Tickets on Sale for 60th Anniversary Newport Jazz Festival, Aug. 1-3

The 60th anniversary of the Newport Jazz Festival taking place August 1-3, 2014 will feature three full days of music that give a look at the future of jazz, including more than 40 performances by some of the world’s greatest established and emerging jazz artists and devote an entire day dedicated to emerging artists..

Now presented by Natixis Global Asset Management, the Festival will feature the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Bobby McFerrin spirityouall, Trombone Shorty, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Robert Glasper, Dr. John, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Gary Burton, Gregory Porter, Jon Batiste, Dave Holland, John Zorn, Miguel Zenon, The Cookers, Snarky Puppy and more.

“We are thrilled to open the Festival on Friday with an entire day of musicians who have emerged on the scene with distinctive stories to tell through their music,” said George Wein, who has produced the Festival since its beginning in 1954. “We’re not just selling these artists, we might be selling the future of jazz. In fact, the only reason for me to be in the Festival business at this point in my life is because these musicians and others must be heard,” added Wein, now 88.

Also, the Newport Jazz Festival will present a symposium to discuss how jazz relates to popular culture in today’s society. It will feature jazz aficionados and historians, including Henry Louis Gates.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame will host the Friday evening concert, featuring Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and Dee Dee Bridgewater.

Festival-goers can play an additional role in helping to secure the future of jazz by supporting Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc. at its fundraising gala at the famed Vanderbilt summer cottage, The Breakers, including an appearance by Marsalis and other Festival artists.

Tickets are now on sale. For tickets and more information, go to http://www.newportjazzfest.org. For information on luxury bus trips to Newport, go to WBGO Travel at wbgo.org/travel.

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Street Performers add to Festivities, Family Fun at 46th Festival d’été de Québec July 4-14

Festival d’été de Québec street performers, sponsored by Leclerc, are back again for 11 days of creative and original shows! This year finds them not only on Rue Saint-Jean and at Théâtre de La Bordée, but also in an exciting program of circus performances at Parc de l’Esplanade.

The 46th edition of the Festival d’été de Québec will be held from July 4 to 14, 2013.

“Street performers always give the Festival d’été de Québec a special flair. They grab our attention and make us laugh, they can inspire or astound us, but they never leave us indifferent,” says Michel Barette, who is in charge of the street arts program. “Circus is a type of performance that fascinates us the most, so we decided to give it a special place at Parc de l’Esplanade,” he added.

Parc de l’Esplanade

David Dimitri puts on a totally unique show inspired by his tours with Cirque du Soleil and the Big Apple Circus. Dubbed ‘Lord of the Wire’ by the New York Times, he is truly a one-man circus. Five Foot Fingers features five burlesque characters in a variety of stunning and daring circus cabaret acts. Vague de cirque perform their latest show, Carrousel et cordes à linge, whose highly acrobatic numbers are rooted in the tradition of travelling fun fairs. Also at Parc de l’Esplanade, audiences will love the quirky Fanfare Le S.N.O.B brass band, the antics of Rosie Volt the clown, the street music of Semèl Rebel, circus acts by Théâtre Attrape, the original mini-show by Toxique Trottoir, Kabir Percussions, and the theatre of objects performed by Elvis alAtac, the Sages Fous and the CréatureS Compagnie.

Shows at Parc de l’Esplanade: Free.
Every evening starting at 6 pm.

Smashed, at Théâtre de la Bordée

Smashed! treats festival fans to an exceptional circus performance. In a combination of high- precision juggling and theatrics, London’s Gandini Juggling pays tribute to the great German dancer, Pina Bausch. On stage, nine master jugglers transform their art into a form of dance, using everyday objects like apples and dishes. Composed of a series of live tableaux reminiscent of old photos depicting war scenes, strained relations, love and innocence lost, Smashed! promises to be a uniquely dramatic experience. The Festival d’été de Québec is putting on this show jointly with Montréal Complètement Cirque.

Smashed by Gandini Juggling: $13 phone reservation, $10 at the door or Festival pass.
Thursday July 11 to Sunday July 14 at 8:30 pm.

Rue Saint-Jean

The ever-popular street performers, sponsored by Leclerc, will be taking Rue Saint-Jean by storm from Place d’Youville to Côte du Palais. With street performers from France, the Netherlands, Spain and Québec, spectators can expect original artistic performances every evening. Festivalgoers are advised to keep their eyes and ears open if they don’t want to miss any of these wild and wacky shows! Watch for:

Street theatre in all its forms with Le Filament, Le Gestuaire, Poupées [K]rinkées, Mobile Home and NomadUrbains

The Teatro Pavana stilt walkers

Acrobatics by Bulles de Zinc

Musical street theatre with L’Aubergine

An original artistic techno creation by Marc-Andrée Goulet

Theatre of flying objects with Cal y Canto

Giant fan juggling with Shintaï JonGlo Théâtre

Shows on Rue Saint-Jean: Free.
Every evening starting at 6 pm.

Family Place, sponsored by le Lait

With something happening under the big top, at the amphitheatre or the Ephemeral Gardens, Family Place, sponsored by le Lait, is taking over the entire Espace 400^e site! From Friday July 4 to Sunday July 14, there’s a great choice of free family activities to choose from every day from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm.

“We’re lucky to have this outstanding venue for our activities at Family Place. Every year, we try to come up with an exciting new program that makes the most of the site. And with even more interactive activities planned this year, the kids will love it!” reports FEQ general manager Daniel Gélinas.

The big top will feature a slew of popular kid’s stars, including Arthur l’Aventurier, La Comtesse d’Harmonia, Carmen Campagne and Koukoulia, to name just a few of the shows that will have the whole family singing, dancing and laughing along.

This year there will be a new tent just for puppet shows. Everyone loves a puppet show, and the original and inventive creations produced by Aliona Munteanu, Puzzle Théâtre, Belzébrute and many others are sure to set the imagination free.

The program at the amphitheatre opens with the Brazilian drums of Le Bloco. In the days that follow, Le Filament and Artéfacts et Artifices will be presenting their street theatre, Strada its Fanfare Monfarleau and Shintaï JonGlo Théâtre will display their remarkable fan handling techniques. More fun and exciting shows will also be taking place around the Ephemeral Gardens.

Along with all these shows, Family Place also has a wide range of activities and sports, artistic and discovery workshops planned. Kids will be thrilled with the new ÉducaZoo and Repti-Zone exhibits where they can learn all about reptiles and other cool pets or exotic animals. Also offered: an acrobatics course, a skate park, a visual arts workshop, a wooden toy-making workshop, a workshop for budding scientists, extreme face painting and much more!

For festival information, www.infofestival.com.

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Pop Artists, Living Legends, New Discoveries and Rising Stars to Perform at 46th Festival d’été de Québec, July 4-14

The Festival d’été de Québec has released this year’s outdoor shows in a program covering a broad range of musical genres. Pop artists and living legends, names to discover and rising stars ─ for festival fans, choice is the operative word. The Black Keys, Bruno Mars, Tiësto, Wu-Tang Clan, Def Leppard, Weezer, Rush, Wiz Khalifa, MGMT, Foreigner, Bad Religion, Bassnectar, Belle & Sebastien, Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, Passion Pit and Ellie Goulding are just some of the big names on this year’s lineup.

“Again this year, we’re proud to say that the Festival d’été de Québec is in the vanguard. The depth of talent on our program clearly puts us right up there with the biggest and the best,” said General Manager Daniel Gélinas.

As Program Director Louis Bellavance explained, “This depth can be seen in the number of shows that have a slate of big names from start to finish, and this goes for international and francophone artists, whatever the style or the venue. It’s one of the biggest plusses in this year’s programming.”

ElectroFEQ

The 2012 ElectroFEQ show was a surprise hit that drew crowds of electro fans and more than a few curious festivalgoers to the largest venue, the Plains of Abraham. ElectroFEQ is back this year even bigger and better than ever, with shows at four different venues on four consecutive nights, starting at the Impérial and reaching a crescendo on the Plains!

Kicking off at the Impérial on July 8 with Le Matos, Keys N Krates and Austra, the ElectroFEQ moves to the Hydro-Québec Stage at Place d’Youville the next day, with the world beat grooves of the Mexican Institute of Sound, 3Ball MTY and A Tribe Called Red. On Wednesday, July 10, dubstep takes over the Loto-Québec Stage at Parc de la Francophonie with Zeds Dead and Bassnectar headlining the show.

And to top off ElectroFEQ on Thursday, July 11, the Plains will be plugged into Madeon, Martin Solveig and Wolfgang Gartner, with superstar Tiësto the highlight of the show. This evening of electro house music will call for one of biggest technical deployments in the history of the Festival.

Bell Stage on the Plains of Abraham

July 4: As was announced a few weeks ago, the Festival will open in French on a grand scale with Quand le Québec chante. Five solid names in Québec song, Paul Piché, Daniel Lavoie, Richard Séguin, Michel Rivard and Laurence Jalbert, accompanied by a chorus of 400 voices, will be playing their most popular hits along with some of Québec’s best-loved standards.

July 5: Hip-hop could make history this night with the legendary Wu-Tang Clan playing here for the first time! Big name rapper Wiz Khalifa is up just before the American group, along with Classified, known for the hit single Inner Ninja. Anodajay, Dramatik, Koriass, Manu Militari and Samian, in a hip-hop celebration of the 10th anniversary of Disques 7e Ciel, will be opening the show.

July 6: Since The Black Keys’ wildly popular Festival appearance in 2011, they’ve racked up Grammy awards and hit the international scene big-time with their new album. Now on top of their game, it’s an honour to have them back on the Plains. Eagles of Death Metal and Father John Misty will be up first.

July 7: With their latest album J’aime ta grand-mère, and their concept show Les Trois Accords with a bunch of chicks, a big brass band and balls of fire, the Trois Accords embrace the absurd. And they have more than one guest artist and surprise in store for the audience! They’ll be preceded onstage by French star M, whose incredible personality and energy really shine in a live show. Caféïne will be opening in what promises to be an evening Festival fans won’t want to miss.

July 8: The announcement that pop superstar Bruno Mars was coming to the Festival really got things rolling. His fans should also go for Ellie Goulding’s world-popular electro pop, and for Toronto’s own Diamond Rings.

July 9: Passion Pit, MGMT, Weezer ─ the Festival has pulled out all the stops with this hard-hitting lineup. This will be the first time MGMT plays here in Québec City.

July 10: Rush is back with a new, highly-acclaimed super production, the Clockwork Angel Tour. Packed with impressive projections and special effects, this will be the tour’s only stop in Québec.

July 11: ElectroFEQ

July 13: The legendary Def Leppard needs no introduction, and it goes without saying that this show will bring hardcore rockers out in droves. Talented US rock band Foreigner is up first.

Loto-Québec Stage at Parc de la Francophonie

The Loto-Québec Stage has always held a special place in the heart of Festival fans as a venue where new talent is revealed and musical memories are made. With the spotlight on French music, some of Québec’s most popular artists are slated to play here this year. Cœur de pirate will be putting on her only band-style show of the summer in an evening that starts with talented young singer-songwriter Chloé Lacasse followed by promising artist Karim Ouellet, from Québec City. Lisa Leblanc, whose debut album went gold, will be onstage right after performances by none other than Bernard Adamus and Keith Kouna. And in a night to remember, look for Richard Desjardins and Ingrid St-Pierre, accompanied by a string quartet, as well as Gaële. To close the Festival, Robert Charlebois will sing hits from a career spanning fifty years, with David Giguère and Hôtel Morphée up first.

Big name indie band Belle & Sebastian is sure to draw crowds for their first ever Quebec City appearance. Here We Go Magic and Born Ruffians will set the tone for an evening of indie pop. Then punk rock takes over with Bad Religion, whose new album is making records sales. First up will be The Hunter, The Balconies and the winner of the Clic ton band contest. So get there early!

For metal fans, Parc de la Francophonie is the place to be! In their only canadian appearance and their first in Quebec City, the 15 musicians of the German band Avantasia, known for their symphonic metal sound, are here with a grandiose rock opera. Voivod will be celebrating its 30th year, up right after Never More than Less. The Festival is also welcoming folk legend Emmylou Harris and her guitarist Rodney Crowell, with songs from their country-folk duo album Yellow Moon. Bears of Legend will be opening. Look for big crowds for Canadian pop rock band Marianas Trench, who just won the Juno Award for Group of the Year. Down with Webster will get things rolling along with Quebec City’s own Final State.

Hydro-Québec Stage at Place Metro in Place d’Youville

A lively program of world beat, blues, soul, reggae, pop and electro music will have the Hydro-Québec stage hopping every evening this year!

World music fans, get ready to dance to the music of Amadou et Mariam, Kassav’, Fatoumata Diawara, Locos for Juana and the inimitable Balkan Beat Box. Afrobeat is out in full force with Femi Kuti & The Positive Force, a big name in afrofunk, and The Souljazz Orchestra.

Danakil, Reggae Meta and The Cornerstones will fill Place d’Youville with the laid-back sound of reggae, with some help from French reggae masters Alpha Blondy & The Solar System.

Soul fans will be happy to see soul funk legend Booker T. Jones in a lineup that includes The Dynamite featuring Charles Walker and Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, who lights a fire everywhere she goes. Gospel soul is also on tap with The Relatives and Naomi Shelton & The Gospel.

Blues lovers won’t want to miss James Hunter, The Slide Brothers, and Dr. John, the Night Tripper, here directly from New Orleans.

There will also be plenty of music in French at Place d’Youville, with Loco Locass playing songs from their latest album, Le Québec est mort, vive le Québec! Noir Silence and Canailles will be playing at Place d’Youville that same evening. Festival favourite Daran will also be back, with Zaz headlining.

The beating heart of the Festival, the Hydro-Québec Stage will also host Socalled, Nomadic Massive, Nick Waterhouse, Charly Yapo, Sagapool, Coyote Bill, Kodiak, Gotta Logo Project, William Sevigny, Jeanphilip and Ampli de Québec artists Julielle, Maude, Équinoxe and The Seasons.

“Year after year, the FEQ is a driving force for the local economy that helps keep the financial outlook sound. But in addition to the millions of dollars the Festival brings in, it also builds a level of technical expertise that can’t be beat,” Board Chairman Mario Girard pointed out.

Geneviève Borne, President of the 25th Prix Miroir

The Prix Miroir, sponsored by SODEC and awarded at the end of the Festival d’été de Québec, recognizes the talent of local and guest artists. Geneviève Borne will preside over the jury in this 25th anniversary year. Active in the cultural milieu for over 20 years, and co-host of Belle & Bum (a Quebec tv show), she has always been a music lover above all. And this Quebec City native has never been shy about saying that the Festival d’été de Québec is her pick! Organizers are pleased to have this outstanding communicator as the spokesperson for the 25th Prix Miroir awards.

Again this year, the Festival is looking for an avid music lover from the public to sit on the Prix Miroir jury! Interested candidates will find details on the Festival website. Go for it!

The 46th edition of the Festival d’été de Québec will be held from July 4 to 14, 2013.

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75,000 Passes for 46th Annual Festival d’été de Québec to Go on Sale Dec. 1

Look for 75,000 passes for the 46^th Festival d’été de Québec to go on sale starting at noon on Saturday, December 1. This early-bird sale will be held exclusively online and by phone, ending December 31 or when passes are sold out. The price is $66, taxes and service fee included. Starting February 23, 2013, an additional 75,000 passes will go on sale at the regular price of $76, taxes and service fee included.

The 46^th edition of the Festival d’été de Québec will be held from July 4 to 14, 2013 in Quebec City.

“First, we took into account the criticism and comments we’ve been hearing in the past few years. Then we looked at what was being done elsewhere, by the other big festivals drawing tens of thousands of participants, like us. We settled on what seems to be the fairest and easiest solution for everyone and the most widely-used. Plus, by extending the purchasing period, we hope to avoid overloading the system,” explained the general manager of the Festival d’été de Québec, Daniel Gélinas.

So take note:

– 2 dates: December 1, 2012 and February 23, 2013
– 2 prices: $66 and $76
– 2 ways to buy: Internet and telephone

“By concentrating sales online or by phone, we’ll be able to get contact information for all our buyers and build a genuine community that we can communicate with from now on,” pointed out Festival chair of the board, Nancy Savard.

The Festival pass includes a Bell RFID wristband and a flashing badge, and is good for all 11 days of Festival shows, at all the outdoor and indoor venues. As in past years, you can buy up to 4 passes per transaction with a choice of delivery by mail or pick-up in person at the Laurier Québec shopping mall.

“Laurier Québec has agreed to work with us to make it easier for people to pick up their passes locally, and we really appreciate their collaboration,” Gélinas added.

For full details on this special sale go to http://www.infofestival.com.

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Cape May, NJ’s Craft Beer & Crab Festival comes to Emlen Physick Estate, August 11

Don’t miss great family fun with steamed crabs, corn on the cob, pulled pork, local and regional craft beers and all-day entertainment during a traditional summer feast at the Craft Beer & Crab Festival Saturday, Aug. 11, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) with major funding by PNC Bank and Gold Coast Production Management.

Come to the beautiful grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St. and stretch out on the lawn or relax under the tent during this all-day festival that celebrates the best of summer in Cape May and was named one of the 5 Best NJ Summer Festivals by CBS NY.

Have fun cracking open freshly steamed crabs and savor the delicious sweetness of this summertime picnic favorite. Choose from other favorite summer foods including corn on the cob and pulled pork sandwiches. Try some French crepes or stop by the hot dog stand where you can purchase hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy, cookies, soda and freshly squeezed lemonade. Cool off with ice cream and water ice.

Wash down these delicious summertime foods with craft beer from local and regional breweries in the beer garden under a tent on the estate lawn. Purchase and enjoy a variety of local and regional craft beers from Cape May Brewing Company, Tuckahoe Brewing Company and Victory Brewing Company, from the Harrison Beverage 10-tap beer truck. Other selections will include a light beer, a hard lemonade and some non-beer beverages.

Relax under the shade of the estate’s mature trees and listen to live music on the stage near Hill House. Bring a lawn chair or spread out your beach blanket for a great afternoon and evening of musical performers. The lineup begins at 12 p.m. with Reed’s Blues, a three-piece blues band. At 1 p.m. it’s the high energy meta-funk music of The JL3, comprised of local musicians Jason Brown, Chuck Embley and Tom Meehan. At 3 p.m. it’s New Pony, hailing from the City of Brotherly Love, with a raw, adrenaline-pumping funk and soul. At 4 p.m., Linwood native Dave Landry takes to the stage on acoustic guitar and at 5 p.m. you’ll hear Kelly Carvin Band with her sensual yet sweet mix of popular, rock, folk and country. At 6 p.m., Croatian-born Kruno Spisic brings his Django Gypsy jazz to the evening stage, with sweet Balkan melodies, romantic songs and jazz. In between, a DJ will keep the music going.

Test your skill with games of chance at an old-fashioned Victorian carnival arcade. Jugglers and acrobats from the Give & Take Little Circus will delight and entertain all throughout the day and offer lessons in juggling. Ponies and horses will be on hand for supervised rides for children and adults. Have you ever seen a painted pony? You can “decorate” ponies in this fun, hands-on painting activity that is cool and refreshing for the horse.

Explore the variety of crafts and food vendors on the estate grounds selling hand-made and vintage items. These include: Bliss Homemade Organic Ice Cream, West Cape May, N.J., with organic ice cream and ice cream sandwiches; Gindo’s Hot Sauce, Los Angeles, Calif.; The Jewelry Boutique, Downingtown, Pa., with sterling silver and gemstone jewelry; Oxford Handbags, Cochranville, Pa., with vegan handbags and alpaca wraps; and LB Tiles, Millville, N.J., with handmade and pressed tiles including Cape May Lighthouse designs.

Admission to the grounds is free and free parking is available. There will be a charge for crabs, food, beverages and some activities. Commemorative pint glasses and T-shirts will be available for purchase. Proceeds of the event benefit MAC’s numerous educational outreach programs.

The Craft Beer & Crab Festival is sponsored by MAC with funding provided at the “King Crab” level by PNC Bank and Gold Coast Production Management and at the “Horseshoe Crab” level by Exit Zero and the Fairthorne Bed & Breakfast.

The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) is a multifaceted not-for-profit organization committed to promoting the preservation, interpretation, and cultural enrichment of the Cape May region for its residents and visitors. MAC membership is open to all. For information about MAC’s year-round schedule of tours, festivals, and special events, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278, or visit MAC’s Web site at www.capemaymac.org. For information about restaurants, accommodations and shopping, call the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cape May at 609-884-5508.

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Springfield MO Hosts First Annual ‘Birthplace of Route 66’ Festival, Aug 13

Springfield, Mo. – The West Central Neighborhood Alliance is planning the first annual Birthplace of Route 66 Festival in Springfield, Mo.

The festival is set for noon-8 p.m. Aug. 13 on College Street west of Grant Avenue. Activities include live music, food, activities for kids, interpretive history, a classic car show and more.

On April 30, 1926, officials first proposed the name of Route 66, the new Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway that became one of the most famous roads in America. People from around the world seeking a unique look at American culture still travel the route even though it was officially removed from the U.S. highway system in 1985. Many portions of “The Mother Road” are still visible in Springfield, along with other sites and sights that were at their heyday when Route 66 was the main east-west route through the country.

“It is important that people realize the significance of Route 66 in the history of the city and the country, and that it was born here,” said David Eslick, a member of the Route 66 Association of Missouri and co-chair of the festival. “This festival will be a fun way to achieve that recognition.”

The Birthplace of Route 66 Festival is designed to celebrate and remember the role Springfield played in the Route 66 era. College Street, where the festival will take place, is on the original Route 66 byway.

Partnering with the festival will be Mother’s Brewing (Springfield’s newest craft brewery) and Bud’s Tire & Wheel (established in 1958 to distribute custom wheels to its Route 66 customers). More than 3,000 people visited Mother’s “Backyard” to celebrate its grand opening in May and raise money for Joplin tornado relief.

Tickets for the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival are $3 in advance at Machino’s, 1715 S. Campbell Ave., and Urban Districts Alliance, 304 W. McDaniel St. Cost at the gate is $5. Children 5 and younger are free.

For more information about the festival, call Urban Districts Alliance at 417-831-6200.

For more information about Springfield, visit www.SpringfieldAdventures.com or call the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-678-8767.

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