Farmington Hills, Michigan (August 1, 2011) —Jeff Daniels tops the list of artist additions for the first-annual MI Fest (mi · fest mī – fest noun: an outdoor music festival featuring the best of Michigan’s food, industry, art and music) on September 17, 2011 that features headliners The Raconteurs and Sheryl Crow.
In addition to Daniels, MI Fest has added The Ben Daniels Band (with Jeff Daniels’ son at the helm) and The Ragbirds.
Other artists already announced to appear on MI Fest’s multiple stages include Alto Reed’s AllStars, Bear Lake, Hot Club of Detroit, Jill Jack, Mark Farner (formerly of Grand Funk Railroad), Marnée, Mitch Ryder, The Howling Diablos, The Juliets, The Rockets, The Romantics, Ty Stone & The Truth, Whitey Morgan & The 78s. More artist announcements are expected.
Tickets for the first annual festival, to be held on the lush grounds of Michigan International Speedway (12626 US Highway 12) in Brooklyn, Michigan, are available for $79 (no hidden convenience fees). Re-entry will be allowed. Children 12 and under are free accompanied by a ticketed adult. To get tickets, call 800-354-1010 or go to www.mi-fest.com.
For festival-goers wanting a red carpet experience, VIP tickets ($109) will provide shelter, special parking, entrance and concessions, and a chance to mingle with MI Fest performers.
Premier camping facilities at MI Fest cost $35 for rustic sites and $50 for electric sites for the entire weekend; RV rental is also available. Camp grounds open on Friday, September 16 at 5 p.m. and festival goers will not need their cars once parked, as there is a continuous shuttle to the festival just across the street. Camp grounds close on Sunday, September 18 at noon.
Gates to MI Fest will open at noon on Saturday, September 17 with the first show starting at 1 p.m. and last performance wrapping up at 11 p.m. The ticket office will be open from 11 a.m.
More than a music fest, MI Fest is a true multisensory experience. Festival grub will be provided by many Michigan restaurants and companies, including Bob Evans Restaurants, American Coney Island, Jacque’s Tacos, Chicken Man, Sol Garden, Ideal Bite Catering, CJ Kona Shaved Ice and Randy’s BBQ. Badass Beer will be there to wash it all down.
The Walker Tavern Farmers Market will be on-site, along with festival memorabilia and an outdoor marketplace featuring local artisans, transforming this one-day music festival into a weekend-long excursion. Detroit’s beloved rock magazine Creem, currently being relaunched, will be selling T-shirts and other merchandise.
In addition, there will be a MI Fest Art Gallery, curated by Mark Arminski, including works by Carl Lungren, Sue Rynski, Leni Sinclair, Tom Weshler, Stanley Mouse and Johnny Bee Badanjek – many of whom have played extensive roles in the poster and photo art of Michigan’s music scene.
