Thornetta Davis and Laith Al-Saadi Lead Winter Blast Music Lineup

DETROIT –Quicken Loans Winter Blast Weekends, Detroit’s annual tradition of winter fun, returns for a 14thyear to Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit with a locally-infused music showcase, tasty treats and family-friendly entertainment, Jan. 19 – 21, 25 – 27, Feb. 8 – 10, and 15 – 17.

Detroit’s Queen of the Blues, Thornetta Davis, and Laith Al-Saadi, Electric Blues/Soul/Rock ‘n’ Roller and Season 10 finalist on the popular television show “The Voice,” will be headliners on the Michigan Lottery Stage alongside nearly 35 artists representing an eclectic mix of music genres, including electric, pop, blues, soul, rock ‘n’ roll and more.

Movement Music Festival presents DJ Ryan Richards; the Paddlebots; and Black Note Graffiti will kick off an electrifying opening weekend on Saturday, Jan. 19, followed by Thornetta Davis and Half Light Music on Sunday, Jan. 20. Then on Monday, Jan. 21, Christina Chriss and Joey Fava of Kaleido bring a unique acoustic performance before Alise King rounds out the music festivities for the opening weekend.

The following weekend, Friday-Saturday, Jan. 25 – 27, will be filled with a wide-ranging selection of artists, including Laith Al-Saadi, The Gasoline Gypsies (Original Rock), The Roadwork Crew (R&B/Funk), Emma Guzman (Singer-Songwriter/Americana) and more. These first two Quicken Loans Winter Blast Weekends are presented by Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort.

Quicken Loans Winter Blast Weekends three and four, presented by Delta Dental, will feature performances by up-and-coming and local talent, including Acoustic Ash (Singer/Songwriter), Dragon Wagon (Americana/Bluegrass), The Ruiners (Punk/Garage/Rockabilly), Joe Jaber and The Last Divide (Americana/Rock) and Movement Music Festival presents DJ Gary Chandler. Also performing are Over The Sun, formerly The Wall Clocks (British Pop), Rev. Marc Falconberry (Blues), Larry Lee and the Back in the Day Band (Funk/R&B) and Ali McManus (Soft Rock/Pop) to close out the celebration of winter.

FROM BEACH TO BALLPARK: THEMED-WEEKENDS FEATURING NEW ATTRACTIONS

Cadillac Square will be home to two themed-weekends this year, conceptualized by Groundswell Design Group, which will test visitors’ sports skills and penchant for summer fun.

‘Winter Sports Weekend’, Jan. 19 – 21, taps into favorite winter memories of yore with an emphasis on cold weather fun. Festivalgoers will compete in hockey-inspired slapshot games and winter-themed cornhole, complete with “snowballs” for tossing. Other activities, such as Box Hockey and Snowball Darts, will be available. Vintage hockey cards and backdrops featuring sports figures will be on display throughout the festival, too. Indoor games will include a range of time-tested favorites, such as Don’t Break the Ice and Lincoln Logs.

‘A Weekend at the Beach’, Feb. 15 – 17, is designed to break up the gray days of winter with pops of color offering festivalgoers activities traditionally enjoyed under the sun. Activities such as Flamingo Ring Toss, ladderball, portable badminton, as well as tiki and beach décor, will have visitors thinking summertime in the city. “Limbo” interactive photo moments and more will be available throughout the festival. Games like giant wooden dominoes and Tiki Topple, as well as classic chess and checkers, will keep the summery feeling alive for those who prefer to stay indoors.

GAINING TRACTION IN WINTER

Jeep®and Ram®trucks spill forth from the nearby North American International Auto Show and take to the streets of Detroit during Quicken Loans Winter Blast Weekends. Colorful winter ambient displays, featuring Jeep and Ram vehicles in their natural habitats to showcase their capabilities on and off-road, will be on exhibit throughout the festival. Festivalgoers will be able to visually experience the latest vehicle models as the trucks tackle all that winter has to throw at them in these new attractions.

Winter Fun Continues

For the first time, the festival has been strategically planned to maximize the weather – whatever it may be. Traditional Winter Blast activities will be divided among the four different weekends, with many activities appearing during allQuicken Loans Winter Blast Weekends. Admission each weekend is FREE!

Just when event organizers and attendees thought the festival could not possibly get any more exciting, Quicken Loans Winter Blast Weekendsannounces that the legendary Winter Slide will be completely FREE this year, courtesy of new slide presenting sponsor Metro by T-Mobile.

The popular four-lane, 30-foot high Metro by T-MobileWinter Slidemakes its comeback this year on the third festival weekend presented by Delta Dental, Feb. 8 – 10, whisking riders through a dark tube at up to 20 mph, and dropping them at a 40-degree angle. Also, there is a 30-degree drop slide for children and those who like their adventure at a gentler pace.

There will be something different to see and do every weekend, such as ice skating, ice sculptures presented by US Ice, marshmallow roasting, buskers (strolling street entertainers) presented by DTE Energy Foundation, food trucks (schedule at end of release), family activities presented by Chemical Bankand live music. Also, there will be rotating activations, including Boyne City Slopes, the Soaring Eagle Casino & ResortZip Line, The Winter Blast Polar Plunge to benefit the Special Olympics, and the opportunity to skate for free all weekend long atCampus Martius Park, Jan. 19 – 21 and Feb. 15 – 17, courtesy of Delta Dental.

The Downtown Detroit Markets’ vendors also will be extending their stay through Winter Blast Weekends. Festivalgoers can visit more than a dozen local entrepreneurs in Cadillac Square and Capitol Park to shop a wide array of products, including artwork, body care, clothing, sweet treats and home goods. Bedrock and Quicken Loans Community Fund have created the Downtown Detroit Markets as part of their ongoing commitment to drive entrepreneurship and increase diverse retail, food, beverage and art focused offerings within the city.

Festivalgoers can help give back, too, when they enjoy food from the Food Truck Rally. Each food truck participating in the festival is donating food to those in need in support of Kroger’sZero Hunger, Zero Waste program.

Please note that the first weekend of the festival will run Saturday through Monday (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), and all other weekends are Friday through Sunday.There will be no festival the “big game” weekend of Feb. 3. A complete schedule of activities can be found by visiting WinterBlast.com.

Quicken Loans Winter Blast Weekends is grateful for the generous support of its sponsors, which include: Quicken Loans, Boyne Mountain and Boyne Highlands, Chemical Bank, Delta Dental, Detroit Downtown Development Authority, DTE Energy Foundation, The Kroger Co. and Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort.

Download photos of 2018 festival here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/rb1rxqi3bhkn0hv/Photos%20for%20Website.zip?dl=0

QUICKEN LOANS WINTER BLAST WEEKENDS MUSIC LINEUP

All performances take place on the Michigan Lottery Stage and are subject to change.

WEEKEND 1

SATURDAY, JAN. 19

6:00 - 7:15 p.m. Paddlebots(Progressive Soul-Pop)

7:45 - 9:00 p.m. Black Note Graffiti (Rock/Alternative)

9:30 - 11:00 p.m. Movement Music Festival presents DJ Ryan Richards(Electronic)

SUNDAY, JAN. 20

6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Half Light Music (Alternative Rock)

7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Thornetta Davis (Funky Rockin’ Soul Blues)

MONDAY, JAN. 21

6:00 - 6:45 p.m. Christina Chriss & Joey Fava of Kaleido (Acoustic)

7:10 - 8:00 p.m. Alise King (R&B Soul)

WEEKEND 2

FRIDAY, JAN. 25

4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Violet Soul (Pop/Funk)

6:00 - 7:15 p.m. Maiyana Davis(Blues Rock)

7:45 - 9:00 p.m. The Gasoline Gypsies(Original Rock)

9:30 - 11:00 p.m. Paulina Jayne(Country/Rock)

SATURDAY, JAN. 26

6:00 - 7:15 p.m. DownRiver Dan & The Billies (Blues Rock)

7:45 - 9:00 p.m. TheRoadwork Crew (R&B/Funk)

9:30 - 11:00 p.m. Laith Al Saadi (Soulful Rock & Blues)

SUNDAY, JAN. 27

6:00 - 6:45 p.m. Emma Guzman (Singer-Songwriter/Americana)

7:10 - 8:00 p.m. Nick Piunti & The Complicated Men (Rock)

WEEKEND 3

FRIDAY, FEB. 8

4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Acoustic Ash (Singer/Songwriter)

6:00 - 7:15 p.m. Tomorrow the World (Rock/Alternative)

7:45 - 9:00 p.m. Yvette Meadows (Jazz/R&B)

9:30 - 11:00 p.m. Dragon Wagon (Americana/Bluegrass)

SATURDAY, FEB. 9

6:00 - 7:15 p.m. The Ruiners (Punk/Garage/Rockabilly)

7:45 - 9:00 p.m. Liquid Monk (Electronic, Dance)

9:30 - 11:00 p.m. Movement Music Festival presents DJ Gary Chandler (Electronic)

SUNDAY, FEB. 10

6:00 - 6:45 p.m. Church Mice (Alt Rock/Rock Americana)

7:10 - 8:00 p.m. Joe Jaber and The Last Divide (Americana, Rock)

WEEKEND 4

FRIDAY, FEB. 15

4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Sami Mei (Pop)

6:00 - 7:15 p.m. Over The Sun (formerly The Wall Clocks) (Brit Rock)

7:45 - 9:00 p.m. J Canady & The SoulNyce Band (Funk/Soul/Jazz)

9:30 - 11:00 p.m. Roots Vibrations (Reggae/Soca)

SATURDAY, FEB. 16

6:00 - 7:15 p.m. Cold Tone Harvest (Americana/Alt-Country)

7:45 - 9:00 p.m. Rev Marc Falconberry (Blues)

9:30 - 11:00 p.m. Larry Lee and The Back In the Day Band (Funk/R&B)

SUNDAY, FEB. 17

6:00 - 6:45 p.m. Keynote Sisters (Acoustic Variety)

7:10 - 8:00 p.m. Ali McManus(Soft Rock/Pop)

Food Truck Rally Lineup

WEEKEND 1, JAN. 19 –21

○ Beans & Cornbread

○ Taste of Nawlins

○ Chick-a-D

○ Fortune Cooking

○ Imperial Ferndale

WEEKEND 2, JAN. 25 –27

○ Hero or Villain

○ The Nosh Pit

○ Soaring Eagle Cuisine Machine

WEEKEND 3, FEB. 8–10

○ Beans & Cornbread

○ Bigalora

○ Hero or Villain

○ Buffy's Mexi-casian Grill

○ The Nosh Pit

○ Soaring Eagle Cuisine Machine

WEEKEND 4, FEB. 15 –17

○ Imperial Ferndale

○ Chick a D

○ The Monkey Truck

###

About Quicken Loans Winter Blast Weekends

Quicken Loans Winter Blast Weekends are Detroit’s celebration of winter experiences, dining, music and family fun in downtown Detroit’s Campus Martius Park. Originally created as the backdrop for Super Bowl XL, the festival attracted more than 100,000 people last year. For additional information, visit www.winterblast.com.

About the Quicken Loans Community Fund

The Quicken Loans Community Fund is the philanthropic arm of Detroit-based Quicken Loans, the nation’s largest mortgage lender, which operates under a “for-more-than-profit” philosophy that recognizes business and community are inextricably linked. This model brings together all of the assets of the Quicken Loans business – team member talent, technology, policy advocacy, and philanthropic resources – to invest in comprehensive community development across Detroit, Cleveland, Charlotte and Phoenix. Over the last eight years, the Quicken Loans Community Fund has invested over $180 million in the Detroit community through investments in housing stability, entrepreneurship, education & employment and public space activation. This includes marquee investments like $5 million into the Rehabbed & Ready program and a multi-million-dollar, long-term commitment in property tax foreclosure prevention and reform. The work of the Quicken Loans Community Fund is powered by the 30,000 team members that work for the Quicken Loans Family of Companies nation-wide.

For more information, visit quickenloans.org or see our For-More-Than-Profit booklet here.