Detroit Metro CVB and Partners Announce Return of '3 Days in The D' Labor Day Weekend in Metro Detroit

Detroit Metro CVB and Partners Announce Return of '3 Days in The D' Labor Day Weekend in Metro Detroit

DETROIT, July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Green initiatives, the world's largest live festival blog, a new racing series and rich jazz traditions from Detroit and Philadelphia are among the new features offered at "3 Days in The D" this Labor Day weekend, the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau (DMCVB) announced today.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070131/CLW063LOGO )

Three signature events, the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, Detroit International Jazz Festival and Chrysler Arts, Beats & Eats are jointly marketed as "3 Days in The D." Spearheaded by the DMCVB and the City of Detroit, "3 Days in The D" is in partnership with each event, helping to set the stage for one of the most popular and active weekends of the summer, August 29 - September 1.

The 2008 "3 Days in The D" events have an exciting lineup of new activities for all ages. This year's Detroit International Jazz Festival is "A Love Supreme: the Philly/Detroit Summit" featuring a tribute to Motown's Marvin Gaye, a nod to Philly soul with Dee Dee Sharp, a battle of the big bands with the Count Basie and Gerald Wilson orchestras on stage at the same time, blues guitarist Derek Trucks and gospel with Dorinda Clark and Calvin Cooke's Sacred Steel. With a new commitment to jazz education, the festival will feature 29 middle and high school bands from Michigan as well as college bands from Philadelphia, Boston and Stockton.

Meanwhile, in Pontiac, Chrysler Arts, Beats & Eats will be going green with ITC Greenways. These green initiatives including major recycling efforts with volunteer manned waste bins, use of bio made and degradable cups, plates and utensils at all food and beverage locations, two blocks of environmental non-profit and vendor booths, recycled materials used for all children's crafts with Arts & Scraps, and festival goers will be encouraged to take public transportation through promotions with SMART or ride their bikes along the Clinton River Trail to our bike corral. Don't forget to join the world's largest live festival blog by sharing your thoughts at the Blogin Cafe, or show your gaming guitar skills in the Guitar Hero Championships. In addition, the festival will be honoring military families at the Chrysler Freedom Fest.

Fans can expect more family entertainment, cars, drivers and teams -- along with a new racing series - at this year's Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix. Featuring the recently-unified IndyCar Series, the American Le Mans Series and, new for 2008, the SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT Championship, the on-track action will be spectacular at the Grand Prix. Live concerts featuring national musical acts will perform Saturday and Sunday, there will be plenty of new activities in the Family Fun Zone and an increased focus on environmentally friendly "green" racing initiatives and fan comfort throughout the weekend, including improved transportation on and off the island.

"Labor Day Weekend is the perfect time for metro Detroiters and visitors to truly experience The D. We anticipate this year's "3 Days in The D" to be bigger and better than last year," said Larry Alexander, DMCVB President & CEO. "With all the new activities at each event, we encourage metro Detroiters to spend some of this Labor Day Weekend in The D. And Detroit is an accessible, affordable alternative as a Midwestern big city vacation destination. "

The Michigan State Fair in Detroit, Michigan Peach Festival in Romeo and the Michigan Renaissance Festival in Holly complete a great weekend in the region.

For more information about "3 Days in The D," go to www.visitdetroit.com .

Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix

In 2007, the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix brought world-class auto racing back to the Motor City for the first time in six years as more than 100,000 people witnessed three days of racing and family fun on Belle Isle and generated nearly $53 million in economic impact for metro Detroit. Featuring the IndyCar Series and the American Le Mans Series, the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix will take place Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29-31, 2008. New this year is the SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT Championship series. Friday, August 29 will include practice for the IndyCar Series and qualifying for the American Le Mans Series. Saturday, August 30 will include IndyCar Series qualifying and the Detroit Sports Car Challenge presented by Bosch American Le Mans Series race. After the SPEED World Challenge qualifying and race, the Detroit Indy Grand Prix presented by Firestone featuring the cars and stars of the newly- unified IndyCar Series will take the green flag on Sunday, August 31.

The Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix is organized and promoted by a subsidiary of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, whose chairman is Roger Penske. A special charitable organization has been established that enables all net proceeds raised by the Grand Prix to fund measures for the improvement and preservation of Belle Isle. Go to www.detroitgp.com for more details.

Chrysler, Arts, Beats & Eats

Chrysler Arts, Beats & Eats, Oakland County's Taste, Music & Arts Festival celebrates art, cuisine, music, and humanity throughout downtown Pontiac, Aug. 29 - Sept. 1, 2008. The festival offers a little bit of everything for everyone. The arts -- more than 150 artists display in one of the top ranked art shows in the US, giving attendees the opportunity to discover an artist of their own. The music -- in 2007, more than 175 musical acts took to the festival's seven stages. This year is likely to see about as many, including local acts and internationally known headliners. The eats -enjoy a wide variety of edible delights from 50 local restaurants. SMART will provide the official shuttle transportation for Chrysler Arts, Beats & Eats in downtown Pontiac. Go to www.artsbeatseats.com for more details.

Detroit International Jazz Festival

Billed as A Love Supreme: the Philly/Detroit Summit, the 2008 Detroit International Jazz Festival, Aug. 29 - Sept. 1, will celebrate the storied jazz and soul traditions of these two great American cities. The festival will feature Philadelphia native and renowned bassist Christian McBride as artist in residence. Throughout the weekend, attendees will have the opportunity to see Dianne Reeves, Kenny Barron, Geri Allen, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Roy Hargrove, Pat Martino and many more. Other performances include a battle of the bands between the Count Basie and Gerald Wilson Orchestras, a B-3 Saturday Night Fish Fry, a Here & Now Stage for emerging and regional artists, a KidBop area, Jazz Talk Tent and a Philly/Detroit jazz tribute to Marvin Gaye with vocalists Lalah Hathaway and Rahsaan Patterson. The Detroit International Jazz Festival is the largest free jazz festival in North America, attracting more than 750,000 people, and was voted one of the top five festivals in the U.S. in the January 2008 JazzTimes Reader's Poll. Go to www.detroitjazzfest.com for more details.

"3 Days in The D"

"3 Days in The D" promotes the signature events taking place Labor Day weekend, including the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, Detroit International Jazz Festival, and Chrysler Arts, Beats & Eats. "3 Days in The D" is a celebration of the end of summer in Detroit, highlighting The D's great music, art, racing, food and other fun. The promotion is a partnership of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, City of Detroit, Detroit International Jazz Festival, Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix and Chrysler Arts, Beats and Eats. For more details, log onto visitdetroit.com .

The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau is a private, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to market and sell the metropolitan Detroit area on a worldwide basis as a destination for leisure and business travel including conventions, trade shows corporate meetings, tours and incentive travel and as a film location to maximize additional visitors, visitor expenditures, state and local tax revenues, and job opportunities. More than 800 businesses are represented in the DMCVB's membership. The DMCVB was founded in 1896 as the world's first convention and visitors bureau. www.visitdetroit.com .

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Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070131/CLW063LOGO
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PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau

CONTACT: Renee Monforton, +1-313-202-1951, or Carolyn Artman,
+1-313-202-1952, both of Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau

Web site: http://www.visitdetroit.com/
http://www.detroitjazzfest.com/

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