Business & Tech

Tonight: Arts du Jour Kicks Off Arts, Beats & Eats

More than 50 restaurants will come together to transform the Royal Oak Farmers Market into a party pavilion, while raising money for nearly a dozen Metro Detroit nonprofits.

is just a week away, but those who can't wait can get a taste – literally – of the Labor Day weekend festival tonight.

Arts du Jour is an “amalgamation of of everything you’ll see at under one roof,” according to Regina Stocco, owner of The Social Connection.

Stocco said Wednesday that she was busy pulling together tonight's event that is a collection of entertainment and food, including “the hottest musicians and eye-popping ‘Cirque de Soleil’ style performers”, along with 50 Metro Detroit eateries, many from Royal Oak. (See attached PDF for the complete list of participating restaurants.)

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Shelly Kemp, executive director of the , is excited for the taste fest that will also raise money for the chamber’s High School Scholarship Fund — one of nearly a dozen Metro Detroit nonprofits that will benefit from the Arts, Beats & Eats preview.

“Every year we give scholarships to seniors who are involved and want to be part of the business community,” she said. The chamber chooses candidates from , , and and gives four scholarships.

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Kemp is also excited to show off some new footwear when she heads over to the Farmers Market.

“I get to wear some really cool new shoes,” Kemp said of the $75 per ticket event. The dress code for the evening runs across the board from nice jeans to more glamourous looks, but Kemp said “it’s not too formal.”

“It’s just an amazing atmosphere,” said Kemp, who attended the first Arts du Jour last year. “It doesn’t even look like the Farmers Market. It’s really impressive. There’s really great live entertainment and a huge variety of food, including a lot of ethnic food.”

It’s that sort of sentiment that got Tom Violente, owner of school involved.

“Last year we did not take part in Arts du Jour and we heard nothing but good things—the food, the music, the mood,” he said.

Violente says this year he wanted to be involved in a big way. Mirepoix will be offering jamalaya tonight, a creole dish of Spanish and French influence. It’s one the the things it will also be serving up for Arts, Beats & Eats over Labor Day weekend.

“The thing I really love about this event is it raises a lot of money for charity.” Violente says he has a special place in his heart for the , another of the charities that will benefit from the evening. (See attached PDF for the complete list of participating nonprofit organizations.)

Arts du Jour: If you go

When: 5:30-11 p.m. Thursday

Where:

Tickets: $75 – purchase tickets at the door (until it sells out) or buy them online until 3 p.m. today.

What's included:

  • samplings from more than 50 Metro Detroit restaurants
  • three drink vouchers (cash bar also available)
  • an array of entertainment
  • a minimum of 75 percent of ticket proceeds go to the charity of your choice

Schedule

  • 5:30 p.m.: arrival and registration
  • 6 p.m.: doors open
  • 6-9 p.m.: strolling dinner and sampling extravaganza
  • 6-7 p.m.: celebrities serve for a great cause
  • 6-11 p.m.: live music and strolling entertainment

Entertainment: 

Farmers Market Stage

  • 6-8 p.m.: Sean Blackman
  • 8:15 p.m.: Thank you presentation
  • 8:30-11 p.m.: Persuasion

Tent Stage

  • 6:30-8 p.m.: Nadanta
  • 8:30-11 p.m.: The Reefermen


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