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Nakija Mills shows chocolate covered strawberries that she will offer at Lekker Choco Treats during this year’s event.
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
ROYAL OAK — At a special press conference July 25, organizers for Arts, Beats & Eats announced this year’s headliners for the festival.
Taking over the Jim Beam National Stage Sept 1-4 during Arts, Beats & Eats will be Bell Biv DeVoe, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Halestorm, Collective Soul, Russell Dickerson and Randy Houser.
The headliners will be joining more than 200 musical acts who will be performing across nine stages in Royal Oak. Event Producer Jon Witz said Arts, Beats & Eats has a great team that reviews all the musical applicants in order to create a diverse lineup.
“We’re really excited about the national music lineup,” he said. “It’s just one of the best in our history. Certainly the most we’ve invested in.”
“There’s just a great review process and consideration to bring talented creators of arts and culture to the event,” he continued.
Witz noted the months of work it takes to organize the event, and he said that entering the final month before Arts, Beats & Eats takes place is beyond exciting.
“We just got to be at our best and ready to deliver a great show and have a little fortune, too,” he said.
During the press conference, organizers randomly selected two musical acts that will perform on the national stage at next year’s Arts, Beats & Eats event. The two selected were Roots Vibrations and Ensemble Hanabi.
Tsubasa Okada, the president of the Ensemble Hanabi club, was shocked by the selection.
“We just got chosen out of nowhere,” he said. “I was surprised. … It’s a big step up. It’s an experience for sure. I’m just astonished right now.”
Ensemble Hanabi will be performing this year from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1, on the Flagstar Bank International Stage. The group performs a variety of percussion-based music, but primarily plays the marimba.
Okada, 19, said most of the group is from middle and high school, though it is not school-based and is a private ensemble. They formed in 2020 and have performed throughout Michigan — mainly at local events — making Arts, Beats & Eats the first big stage they will be playing.
“It’s the first time coming to Arts, Beats & Eats and it’s the first time playing at such a big event,” he said. “We’re very excited.”
At a previous press conference in June, it was mentioned that the event was working on getting approval for the sales and consumption of cannabis at an area on the festival grounds.
Chief Corporate Operations and General Counsel for House of Dank Mike DiLaura officially announced the approval was obtained and cannabis will be available at Arts, Beats & Eats.
“This is going to be the single largest festival in the history of the world to introduce legalized cannabis,” he said.
DiLaura stated that people will be able to purchase and consume cannabis products at DankLand, which will be located near Seventh Street.
“We’re going to have one discrete place where you’re going to be able to do this,” he said. “We understand that we’re pioneers right now in bringing cannabis use in a legal way to festivals like this, and we’re respectful of that. So we’re gonna do it the right way.”
Witz said cannabis will not be at every corner of the festival and that it will be understated.
“It’s going to start breaking the ground for the presence of the cannabis industry at major events,” he said.
Advance tickets to the festival cost $7 up until the week before Arts, Beats & Eats takes place. The festival also revealed the participating eateries and information on its juried art show at the press conference. For more information and tickets, visit www.artsbeatseats.com.
