PRESS RELEASE (Chelsea, MI) – Weekends start on Thursday in Chelsea, where the popular Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights entertainment series has been fine-tuning the art of the summer party since 2003.
But this year – for one great weekend – the party doesn’t have to end when the clock strikes Friday. Sounds & Sights has adopted and expanded Chelsea’s long-running Summer Fest, blending three days of free street entertainment with food, art and fun things to see and do.
The weekend event, now called the Sounds & Sights Festival, runs from July 29-31.
“It made sense from so many perspectives to do this,” says Craig Common, one of the event organizers. “Sponsors are asked once, we can market under one umbrella and tap into each other’s volunteer base. This event will really grow in years to come.”
We ordered the biggest tent we could find for what we think will be huge crowds to see the lineup we’ve assembled.
The Festival is the combined effort of the Sounds & Sights and Festival Committees, the Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce, the Chelsea Center for the Arts, and downtown merchants. The Chelsea DDA generously sponsors the event, with support from Chelsea State Bank and Chelsea Milling, Co.
“We have some new things lined up and an amazing list of nightly performers,” says Common, “We ordered the biggest tent we could find for what we think will be huge crowds to see the lineup we’ve assembled.”
The Festival has incorporated Thursday’s Sounds & Sights schedule for an additional night of entertainment under the tent, with additional performers on street stages all three nights. The Thursday night main stage lineup has a local flavor, opening with The Ben Daniels Band followed by the techno-pop duo Champions of Breakfast. The headliner band for the evening is My Dear Disco, a genre-defying group that the Windy City Times calls “an electronic group that’s not afraid to rock out.” They have a huge Michigan and facebook following and an upcoming gig at Lollapalooza this summer.
Friday night features two of Detroit’s most popular bands – the Howling Diablos followed by The SunMessengers. Saturday night closes with the return of NoteWorthy and Festival favorite, Fifty Amp Fuse, a group 8-time Grammy winning producer and Toto member David Paich calls “The greatest cover band I’ve ever seen.”
“In over 30 years that this event has been going, this is without a doubt the best entertainment schedule we have ever had,” says Common.
Tickets for each night are only $5.00 and all ages are welcome. There will be select V.I.P. Lounge seating available for $25 per night, or $50 for the all three nights.
Other changes and additions to the event include an expanded food court featuring 8-10 restaurants, an open-air Art Market throughout downtown, and much more entertainment.
Some favorite attractions from Summer Fest return, including the Saturday Pet Parade, the Chelsea Teddy Bear Company KidZone, the Friday night Classic Car show, SculptureWalk Chelsea, and the busy social tent. SRSLY Cinema will be showing free outdoor movies at dusk on Thursday and Friday nights and the Chelsea Rotary will hold their annual Duck Race Saturday afternoon. The Chelsa Area Historical Society will guide daily historic home walking tours.
Downtown merchants will be teaming with local artists and vendors for in-store demos, activities and displays. The Chelsea Teddy Bear KidZone runs Friday and Saturday from 10am – 6pm with a hands-on craft tent, Colors the Clown, a bike skidding competition, bounce zone, jugglers, magicians, face painting and much more. The Friday night Classic Car Show has become a destination event of its own with over 200 vehicles on display and entertainment from Elvis. The show runs from 6-9pm.
For an up-to-date list of activities and events, visit www.chelseafestivals.com/summerfest or call Chelsea Center for the Arts at 734-433-2787. Event sponsors for the Sounds & Sights Festival include: Cleary’s Pub, Chelsea Community Hospital, McKinley Inc., KeyBank, and The Common Grill.
Support also comes from LaJolla Fine Jewelry, Lake Trust Credit Union, Susan Jacobs CPA, Chelsea Retirement Community, Heydlauff’s Appliances & Electronics, Chelsea Teddy Bear Company, River Gallery, Silver Maples of Chelsea, Vogel’s & Foster’s, Edward Jones, Hatch Stamping, Trinchero Family & Main Street Winery, Susan V. Brown PLC, and Chelsea District Library.
