Royal Oak’s Arts, Beats & Eats announced it will pre-sell tickets for the first time, as well as access to “Fast Lane” entrances with hopes to make the long-standing Labor Day weekend festival run more smoothly.
Organizers say tickets will go on sale in late July, with a discounted rate for early-bird purchases, at artsbeatseats.com.
That’s not the only change in store for the 2023 edition of the festival, which draws art vendors, restaurants, and local and national music acts, and some 365,000 attendees in 2022. Organizers also said on Wednesday that sponsor Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort plans to transform Royal Oak’s Fifth Street into “a New York-style Times Square featuring a mesmerizing video wall showcasing captivating scenes from the festival and Soaring Eagle.”
As previously reported, Arts, Beats & Eats is also eyeing a cannabis consumption area for the first time in 2023. Royal Oak approved cannabis consumption at Arts, Beats & Eats earlier this year, and festival organizers now wait for the state of Michigan to finish the approval process.
The cannabis consumption would take place in a lounge sponsored by dispensary chain House of Dank, which returns as the festival’s cannabis sponsor. If approval is finalized, it would make Arts, Beats & Eats the first major Michigan festival to offer licensed cannabis consumption.
“One of the big stories for the festival this year is that the City of Royal Oak approved cannabis sales at Arts, Beats & Eats, and we are excited to present a safe, confined and creative space for sales and consumption of cannabis,” said House of Dank CCO and corporate counsel Michael DiLaura. “While the city has approved us, we are still waiting on approval from the State of Michigan and look forward to that happening soon to solidify a truly unique addition to this year’s Arts, Beats & Eats.”
Other news for this year’s event, slated for Friday, Sept. 1 through Monday, Sept. 4, includes its first-ever ban on single-use plastic bottles. Sponsors including Faygo, Anheuser Busch, and the cheekily named water company Liquid Death will offer canned drinks, while all other beverage options will use biodegradable corn-based cups. Recycling bins will also be installed across the festival footprint.
Corewell Health, formerly Beaumont Health, announced a three-year commitment to the festival, including its return as official sponsor of the Arts, Beats and Eats Juried Fine Art Show. Along with the Judson Center and the Ted Lindsey Foundation Hope Center, Corewell is also sponsoring free days for children on the autism spectrum and their parents.
The festival has also partnered with Baker College to give three students the opportunity to create exclusive menu items for the fest. A portion of proceeds from food sales will be donated to the nonprofit Open Hands Pantry.
Tickets will be sold for $7 in advance, or during the festival for $10 before 3 p.m. and $12 after 3 p.m. The full music lineup will be announced closer to the event.
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