James Taylor, 311, David Cook Among National Acts to Perform At SunFest 2009

James Taylor, 311, David Cook Among National Acts to Perform At SunFest 2009

Multi-day discount offers best music value in Florida

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SunFest, Florida's largest music, art and waterfront festival, will be held April 29-May 3, along one of the most scenic sections of Flagler Drive in downtown West Palm Beach. National headline entertainment scheduled to perform include 311, James Taylor, David Cook, Classic Albums Live, UB40, G Love & Special Sauce, Spyro Gyra and Jack's Mannequin. Additional entertainment announcements will be made as they are confirmed.

"James Taylor is one of the most sought after performers and we are proud to present him at SunFest along with some of the top national talent we have confirmed," said Paul Jamieson, Executive Director of SunFest. "We know the economy is weighing heavily on people and we are planning for a great festival. I think pretty soon people will be looking for a little fun, and it will be right here in their backyard."

This year's advertising campaign showcases SunFest as a great getaway, and a local one for South Florida residents. Copy from the 5 days of freedom advertising campaign includes:

360 days a year: Sleep. Eat. Work. Repeat...

5 days of freedom at SunFest: Chow. Sip. Dance. Party. Rock. Laugh. Repeat...

   Enjoy the best getaway of the year... in your own back yard.     Opening Night with 311 and New Music Night  

Continuing the success of last year's inaugural New Music Night, Wednesday's opening night will feature the established and popular band 311 along with New Music talent on multiple stages. In February the public will be asked to vote on acts organizers should make offers to appear at SunFest. The list will include national and regional up and coming music acts.

"New Music Night was a great new addition to the SunFest line-up," said Jamieson. "We know that headline entertainment is an important part of the value too, so bringing a popular act like 311 that has not been in the area for awhile and showcasing the hot new musical acts makes Opening Night with New Music an unbelievable value and experience for anyone who loves music."

SunFest Early Bird Discount and Multi-Day Ticket Value

SunFest multi-day tickets are a considerable value with the Early Bird discount, offering even more savings. The average cost of a multi-day pass for other South Florida music festivals such as Langerado, and Ultra Music Festival is $136.20. The cost of a single show at a local venue hovers around $56. The SunFest Early Bird discount deal for a 5-day pass featuring more than 50 concerts is $60.

"We know people are looking for affordable ways to enjoy themselves," said Jamieson. "At $60 for 5 days of concerts, there isn't a better deal to be had in the music scene. The best deals are the ones people can get early and for multiple days. If you buy a 5-day Early Bird pass, you're paying $12 per day."

2-day pass with Early Bird Discount: $45* - only $22.50 per day, save $8.50 per day off 1-day regular festival ticket

2-day pass (regular price): $49

5-day pass Early Bird Discount: $60* -only $12 per day, save $19 off 1-day regular festival ticket

   5-day pass (regular price): $65   *Early Bird discount ends April 26.    National Entertainers   

311 will perform on Wednesday evening, April 29. 311 incorporates a variety of musical styles including Alternative rock, Hip Hop, Ska, Reggae and Funk. The band's hits include "Do You Right," "Down," "All Mixed Up," "Come Original," and "Amber." Many 311 songs have been played in movie soundtracks such as: Surf's Up, Remember the Daze, Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

James Taylor will make his SunFest debut on Thursday evening, April 30. James Taylor is a Grammy Award winning songwriter and guitarist. His music incorporates a mixture of folk rock, soft rock, and country rock. Some of Taylor's hits include "Fire and Rain," "Carolina On My Mind," and successful cover versions of "You've Got a Friend," "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)," "Handy Man," and "Up on the Roof."

Classic Albums Live will perform on Saturday afternoon, May 2. Classic Albums Live is a Canadian classic rock group that performs music from Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones and more. Featured albums at SunFest will be Jimi Hendrix's "Are You Experienced", The Who's "Who's Next", and The Beatles' "Abbey Road."

David Cook will perform on Saturday evening, May 2. David Cook is an Alternative rock singer and songwriter from Houston, Texas. Known for winning the seventh season of American Idol, Cook released his first post-Idol album last November. Some of Cook's hits include "Dream Big," "Declaration," "Permanent," "Come Back to Me," "The Time of My Life," and "Light On."

UB40 will perform on Saturday evening, May 2. UB40 is a British reggae band from England. UB40 has been recognized as one of the most successful reggae acts of all time in terms of record sales (over 70 million), chart positions and touring schedule. UB40 is best known for their No. 1 hits "Red Red Wine," "Can't Help Falling in Love," and "I Got You Babe."

G Love & Special Sauce will perform on Sunday afternoon, May 3. G Love & Special Sauce is an alternative hip-hop band. Known for their unique, "sloppy" and "laid back" sound, some of their hits include "Cold Beverage," "Stepping Stone," "Rodeo Clowns," and "Astronaut."

Spyro Gyra will perform on Sunday afternoon, May 3. Spyro Gyra is an American jazz band from Buffalo, New York. Their musical structure is a mixture of jazz with R&B, funk, and pop music. With over 10 million copies sold over their career, Spyro Gyra is among the most prolific bands within their music genre.

Jack's Mannequin will perform on Sunday evening, May 3. Jack's Mannequin is an alternative rock band from Orange County, California. Recently, the band released their second album entitled The Glass Passenger, which received great reviews from music magazines (Spin, Alternative Press, Rolling Stone, etc.) and a huge acceptance from fans. Some of their hits include "The Mixed Tape," "Dark Blue," "The Lights and Buzz," and "The Resolution."

More entertainment announcements will be made as they are confirmed. Reserved seats for national headline performances will go on sale to the public on March 26. The purchase of reserved seats is available now to Club SunFest members.

2009 Ticket Information

Tickets for SunFest 2009 are on sale now online at www.sunfest.com, at the SunFest store located at 525 Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach, and by calling 1-800-SUNFEST.

Tickets will be available beginning April 12 at participating Publix Super Markets in Palm Beach and Martin counties.

   1-day festival ticket: $29    2-day pass with Early Bird Discount: $45*   2-day pass (regular price): $49    5-day pass Early Bird Discount: $60*   5-day pass (regular price): $65   

Seniors 65 and older: 1-day festival tickets are $20 (available only at the gate)

   Children 6-12 with Early Bird Discount: $8*   Children 6-12 (regular price): $10    Children 5 & under: Free    *Early Bird discount ends April 26.    2009 Festival Days/Hours   Wednesday, April 29: 5-10 p.m.   Thursday, April 30: 5-10 p.m.   Friday, May 1: 5-11 p.m.   Saturday, May 2: Noon-11 p.m.   Sunday, May 3: Noon-9 p.m.    National City Juried Fine Art & Craft Show Days/Hours   Friday, May 1: 5-10 p.m.   Saturday, May 2: Noon-10 p.m.   Sunday, May 3: Noon-9 p.m.    Family Activities Tent Days/Hours   Friday, May 1: 5-10 p.m.   Saturday, May 2: Noon-10 p.m.   Sunday, May 3: Noon-9 p.m.    The Verizon Wireless Fireworks Show  

The Verizon Wireless Fireworks Show closes the Festival with a bang on Sunday, May 3 at 9 p.m.

About SunFest

SunFest 2009 will be held from April 29-May 3 along the Flagler Drive waterfront in West Palm Beach, Florida. SunFest of Palm Beach County, Inc., a nonprofit organization based in West Palm Beach, is a Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council Funded Project and is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Arts Council. For more information about SunFest, visit www.sunfest.com or call (561) 659-5980 or 1-800-SUNFEST.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: SunFest of Palm Beach County, Inc.

CONTACT: Melissa Sullivan of SunFest of Palm Beach County, Inc.,
+1-561-837-8065, msullivan@sunfest.com

Web Site: http://www.sunfest.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment