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Comerica
Cityfest
Turns 21
and is
Ready to
Party
Fourth
of July
Weekend
2009
 DETROIT
–
Comerica
Cityfest
2009,
formerly
Tastefest,
is
setting
the
stage to
deliver
a
festival
that’s
as big
and
bangin’
as ever,
with the
best
tunes
and
tastes
in
Detroit
from
Wednesday,
July 1
to
Sunday,
July 5.
The
five-day,
FREE
event is
turning
21 this
year and
is of
age to
party
for a
great
cause,
raising
funds
for the
development
and
beautification
of
Detroit’s
Historic
New
Center.
Last
year,
hundreds
of
stoked
and
soaked
festival-goers
took
cover in
the
Fisher
Building
when a
torrential
summer
downpour
cut the
opening
day
short.
Little
did they
know
that
Cityfest
staff
was
already
planning
Rain
Check
Wednesday
for
2009.
The
festival
plans
for
clear
skies on
Wednesday,
July 1
for a
belated
kick-off
performance
by
hip-hop
veterans
De La
Soul,
while
local
stars
The
Silent
Years,
Jazzhead,
Magic
Shop,
The Dead
Bodies
and
others
will
reprise
their
’09
schedules
on the
Pure
Detroit,
Park and
Jazz
stages.
Five-time
Grammy-award-winning
blues
guitarist
Buddy
Guy will
close
the
festival
on
Sunday,
July 5,
with
selections
from his
recent
Grammy-nominated
album
Skin
Deep and
old
favorites
such as
Damn
Right
I’ve Got
the
Blues,
Feels
like
Rain and
First
Time I
Met the
Blues.
In
addition
to the
great
music,
Comerica
Cityfest
2009
will
once
again
transform
West
Grand
Boulevard
into the
area’s
largest
al
fresco
taste
event,
featuring
cuisine
diversity
that is
distinctly
Detroit.
Rounding
out the
returning
Cityfest
favorites
are the
2nd
Avenue
Street
Market,
Cityfest
Gallery,
Modern
Skate
course,
and
other
Cool and
Kids
Stuff
Galore.
Comerica
Cityfest
2009
will
maintain
its
extended
hours
offering
a great
time in
New
Center
from
11:30
a.m. to
11 p.m.,
Wednesday
through
Saturday,
and
11:30
a.m. to
8 p.m.
on
Sunday.
The
festival
will
also
continue
its
green
initiative
that was
announced
last
year,
including
banning
Styrofoam,
encouraging
the use
of green
products
such as
Green
Safe,
selling
100%
organic
cotton
festival
t-shirts
and
drastically
reducing
water
usage
through
better
distribution
practices.
“New
Center
Council
and
Comerica
are
pleased
to bring
back
this
great
summer
tradition
and keep
it free
to the
public,
especially
during
these
difficult
economic
times,”
said
Michael
Solaka,
New
Center
Council
president.
“Great
food,
music
and
culture
make
Detroit
a
special
place,
so it’s
important
for the
image of
Detroit
and the
vitality
of the
New
Center
district
to
continue
this
festival.”
New
Center
Council
also
reminds
the
public
that all
net
proceeds
from
food and
beverage
purchases
support
the free
entertainment
at
Cityfest
and
community-based
services
provided
by the
Council
year
around.
Founded
in 1989
as a
fundraiser
for New
Center
Council,
the
annual
music,
food and
cultural
event
has been
continually
improved
and
reinvented.
It was
renamed
Comerica
Cityfest
in 2007
to
reflect
the
event’s
maturing
into a
celebration
of city
life: a
locally
and
nationally
recognized
cultural
experience
offering
a
diverse
mix of
restaurants,
musicians,
merchants,
artists
and
children’s
activities.
Admission
to
Comerica
Cityfest
is free.
“Taste”
tickets
are $10
for 16
tickets.
For
updates
and
additional
information
about
Comerica
Cityfest
2009,
please
visit
www.comericacityfest.com
or call
313.872.0188.
Comerica
Cityfest
could
not
happen
without
the
generosity
of its
sponsors
which
include
Comerica
Bank,
Budweiser,
Pure
Detroit,
HAP,
Farbman
Group,
Henry
Ford
Health
System,
Jones
Lang
LaSalle,
FOX
WJBK-TV
and
Detroit
LISC.
Additional
details,
including
the
local
and
headlining
national
music
acts
that
have
become
the
hallmark
of
Comerica
Cityfest,
new
restaurants
and
brand
new
attractions,
will be
announced
as they
are
confirmed.
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