Viceroy Miami Hosts Dr. Etti Ben-Zion’s Detox Spa Event

MIAMI - Kor Hotel Management’s Viceroy Miami at Icon Brickell hosts the second Cleanse Miami seminar on Saturday, June 6. Guests will see the Viceroy’s 28,000-square-foot luxurious spa while experiencing Dr. Etti Ben-Zion’s intro to detox, including spa treatments and Yoga sessions.

In Cleanse Miami, Ben-Zion has extracted the most essential part of her seven-day program into a concentrated one-day seminar.

The Spa, centered around a 5,000 square-foot Water Lounge with a “floating library,” wading pool with waterborne sofas, three hot-and-cold plunge pools and fireplace will serve as the perfect platform for guests to experience better health, balance and happiness. All participants will receive 30 percent off spa treatments for the weekend of the event, June 5-7; overnight packages are available.

Viceroy’s Spa at IconBrickell, 485 Brickell Avenue. See www.viceroyiconbrickell.com/spa/ or https://dretti.com/events.php.

Florida Folk Festival in 57th Year; Set for Memorial Day Weekend

WHITE SPRINGS – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs will host the 57th Annual Florida Folk Festival during Memorial Day weekend. Opening ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 22 at the park, and performances will continue through Sunday, May 24.

“The Florida Folk Festival allows friends and families to kick off the summer with a celebration of Florida’s heritage and culture,” said Florida Park Service Director Mike Bullock. “For 56 years the festival has been a tradition for residents and visitors – highlighting Florida’s folk heritage, history and great music.”

Since 1953, folk artists have come together for one of the oldest state folk festivals in America; an early photo from the state’s Florida Memory collection is at right. The Florida Folk Festival is the state’s premier heritage event, celebrating Florida’s land, people and diverse culture with performances each day by native folk and roots artists; including national recording artists, songwriters and musicians of swing, folk, blues, gospel, country, Latin, jazz, bluegrass, Caribbean and zydeco.

Among the more than 200 scheduled performances, Grammy Award winning, Nashville recording artist, Billy Dean, will perform on the main stage Saturday night. Other highlighted performances include, Spanky & Our Gang, Doyle Dykes, Ben Prestage and Florida Folk Heritage Award Winner Jeanie Fitchen.

Festival attendees can also learn about Florida’s Nature Coast, which includes eight counties along the Gulf of Mexico from Wakulla to Pasco County. Florida’s Nature Coast is the 2009 Folklife area theme – presented each year to reflect research and field documentation conducted by the Florida Department of State’s Folklife program. Attractions in the Folklife area will include worm grunters from Sopchoppy, mermaids from Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, bluegrass gospel music, Mexican folkloric dance, and lasso and roping lessons and contests, as well as crafts and food.

Tickets for the Florida Folk Festival are $25 per day or $50 for the weekend at the gate. Children under six years of age are admitted free of charge. Ticket prices for children between the ages of six and 16 for the entire weekend are $5.00 at the gate.

Visitors planning a trip to the Florida Folk Festival are also encouraged to take part in DEP’s Rediscover Florida: 100 Ways in 100 Days campaign – an initiative urging Floridians and visitors to explore the exciting and affordable recreation Florida’s public lands offer – from the traditional (hiking, biking, and camping) to the unique (festivals, historic reenactments and museums).

The first two-time Gold Medal winner honoring the nation’s best state park service, Florida’s state park system is one of the largest in the country with 160 parks, which are open 365 days a year. Florida’s state parks, which span more than 700,000 acres and include 100 miles of sandy white beach, provide an affordable outing for people of all ages. Caladesi Island State Park, just off the coast of Pinellas County, was honored with the coveted Best Beach in the Nation award in 2008.

The Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park is located in White Springs on the banks of the Suwannee River. Gates open daily at 8:00 a.m. For more information on the festival, call 1-877-635-3655 or visit www.floridafolkfestival.com. For more information on Florida’s state parks, visit www.floridastateparks.org.

Smirnoff Ice Party May 7 for Miami’s Univision Radio

MIAMI BEACH - Smirnoff Ice, one of Diageo’s premium malt beverages, announced today a strategic partnership with Univision Radio, the leading Spanish-language radio group in the United States. The alliance will offer consumers an opportunity to enjoy this summer’s “coolest parties,” through a series of concert events sponsored by the makers of Smirnoff Ice and featuring today’s hottest Latin artists. Fans will have the chance to win tickets to attend the concerts through Univision Radio station giveaways. The summer festivities will kick-off May 7th at a launch party in Miami Beach.

“Our collaboration with Univision Radio allows us to reach millions of Latin music lovers as we kick-off the 2009 summer season with this national promotion,” said Mala Popli, senior brand manager for Smirnoff Ice. “Our consumers know there’s no better way to celebrate the summer than an outdoor concert… and to accompany that with a cold Smirnoff Ice.”

“We are delighted to partner with Smirnoff Ice on a program designed specifically for the Latino consumer, whose leisure activities are invariably paired with their favorite music,” says Jack Hobbs, Executive Vice President and Director of Corporate Sales for Univision Radio. “The network’s stations reach more than 12 million unique listeners every week. This alliance is mutually-beneficial for our radio network, the Smirnoff brand and consumers across the country.”

See www.coolcontodos.com

World Ballet Competition Set June 22-27 in Orlando

ORLANDO – The director and organizers of the 2009 World Ballet Competition are busily finalizing applications for this “Grand Prix” of the world’s most technically and artistically talented ballet dancers and choreographers pursuing professional careers in this art form. “At this time, the WBC selection panel is reviewing last minute applicants and soon will make a decision on their acceptance,” said Vasile Petrutiu, director and founder of the WBC.

More than 100 dancers from all around world will be in Orlando for this year’s competition. Nations represented include Armenia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Japan, New Zealand, Panama, Romania, Russia, Singapore, UK, US and Venezuela. The ballet competition will be held at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center, Orlando, Florida, June 22 – 27, 2009. For competition schedules, visit www.wbcorlando.com.

The 2007 and 2008 WBC top dancers were awarded more than $75,000 in cash prizes and over $90,000 in scholarships. WBC alumni are now dancing professionally in San Francisco, Boston, Washington, Miami, Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Germany, Russia, Sweden and Ukraine. Other WBC winners are now on scholarships at the Kirov Academy of Ballet, Washington, DC; Juliard Dance Program, NYC; Harid Conservatory, Boca Raton, FL; Miami City Ballet School, FL; Diablo Ballet Apprentice Program, UK; and Ballet Academy of Central Florida in Orlando.

The WBC culminates at 4 p.m. Saturday, June 27, 2009, with a Winners’ Gala Reception, Lecture and Awards Ceremony, followed at 7:30 pm by WBC’s “Gala of the Stars” performance.

Stars with Boston Ballet, Complexions Dance Company, San Francisco Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Washington Ballet and Corella Ballet of Spain will be featured among the winners of this year’s competition. Choreographies featured are of diverse styles ranging from the most traditional to the most provocative, contemporary choreographers such as George Balanchine, Nacho Duate, Dwight Rhoden, Viktor Plotnikov, Edgar Anido, and most excitingly the Choreography Award winners of the 2007, 2008 and 2009 World Ballet Competitions.

This year’s competition will be broadcast live to all participating countries.

For complete information visit our website www.wbcorlando.com or call 407-849-4669.

Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival May 21

TradeWinds Hosts Rays “Away” Game Beach Parties

ST. PETE BEACH – The TradeWinds Island Grand, the Official Beach Resort of the Tampa Bay Rays, are inviting baseball fans to head out to St. Pete Beach for fun-filled, family-friendly game watching parties all season long. The games will be broadcast on a huge screen directly on the beach. Radio station 620 WDAE “The Sports Animal” will broadcast live starting with their pre-game show and during the party and will be doing prize giveaways, including a certificate for a Beach Getaway at the TradeWinds per game. Food and beverages including grilled burgers and chicken sandwiches, wings and bratwurst with sauerkraut will be available for purchase. TradeWinds souvenirs will also be available for sale.

Thursday, May 7 – 7:05 p.m. – vs. New York Yankees
Sunday, June 7 – 1:05 p.m. – vs. New York Yankees
Sunday, July 19 – 2:10 p.m. – vs. Kansas City Royals
Sunday, August 30 – 1:05 p.m. – vs. Detroit Tigers
Sunday, September 13 – 1:35 p.m. – vs. Boston Red Sox

Free and open to the public at TradeWinds Island Grand, 5500 Gulf Boulevard, St. Pete Beach. Complimentary event parking will be available at both TradeWinds properties – the Island Grand and the neighboring Sandpiper Suites, until lots are full.

Better Angels Songwriting in Key West

KEY WEST - The Better Angels Key West Songwriters Festival will take place from April 28, 2009 through May 3, 2009. The 14th annual event, sponsored in-part by BMI and FURY Key West, will feature more than 130 performing songwriters in over 30 shows.

In connection with the festival, a limited edition CD will be sold to benefit the Nashville-based Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation. The proceeds will be used by the Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation to support educational programs and to foster opportunities for young, aspiring songwriters.

The limited edition CD is a collection of eclectic songs by multi-hit, performing songwriters. The CD features Desmond Myers and Kelsey Mula, alumni of Heart & Soul’s Noise! Camp, which is an annual two-week summer camp held at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, that aims to give students a first-hand look into the music industry. The CD also features several current number-one hit singles including:

• Kylie Sackley and Gary Burr — Nothin’ Bout Love Makes Sense — as
  made famous by LeAnn Rimes
• Jamey Johnson — In Color
• Tim Nichols — That’d Be Alright — as made famous by Alan Jackson
• Bob Dipiero — Till You Love Me — as made famous by Reba McEntire
• David Lee and David Turnbull — Lucky Man — as made famous by Montgomery Gentry.

Only 1,000 copies of the CD will be sold at the festival. The cost will be $20 per CD, while supplies last, and all proceeds will go towards the Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation. Any remaining quantities of the CD will be available for purchase on the Heart & Soul Foundation’s website, heart.muzak.com, beginning May 5, 2009.

“We are deeply honored to be the first-ever charity partner for the Better Angels Key West Songwriters Festival,” said Bob Cauley, President of the Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation. “This is a unique event that, like our limited edition CD, highlights the talents of songwriters. The CD, which will be available at the festival, features hit songs audiences know, sung by the songwriters themselves. We are excited to be working with Better Angels Music and to be a part of the Key West Songwriters Festival. Our foundation also looks forward to giving back to the Key West community with a surprise on the stage of the Big Show on Saturday night.”

Stephen P. Villa, Chief Executive Officer of Muzak and member of the Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation Board of Directors, said, “The Key West Songwriters Festival is an opportunity for Muzak and our Heart & Soul Foundation to celebrate songwriters and their music. It is also the perfect venue to increase awareness about the importance of music education. In our 75th year of operation, Muzak is dedicated to continuing the success of the Heart & Soul Foundation in order to give back to the communities we serve and to advance the foundation’s mission of redefining and supporting music education.”

About Muzak Heart and Soul

Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to redefining and supporting music education. Heart and Soul helps students channel their passion for music into real world opportunities by providing educational programs on all aspects of the music business. Established in 1998 by Muzak, a leading provider of business, music, and other sensory branding services that believes in the power of music education to change and better lives, the foundation grants over $100,000 annually to school music programs around the country.

About Muzak

Muzak creates experiences that reach more than 100 million people daily. Some of the biggest brands in business work with Muzak to enhance their brand image. More than 80 core music programs and an endless variety of custom programs are distributed through a national network of sales and service locations, from Muzak’s library of approximately 2.5 million tracks. For more information, visit www.muzak.com.

Cummer in Jacksonville Features Quilts

JACKSONVILLE – The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens presents “A Survey of Gee’s Bend Quilts”, May 12 – August 2. The quilts of the women of the tiny rural town of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, are praised by the New York Times as, “some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced.”

The quilts have been shown at major art museums across the United States. Call (904) 356-6857 or see www.thecummer.org.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Weekend July 2

DAYTONA BEACH – NASCAR returns to Daytona International Speedway in July for the mid-summer spectacular under the lights with the July Sprint Cup Weekend from July 2 – 4.

Visitors to the Daytona Beach area can enjoy Grand-Am’s Brumos Porsche 250 Rolex Sports Car Race on July 2, the July Nationwide Series Race on July 3, and the 51st running of the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola on July 4. See www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call (800) PIT-SHOP.

Picturing Eden at Ringling Museum

SARASOTA – Eden and paradise are themes that resonate across time and cultures, and are places that are still sought after today. “Picturing Eden,” an exhibit at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, features the concept of the garden as a symbol for both good and evil.

The exhibition, which runs May 9 – August 2, highlights the work of 37 photographic artists from six countries as they examine the ideas of paradise as a quiet, thoughtful place, as well as a place of despair. Organized into four sections; Paradise Lost, Paradise Reconstructed, Despairing of Paradise and Paradise Anew, the images explore the development and changing styles of the garden and the belief in paradise. Picturing Eden looks at original lost innocence, the significance of the humanistic environment and its place in the history of art.

See www.ringling.org

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