They said it couldn't happen. But after Arts, Beats and Eats invaded downtown Royal Oak over Labor Day weekend, it did more than make a success of an annual festival. ABE also raised a record amount of money for charity. The four-day festival of art, music and food announced it had raised a record $351,213 for charity -- to be distributed among more than 90 different nonprofits.
More than 425,000 people visited ABE this summer, a massive increase over 2009's numbers (245,000). The festival brought $39 million dollars to the region.
Excerpt:
"The
charity money is to be distributed among more than 90 nonprofits. That
includes $164,000 from admission fees that is to be shared by 13 major
charities, such as
the Red Cross
and Detroit Public Television; $77,000 from beverage sales that is to
go to 22 nonprofits, ranging from smaller groups like the Alpine Blind
Skiers to the YMCA, and $18,000 in fees from official parking locations
to be shared by 34 organizations, many of them in Royal Oak, including
the animal shelter, nature society and Optimists Club.
"
Read more
here.
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