The
2006 Merrick Festival A visual, culinary and performing arts celebration
in honor of Coral Gables’ founder visionary, George E. Merrick, the 2006
Merrick Festival is being held beginning Friday, April 7 through Sunday, April
9. As the Festival enters it’s 11th season, we again join hands with
the Coral Gables community to offer the
City Beautiful as a venue by which
residents and visitors alike may be entertained, amused and appreciative of
the community in which we live. During Merrick Festival, Coral Gables comes
alive. People share the enchantment, sense the awe and experience moments of exhilaration
and sadness of the kind only the performing arts can elicit. Residents and non-residents,
friends and strangers, blacks and whites, young and old, recognize each other
not by their
differences but by their common qualities. For a brief time people
are part of a pageant which expands their
horizon, impacts their lives and
engulfs their community. A very important component to building the festival’s
tempo, it’s joviality, it’s intensity are the events planned for the
streets, the parks, the churches, the parking lots, the storefronts and where
ever people
might gather to watch, to listen to sing and to dance. For
2006, Merrick Festival moves into the community. Buskers bring their art to downtown
Coral Gables. Events are also being held at indoor venues that showcase talented
young artists and performers from all over the world against the backdrop of Coral
Gables, Miami’s most international city. Merrick Festival is a partnership
between the City of Coral Gables, it’s multinational business community
and the civic, municipal and service organizations that are key to the success
of the community in the global marketplace. The 2006 sponsorship opportunities
provide supporters even more visibility and recognition for their contributions,
as the festival expands into an event that generates tremendous economic impact
for Coral Gables. Sponsor companies have found our audience demographics a perfect
match to their marketing objectives. They participate in part for that reason,
but also because Coral Gables has a special ambiance and support of the performing
arts is integral to the community’s appeal. The Partnership reaches
out as well to all of the performing groups based here in Coral Gables including
the Cultural Development Group, Miami Improv Festival, Teatro Avanti, Gables Stage,
Actors’ Playhouse, The Bach Society, Momentum Dance, Fantasy Theater Factory
and countless others. We have extended our hands across the sea as well, inviting
artists from our sister cities in France and Colombia. OUR MISSION:
Merrick Festival presents quality entertainment as a public endeavor . The festival
provides a cooperative showcase for the performing arts to entertain and educate.
Merrick Festival offers everyone the opportunity to experience the beauty of the
performing arts from many cultures, presented in the grand tradition of Coral
Gables 2006 Festival Schedule
Friday, Saturday
and Sunday
April 7, 8 & 9 TASTE THE ARTS
Some
25 performances by national and local performing artists and children’s
groups on Saturday and Sunday. TASTE THE GABLES
You've
tasted the Grove and had a bite of the Beach...now Merrick Festival invites you
to "Taste the Gables". The city's finest restaurants treat you to samples
of their menu for under $5. ART IN THE TROPICS
The
Cultural Development Group, and Rex Art in partnership are proud to present this
unique and original visual arts show at Merrick Park - City Hall. BUSKER’S
STREET SHOWS
Busking is a style of performance, the art is street
performing or street theater. There are jugglers, actors, comedians, magicians
and musicians. It is a way of bringing the entertainment to the people. A street
performance is a social event. The spectators are often as active as the performers.
The Art of the Busker is showcased on Miracle Mile at the 2006 Merrick Festival. SISTER
CITIES CELEBRATION
Each year featuring two visual artists, two performers
and a Chef from one or more of Coral Gables’ six Sister Cities. 2006
Sponsorship Opportunities Title Sponsor
In addition
to a three year commitment, the title sponsor realizes cross promotional benefits
in excess of $200,000 from support of this event. Twilight Concert
Sponsors
The Closing Concert sponsors receive a $100,000 value from
the exclusive promotions surrounding the presentation of this year's national
performer. Showcase Sponsors
Sponsorship is available
for the Busker’s, Music, Theater, Dance or the Children's Showcases. These
showcases present two performances in the discipline each day of the Festival.
Sponsorship value exceeds $50,000. Sister
Cities Sponsor
Sponsor will be the joint presenter of this event
and recognized in all aspects of its promotion. This is a $50,000 advertising
value. Performance Sponsor
As the sole presenter of
a particular artist (or group) within the Festival, the sponsor is featured in
all of the publicity surrounding that appearance. This represents a $25,000 sponsorship
opportunity. Program Sponsor
Program Sponsor receives
the full back page (11"x 17" newspaper tabloid) of 40,000 festival programs
distributed by Community Newspapers. Full recognition as a sponsor with a credit
line in all media. Busker Sponsor
Promote your business
thru a live performer. Sponsor a Busker in Downtown Coral Gables. 2005
Sponsors
BAC Bank of Florida
Bell South Real Yellow Pages
Business
Improvement District
City of Coral Gables
Commercebank
Cultural Development
Group
EWM Realtors
Florida Division of Cultural Affairs
FP&L
International Bank of Miami
Miami Dade Cultural Affairs
Miami Dade Tourist
Development Council
Village of Merrick Park In-Kind/Media
Sponsors
Avianca
Cerveza Aguila
Comcast
Coral Gables Gazette
DERM
Entertainment News & Views
The Hyatt of Coral Gables
The
Miami Herald & El Herald
Omni Colonnade Hotel
Pedestrian Pocket Guide
Rex Art
Waste Management of Dade County 
Sally
Baumgartner, Executive Director
(305)491-4180 www.merrickfestival.net  
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