Art, Beats & Eats Event Producer Jon Witz speaks about the money raised from this year’s festival at an Oct. 12 press conference at the Flagstar Bank Regional Headquarters in Troy.
By: Mike Koury | Macomb Chronicle | Published October 25, 2023
ROYAL OAK — The Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats and Eats festival was a big hit for Royal Oak last month, and its success will continue with hundreds of thousands of dollars going to nonprofit organizations.
At an Oct. 12 press conference, the festival announced it would be donating $386,904.92 to almost 60 local organizations and nonprofits. It is the second-largest donation that Arts, Beats and Eats has made in its 26-year history.
The very first Arts, Beats and Eats was held in 1998. That year, the total amount raised was $84,000. Event Producer Jon Witz said the growth of not only the event but the donation amount has been amazing.
“It’s the most rewarding part of putting the event on, is seeing goodwill,” he said. “It’s great to bring people together in peace, but when you have good weather and people are spending money to create a give-back situation, I think that’s what makes this so enjoyable for the participants, the sponsors, the volunteers. It’s just a big day for us today.”
It also was announced that a three-year extension between Arts, Beats and Eats and Royal Oak was signed to keep the event in the city through 2027.
“It’s a perfect host city. The parking is there, very good law enforcement and public services that really take the time to plan. There’s a record of no major incidents in our history of the festival overall, especially recently in Royal Oak, and in this day and age, it’s a track record to be proud of,” he said. (There’s a) very eclectic backdrop of storefronts and bars and restaurants that interact with the festival, especially with the downtown dollars program from the Royal Oak (Downtown Development Authority), and I couldn’t think of a better venue where you can host art, music, and food and culture that fits better than Royal Oak.”
Royal Oak-based charities will be receiving $130,221.63, bringing the total amount donated to city organizations since 2010 to $1.38 million.
Royal Oak Mayor Michael Fournier said the festival has brought great economic help to the community and put Royal Oak on the map for many people who hadn’t visited the city.
“It’s really had a lot of benefit to our community, but the philanthropic part of it is really what I get passionate about,” he said. “We’re grateful that people spend their Labor Day weekend with us here in Royal Oak.”
Royal Oak charities and organizations that received funding from this year’s festival include Stagecrafters, Royal Oak High School, the local YMCA, the Royal Oak Civic Foundation, First United Methodist Church, the Royal Oak Historical Society and the Royal Oak Symphony Orchestra.