giving, the festival has donated a total of nearly $6 million to charitable and community causes since its inception in 1998.
While the festival was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, virtual and small-scale live activations took its place to spread a little bit of art, music, food and health, including a major initiative to support the local music industry called “The Beats Go On…” that raised more than $431K for local musicians.
The 24th annual Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats & Eats presented by Flagstar Bank is Oakland County’s premier festival to be held Sept. 3-6, 2021. The festival celebrates the quality of life in Oakland County by offering a culturally unique presentation that paints the city of Royal Oak’s downtown with a variety of art, food and music for the community to enjoy. “LIKE” artsbeatseats on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @artsbeatseats. For more information, visit www.artsbeatseats.com or call 248-541-7550.
Source: Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats & Eats