First Annual Feastival Benefit Brings Together the City's Top Chefs

Culinary Arts Raise Funds for The Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe

The Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe announce that the first annual FEASTIVAL will be held on Wednesday, September 15, 2010. The organization’s inaugural benefit event will expose the region’s most influential business leaders and tastemakers to the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival by mixing dynamic and cutting edge artistic performances with world-class restaurants.  The event will be held at the Festival Hub at the SW corner of Fifth and Fairmount  Streets in Northern Liberties from 6:00-9:00 PM. Four hundred attendees are expected for what promises to be the cultural event of the year.

“The Chefs are supporting the arts, which are so important to their staffs and to the richness of the city. FEASTIVAL will give those with all levels of interest in performing arts a fun way to connect and support our world-class culture scene,” said Board President Richard Vague. “World-class cities need world-class culture—FEASTIVAL celebrates both our artistic and culinary scenes – two great economic engines that push Philadelphia forward.”

FEASTIVAL is co-hosted by three culinary luminaries: Audrey Claire Taichman, Michael Solomonov and Stephen Starr. Co-chairs are Developer Gabe Canuso of Brown Hill Development and Real Estate Attorney Tony Forte of Saul Ewing LLP. Event Designer Liz Trasmundi will transform the Festival Hub (a giant warehouse space at Fifth and Fairmount in Northern Liberties) into a chic backdrop for vibrant Live Arts performances and exquisite cuisine. In addition to the hosts early Chef participants include Jose Garces, Georges Perrier, Michael Shulson, Ellen Yin, and Marc Vetri. The event will include a silent and live auction. All proceeds will benefit the Philadelphia Live Arts and Philly Fringe. For more information and tickets please visit www.livearts-fringe.org/feastival.

Participating restaurants include: Amis, Audrey Claire, Bar Ferdinand, Buddakan, Capogiro, Continental Restaurant and Martini Bar, D’Angelos, El Rey, Fork, FruitFlowers, Le Bec Fin, Garces Trading Company, La Colombe, Lacroix, Le Castagne, Matyson, Melagrano, Metropolitan Bakery, Midatlantic, Modo Mio, Nectar, Noble, Osteria, Parc, Percy Street Barbecue, Pizzeria Stella, Pod, Pumpkin, R2L, Ristorante Panorama, Rouge, Sampan, Supper, Sweet Freedom Bakery, Twenty Manning Grill, Union Trust, Vetri, Xochitl, Zahav and Zama.

Participating bars include: APO Bar + Lounge, Fergie’s Pub, Noble: An American Cookery, Snackbar, Tequillas Restaurant, The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., and Tria.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The Philadelphia Live Arts Festival features performances by renowned contemporary performing artists from the U.S. and around the world who are selected and invited to the Festival by Producing Director, Nick Stuccio. The Philly Fringe is an unfiltered Festival, where new and established artists of all kinds present their own work, free of a selection process. Together, the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe establish Philadelphia as a city bursting with wild creativity, bringing audiences sixteen days of the most stimulating, provocative new art being created in Philadelphia, across the U.S., and around the world.

Event Sponsors: Arway, Audrey Claire, BoConcept, City Planter, Duane Morris, Eckert Seamans, Electronic INK, Energy Plus, Franklin Square, FURY DESIGN, Independence Foundation, INLIQUID, JTChristensen.com, Julius Silvert INC., Kitchen-Kapers, KLEHR/HARRISON/HARVEY/BRANZBURG, Montgomery Benefits Group, O’Donnell & Naccarato, ParenteBeard,  Party Rental LTD., PECO, Pepper Hamilton, PNC Arts Alive, Sampan, Samuels Seafood Co., Saul Ewing, Siembra Azul, Splat Productions, Southernwine, Sysco Philadelphia, TERMAC Corp., The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation,  The Wine Merchant,  Wachovia, Wind River Holdings, Yards Brewing Company,  ZYR Russian Vodka.