Friday, August 31, 2012
With ten stages and 200 performers, there's no way you'll miss any of the music this weekend - but here's some humble recommendations (heavily leaning local) you should highlight on your ABE itinerary.
It's Friday, welcome to the last long weekend of season and a traditional amped-up send-off to the Summer; there's no Labor Day celebration like the Arts Beats & Eats (in size/scope alone). Hopefully you catch this post before you're lunch break, let's get started: 12:30 p.m. - Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort Stage: Dragon Wagon - Break out the banjos! This burgeoning bluegrass sextet sets the toe tapping and the heart swooning with rustling percussion, sweet see-saw strings and hearty, honky-tonk-tinged harmonized balladry. Listen: Dragon Wagon - "One Less Wife" (Stream/MP3) 2:00 p.m. - Oakland County Parks Kids Stage: Detroit School of Rock and Pop - This troupe of talented students will be performing regularly throughout the festival …
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Royal Oak business group invested $100,000 but return falls short in preliminary report. DDA member intends to take a closer look at costly parking contracts for the four-day Labor Day event.
So far, the Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is on the losing end of its $100,000 investment in this year's Arts, Beats & Eats, with one member questioning expenses paid for parking operations. At the DDA's regular meeting Tuesday, members reviewed a preliminary financial statement for the Labor Day weekend festival that shows the DDA lost $11,466.62 on the event. DDA member Luigi Cutraro, owner of Sangria Tapas Café, questioned $71,618.45 paid to Ampco System Parking to oversee parking operations for the four-day event. Cutraro made a request to review the Ampco contract. DDA Chairman Jim Domanski, co-owner of Pronto! restaurant, said he appreciated Cutaro looking at contracts and expenditures. “We need to protect ourselves…
42.488146
-83.142775
City of Royal Oak City Hall
221 E 3rd St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/dda-examines-costs-of-arts-beats-eats
709775
/locations/5728302
Monday, October 10, 2011
Several Royal Oak organizations benefited from the Labor Day weekend festival.
Ford Arts, Beats & Eats announced today that $263,185 raised from the Labor Day weekend festival will be shared with 60 local charitable and cultural organizations, including the Boys & Girls Club of South Oakland County, Royal Oak Animal Shelter, Royal Oak Women’s Club and many other Royal Oak groups and religious organizations. This year, 335,000 people visited Arts, Beats & Eats, a number well below the record-breaking crowd of 423,000 of 2010. Much of the attendance loss was blamed on two days of sweltering heat followed by a threatening thunderstorm that ripped through the festival on the third day of the event. The hammering wind and rain ushered in cooler temperatures but left vendors with twisted tents and 6,300 people without …
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Festival organizers still happy with turnout and spirit of the Labor Day weekend despite heat, storm and grumbles about parking and food costs.
Smaller crowds and lower sales reported by Arts, Beats & Eats food vendors are being attributed to the extreme Labor Day weekend weather, from the very hot and steamy to stormy and cool. About 330,000 people attended the festival in downtown Royal Oak, officials reported – down 22 percent from last year’s record-breaking attendance of 423,000. Estimated daily attendance figures provided by organizers: The less-than-ideal weather definitely had an impact on attendance, but festival organizers were delighted by the crowds on Sunday and Monday, Arts, Beats & Eats spokeswoman Jennifer Cherry said. “We had the largest Monday attendance we’ve ever had,” she said of the festival’s 14-year history. Many people came to see musician George Clinton…
42.486194
-83.144147
BlackFinn Restaurant & Saloon
530 S Main St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/arts-beats-eats-wrap-up-weather-hurts-attendance-vendor-sales
710695
/locations/5308835
42.4899
-83.14087
Royal Oak Farmers Market
316 E 11 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/arts-beats-eats-wrap-up-weather-hurts-attendance-vendor-sales
1638873
/locations/5308836
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
The four-day festival ends with big crowds and thank you's. Here's what you missed if you were out of town, or a wrap-up of coverage if you want to look back.
Before the landing of the Mothership on the National Stage with Dr. Funkenstein (aka George Clinton), Arts, Beats & Eats Director Jon Witz thanked Royal Oak residents, Mayor Jim Ellison, the City Commission and the Royal Oak Police Department. "How about a nice hand? No incidents for Royal Oak Police all weekend," Witz said. "Way to go guys, ladies. Thank you." With that announcement, Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic heated up the crowd of 5,000 who wore hoodies, sweaters and jackets in the 50 degree temps. Clinton's performance was a high note that ended an up-and-down weekend for the festival, which began with uncomfortably high temperatures and low attendance and then flip-flopped with cool temps and big crowds. In the middle of it…
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Second major storm within two weeks keeps crews working round the clock.
The Royal Oak Fire Department, EMS and DTE Energy crews were kept very busy this holiday weekend responding to downed power lines, restoring power to customers and assisting attendees at Arts, Beats & Eats. Public safety is the No. 1 priority, Royal Oak Fire Chief Chuck Thomas said. The fire department had 105 runs this past weekend for either downed power lines or medical assistance, but no fires, Thomas said. In addition, the city's EMS crews treated more than 500 people at the first aid tent at Arts, Beats & Eats for "everything from Band-aids for scraped knees to heat exhaustion." As for storm damage, "I'm not sure where DTE is in its repair work, but downed power lines are our biggest concern," he said Tuesday morning. "If you see a …
Monday, September 5, 2011
Festival will stay open to 10 p.m. tonight, said director John Witz, who said attendance the first two days was well below expectations, but that there were 125,000 there on Sunday.
The heat and weather have kept crowds well below expected for the Arts, Beats & Eats festival in Royal Oak, said director John Witz. To give those who stayed home a second chance to see, hear and taste what they missed, Art, Beats & Eats has extended its hours today to 10 p.m., an hour longer than planned, Witz said. “Through the courtesy of the city of Royal Oak, Arts, Beats & Eats is going to stay open one extra hour tonight,” Witz said. “We’re going to let all the bands play a little longer.” Witz has been organizing Arts, Beats & Eats since 1998, when the festival took off in Pontiac. This is the second year for the event in Royal Oak. The first year they had record-breaking attendance. This year, crowds are down significantly from …
42.48722
-83.146589
400 S Washington Ave, Royal Oak, MI
Arts, Beats & Eats area hit hardest by storms.
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Crowds don't seem to mind drizzle on Sunday, as cooler temperatures seem to bring out more people and storms hold off.
After several rounds of cooking challenges and eight contestants, chef Reva Bell-Constantin of Joe's Produce & Gourmet Market in Livonia emerged the winner Sunday in "The Duel." The Duel cooking contest challenged chefs to come up with a dish based on a secret ingredient. On Sunday, two area executive chefs learned they had to prepare a three-course meal in 90 minutes using limes. Bell-Constantin of Joe's Produce & Gourmet Market in Livonia and Chef Marc Djozlija of Wolfgang Puck MGM Grand in Detroit met Sunday's round after being chosen finalist Friday. That contest challenged them to create a meal with peaches. Judges awarded points for taste and presentation and determined Bell-Constantin the winner. She received a check for $7,000. …
As visitors wander through the weekend festival, their beverage purchases support local community organizations.
The Arts, Beats & Eats founders and sponsors have found a way to help charitable organizations from around the community earn much-needed funds to support their efforts. Most of the beverage stands – more than 30 in all – are run by volunteers from various groups such as St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Royal Oak, The American Legion of Royal Oak and Royal Oak High School Band and Orchestra Boosters, with proceeds being donated to their nonprofit organizations. Josie Birkett, staff member of Arts, Beats & Eats, manages five of the volunteer booths for the festival. She loops around to each, making sure they have everything they need. “Occasionally one of the volunteers will stop me along the way with a list of supplies they need,” Birkett …
The Juried Fine Arts Show is one of the major parts of the festival. Artists in the show talk about their work.
A diverse collection of national and local artist representing all mediums converged in Royal Oak along Washington, Lincoln and Seventh Street this weekend. Last year the Arts, Beats & Eats Juried Fine Art Show was voted fourth in the nation by Art Fair Sourcebook in terms of sales. On Saturday artists worried attendance was down from last year. Royal Oak clay artist Doug Spalding was concerned with weak sales. “Last year they had to stop letting people in," said leather crafter Gail Robinson. “This year it doesn't seem like there are as many people. It might be the heat. I don’t know. I’m still selling some things though.” St. Mary Church has a refreshment booth in the art district. Volunteer Ed Jelonek estimated attendance was down 30 …
Ronald Wolf
9:10 pm on Monday, March 5, 2012
I was disappointed that myself and friends could not hear ourselves talk at the Carribou Coffee shop from Friday to Monday due to the incessant techno boombox dance beats coming from the "band" by the fourth street and Main enterance. What Chutzpah for Mr. Witz to demand that street musicians should not perform on Main, even if they could be heard over the techno din. Those are the people who … more ›