``Festival Nights: Music On Fillmore Plaza'' Concert Series Makes Debut At Cherry Creek Arts Festival; Local Bands Selected to Delight Community 20-Somethings

Business Wire, June 27, 2002

Business/Feature Editors & News/Assignment Writers

The Cherry Creek Arts Festival, a non-profit agency dedicated to educating and exposing Coloradans to the arts, announced today the introduction of Festival Nights: Music on Fillmore Plaza at this year's Arts Festival.

Made possible by Coors Light, Alice 106 and Pepsi, Festival Nights presents live music, food and beverages under the stars Fourth of July weekend. One local band will perform each night on the Janus Main Stage at Fillmore Plaza, Friday, July 5th, and Saturday, July 6th, from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m.

"Festival Nights is a great fit with this year's theme, `Celebrating the Art of Community,'" said Ginger White, Cherry Creek Arts Festival program and marketing manager. "Music is an essential element of community, bringing people together to share a positive experience. We wanted to have a great music offering for 20-somethings to enjoy over the holiday weekend. Patrons will benefit from a strong lineup showcasing two local bands."

Friday's concert includes Denver's own SoulThieves, sponsored by local radio station Alice 106. SoulThieves melds the sounds of rock and roll with a dash of soul. Their blend of rock, soul and funk is in the vein of Matchbox 20, Vertical Horizon and Lenny Kravitz. SoulThieves has played regional venues as well as local gigs at the Bluebird and Ogden Theatres, among others.

Saturday night's lineup is decidedly international, presenting Jaka, a Boulder-based World Beat marimba band. Jaka's style is an eclectic melding of East African beats, Caribbean rhythms, funk and rock. Their music is reminiscent of Paul Simon's uplifting Rhythm of the Saints. Their animated performances include exuberant jamming on large wooden marimba keys, steel drums and congas.

About The Cherry Creeks Arts Festival Non-profit Organization

The Cherry Creek Arts Festival is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating and exposing Coloradans to the arts. It fulfills its year-round educational mission through broad school and outreach programs. The Organization's efforts culminate in its annual Cherry Creek Arts Festival, an internationally acclaimed event where world renowned artists come together to display and sell their works in one of the world's largest outdoor galleries. The non-profit organization relies on support from grants, sponsorships, and corporate and individual gifts to fund its programs and events.

2002 Arts Festival Sponsors

-- A.B. Hirschfeld Press

-- Cherry Creek Shopping Center

-- Cherry Creek North

-- ColoradoBiz

-- Colorado Homes and Lifestyles Magazine

-- Coors Light

-- Denver Metro Volvo Dealers Association

-- Eldorado Natural Spring Water

-- FASTFRAME of Cherry Creek

-- Frontier Airlines

-- Gay and Lesbian Fund for Colorado

-- Janus

-- KCEC-TV 50 Univision

-- KOSI/KEZW/99.5 The Mountain/Alice 106

-- Leisure Resorts

-- Left Brain Concepts, Inc.

-- Lineaux

-- Loews Denver Hotel

-- Lowry Economic Redevelopment Authority

-- Noodles & Company

-- Pepsi Bottling Company

-- Rocky Mountain News

-- RTD

-- Rubottom & Kaplan

-- Sprint

-- Square One Creative, Inc.

-- Stellar Web Studios, Inc.

-- Tehama

-- Daniel L. Woodrow, P.C.

-- UMB Bank

The Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District hosts the Arts Festival with additional support from the City and County of Denver and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District.