Arts, Beats & Eats to celebrate 25 years this Labor Day Weekend

ROYAL OAK — Arts, Beats & Eats, the popular four-day Labor Day festival that has been held in downtown Royal Oak since 2010, will return for its 25th year Sept. 2-5.

Jon Witz, festival producer, said the festival has gotten better with age.

The festival brings top national and musical acts; culinary options from more than 50 local restaurants, caterers and food trucks; a juried fine art show featuring more than 125 booths in a selection of styles and mediums; family-friendly activities; and more to the heart of the city, according to a press release.

“Our focus this year has been on just really putting a great music show together,” Witz said “We put a lot of resources into that and we’re just so thrilled with the lineup. It’s very competitive against a lot of cool outdoor venues in Michigan to be able to land some bigger names.”

This year, the music lineup includes more than 200 musical acts.

National headliners include Flo Rida, Fitz and The Tantrums, 311, Chase Rice, Chevelle, Rob Base, Montell Jordan, Average White Band, Jackson Dean and Tommy DeCarlo.

Dozens of local musicians, including 21 new local acts, will also perform on eight additional musical stages and offer a variety of genres, according to a press release.

Witz added that multiple sponsors have invested large sums in community activations at the festival.

The House of Dank Performance Pit, which will be located at Sixth and Center streets, will feature DJs and a silent disco. The Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort is also amping up its presentation on Fifth Street, Witz said.

Although the Royal Oak City Commission denied a resolution on May 9 to add the sale and consumption of recreational marijuana to Arts, Beats & Eats, Witz said festival organizers would again petition the city next year and in the future to include it.

“I think we can demonstrate that we can reasonably have a cannabis area,” he said. “It would be far more restricted than the sale of alcoholic beverages. I think that will come to fruition in the near future.”

The budget for the event is $2.6 million, according to Witz.

“All the money the city invests into it in the form of police, fire and the (Downtown Development Authority) investment is returned by parking revenue, so there is no net cost to taxpayers.

“I feel great about what people are going to see and we’re just hoping the weather cooperates as it has been so we can deliver some good times and fun times for folks,” Witz continued. “One theme is that the world continues to be a challenging and crazy place with a lot of differences of opinion, and I think the festival is an opportunity for people to hang out together and remind us what we have in common.”

According to a press release, the 2021 Arts, Beats & Eats attracted more than 375,000 visitors and generated nearly $400,000 to donate to local charities. Since the event’s inception in 1998, the festival has raised more than $6 million for community and charitable organizations, according to the release.

Arts, Beats and Eats will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2; from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3; from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4; and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 5.

Admission to the festival costs $5 before 3 p.m. and $10 after 3 p.m. Cash and credit card transactions will be accepted at gate entrances.

For more information, visit artsbeatseats.com or call (248) 541-7550.