Too pricey for what is being offered. Should cut off the capacity of people being allowed in. Too crowded.

This was my first time attending and I was impressed by the variety of things to do and eat here! Held over Labor Day weekend in downtown Royal Oak, there's a great variety of things to do, eat and experience. The scope of this festival is big and sprawls many, many blocks. The biggest draw would probably be the music, because there's a main stage with some big names like Joan Jett (2023) with other musical acts located throughout as you walk through all the food and art vendors. There's a variety of musical genres in all the musicians from country, pop, rock, and even more eclectic mixes. Food and drink was varied just like the music. Chicken wings, asian stir fry, Middle Eastern, desserts, beer, and so much more. Prices are obviously a bit inflated because it's a festival, but I felt that the quantities of what you can get are fair. There was a section of the festival that had fair rides and foods so I was even able to get elephant ears! Fair food is fun. Lastly the art on display for sale ranges from prints, framed paintings, sculptures, leather handbags, soap, and more. The artists were friendly and on hand to talk with patrons. Overall Arts Beats Eats is a big festival with lots to do. I would say that the parking was the only difficult thing to find, and I ended up paying $15 a few blocks away for a spot. There was an admission fee, but it's worth it to check out the music. You can buy a ticket online ahead of time for your convenience. read more

See all

Great art, music and food! There are so several vendors with art. I bought an amazing necklace from REWIND out of Palm Springs California. Bought some cool art from Debbie LaPratt's booth. Make sure you check out the art and all of the hard work these artist put into their creations. You want chocolate, you want bbq, you want tacos? You can find something for everyone here to eat. Enjoy! read more

Arts Beats Eats - Festivals Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

I know it's a love hate with ABE. I am still so glad we renewed the ABE contract with soaring eagles for the next 6+ years. Ford funded and backed it for a long and solid 9 years before 2019. It wasn't a good experience when it was in Pontiac. I didn't go back until it moved to Royal Oak. I at least go one day each year it's in town over Labor Day weekend. It's Friday-Monday. I try to go on Friday before 5pm, if possible, it's not as crowded as Saturday and you can get an early glimpse of the food and art tents before the swarms of people descend upon this place. The main band is always by 6th and Main Street. They have so many entrances to get in, it's no problem. You can ride your bike over too. Parking can be a bit pricey, usually $15 for the day and parking anywhere on the street without a pass will be a certain ticket. It's a fun event for family, friends or just to see some cool bands. There's concerts throughout the event. It spans from main to Lafayette and from 11 mile to Lincoln. I have bought several of my art pieces from these events in the past. There's a lot of great photographers that come to this event. If you can get in before 5pm on most weekend nights, it is usually free entrance. The only down side is if you want to eat anywhere inside the boarders of ABE, you have to pay to get into the festival to eat there. I usually skip those places unless I happen to be inside already. The food at ABE is usually fast foodish, fried and doused in cheese and sauces. It's definitely not a good place to be counting points or calories, you will definitely surpass your limit after your first course. read more

ALL THE FOOD AND MUSIC! Crowded but worth the effort of traveling. Pre purchase your tickets.

It was super crowded but we had a great time. The music was great and the food was even better

I was really disappointed. I had to spend $15 to park and $10 to get in just to walk through the art fair and go to a restaurant. Never again! I saw some things I liked at the art fair, but I felt so ripped of that I didn't want to buy anything. Maybe they should have a separate fee for people who go for the music. I, for one, will attend the free art fairs and skip this one next year. There was nothing that I couldn't find elsewhere. read more

I was super excited to try the cornbread and beans food truck that was here this time. The thing that was cool to see was that they had vegan and gluten free options available. I love how more places are providing these options so there is food for everyone. I had the jerk chicken breast and a side of fries. Everything was so good!! My friend got the wings and waffles which he loved! We both were super happy with our food. I'm glad the festival was able to return this year. It was very much missed by many people including me. read more

Arts Beats Eats - Festivals Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

See all

Looking forward to attending this event for months. Heard so much about it from my co-workers. One of the most anticipated events for the year held at Royal Oak. Thanks to the residents for allowing the organizers to host this yearly event around their neighborhood. Mostly the profit for the 4-day event will benefit certain organization or foundation. Parked close to the OCC campus for $15. A bit higher but very much covers the convenience of walking closer to the venue. Cars come in and out the parking area. No problem waiting for an available slot. Arrived 4 pm, so my ticket cost $5. After 5 pm, they will charge $7. No outside food and drinks allowed. Bags are checked before entering. Official Wristbands allow you to walk in and out. To maintain peace and order, there is visible security and police on standby at the gate, the others go around, and some drive a cart. As we were walking in the Arts Area, we artisans selling wood carvings, caricature portraits, custom jewelry, printed Detroit shirts, photos and many other forms of artists' creations. For the Beats, stages were set up to host live performances of Music Artists. The crowd would peacefully gather around to watch, listen and enjoy the free entertainment. After a while, I was feeling hungry. There was a number of kiosks who catered the food. So many choices. Of course, I had some chicken tacos on my dominant hand, while the other lefty holds the lemonade drink. Food and drinks... they were pricy. No cash is accepted, so we bought some tickets in exchange for the food and drinks sold at the festival. $10 is good for 16 tickets. Despite the rain and shiny hot weather in one day, had a good time. read more

See all

ARTISTS BEWARE This is not a high-end art show, as the art commission makes it out to be. Artists go through a ton of politicking to get a vendor space; and a $500 entry fee. Majority of artists end up losing a large amount of money attending this event. The audience and potential buyers are not seeking out expensive, well-crafted artwork. This event sells $2 beer and ends up becoming a drunk fest with bad music. Do yourselves a favor and make sure you do your research and talk to other artists before entering as a vendor. It's absurd how much polarity there is in expectations verse the reality. The commission is taking advantage of artists and it's disgusting. read more

I know this festival has been around for a long time, and I've been here before. It's kind of a cluster, and I think it could have been pulled off a lot better. For starters, parking in Royal Oak is tough anyways, which is why I wonder they would even have it here. According to the website, if you park within a mile of the event, and don't live in the area, it's a $50 ticket for parking on the side streets. If you park in one of the garages, it's $15. If you park at Royal Oak High School and get shuttled in, it's $10. Ok, so I park at the high school. I got there at 1 PM and the lot was already full, but they directed me to park on the grass. After arriving at the event, I paid the $3 admission. That's reasonably cheap for all the vendors there. I loved walking around because you get to see tons of radio stations, crappy cheap items for sale, random people and occasionally a decent artist or two. Another let down is it's $10 for 16 food tickets. I thought "that should be enough to sample a few things." NO. I was disappointed in the whole thing. Like other reviewers have stated, it was overly expensive for very little food. 6 tickets for a bottle of lemonade or water, 5 tickets for a slider sized sample of a burger, and another 5 tickets for a sample of desert. I will say, my desert sample was worth the money out of all of this. I find that this event is overly priced after shelling out almost $25. I still walked away hungry. I'm not asking for tons of food, but I was disappointed. I came here to sample a few places, but wasn't going to shell out $30 for food tickets to get next to nothing. I was hoping for more. I find Arts Beats and Eats to be overrated. The only cool thing about it is the music. I wish I wasn't so tired when I had gone here because I could have sat and watched a few of the bands. Food Portions are small, food and drink tickets are terribly overpriced, parking is a nightmare and the vendors here selling stuff are garbage. I walked by every single Detroit Radio station, a medical marijuana tent, Window and cable company vendors, carnival crap for sale and maybe less than 10 actual artists with legit items for sale. What a joke. I will only go back if dragged against my will, you offer me 7 million dollars cash or free food. Seriously. Very overrated. read more

This festival is good every year. I know people still say it was best in Pontiac, and I would agree. Pontiac is sad now and nothing really happens there. Royal Oak does a good job with the city, the only issue is how much it costs for this event. If you go before 5 on Friday, it's free to enter, and if you park at a structure, it's only 50 cent an hour. Outside of that, it can cost $15 to park and about $7 a person to enter. The food tickets are 16 for $10, and most food is 12/14 tickets and 6 tickets for a pop. I attend every year, I just know how to do it to avoid the up charges. read more

I've attended Arts Beats and Eats the last three years and it's quickly becoming a Labor Day weekend tradition. It's honestly a bit of a money making trap but the music is the thing that keeps bringing me back because every year they book great talent. Admission is $3 before 3 pm, $5 after 3 pm and $7 after 5 pm. I believe they charge $1 more if you pay with a credit card. Parking is $15-$20 pretty much everywhere. If you park a lot further, you can take a shuttle to park cheaper. All food vendors also charge by tickets. Tickets for food are $10 for 16 tickets so around $0.63 per ticket. They charge $11 if you use a credit card. Most full meals are around 14-16 tickets while tastes or samples are around 3-6 tickets. A beer or mixed drink is 13-16 tickets. A soda or bottle of water is 6 tickets. Be prepared to spend $20-$40 on tickets but buy them as you go because tickets are nonrefundable. Food vendors this year included Imperial, Bigalora selling woodfired pizza, Famous Dave's selling BBQ, Treat Dreams ice cream and other vendors selling churros, jerk chicken, fried Oreos and Twinkies, turkey legs, nachos, gyros, shawarma, loaded fries and paella. We ended up getting paella from Man and Pan paella and it was decent but could have been spicier and sausage was a little over cooked. The jalapeño Mac and cheese from Famous Daves was really good and tacos from Imperial were good. We also got chocolate filled churros from another vendor and they ended up being cold and old so quality of food is kind of hit or miss. We came at 5 pm on Friday and it wasn't too busy but when I came back again at 7 pm on Sunday, every line was ridiculously long and it was so busy and bumper to bumper people, that you could barely move through the crowd. There is also a midway with carnival rides and an art/crafter's market. The main driving attraction is the music/bands/beats. There are several stages with smaller local bands including alternative, jazz, rock, and country stages. They had a silent disco this year, and an edm/techno stage in past years. One year a couple of my friends entered the Rock the Beats karaoke contest on a stage. I come mainly for the headlining acts on the main Michigan Lottery Stage. This year I saw Everclear, Ben Folds, and AWOLNation. Last year I saw 311, and the year before that I saw Jr. Jr. and Our Lady Peace. Honestly, it's always too crowded, too hot, the crowd seems to be ornery and thirsty, and the sound quality is terrible and yet I still end up having a good time and keep coming back. During Our Lady Peace, their speaker blew out and the whole concert sounded like a bad recording with static. This year Art from Everclear had trouble with his microphone and he had to perform acoustically while they fixed it but it never got fixed completely and his voice was still somewhat lost with the guitars. Michigan Lottery Amphitheater seriously needs to improve in providing better quality equipment. AWOLNation put on one of the best shows I've seen here, great sound, lighting and high energy performance. Awesome show! Ben Folds was also great, engaging, funny and super talented as he rocked the piano and drums. I don't remember them doing a VIP section a few years ago and it seems to be new since last year. They have a gated off VIP section for $40 more with seats and unlimited soda/water that covers one day of the event. Both days I went this year, the VIP section was super bare/lots of empty seats and they could barely sell tickets. We managed to get almost to the front of the gate. It was extremely hot and someone passed out in the pit and I almost did. There were also some weird people, creeper guy and drunk lady that were kind of bothering us. Security seemed more concerned with guarding the VIP section than helping people out but did manage to help out the lady who fainted. Overall, like most big events, it's a money making trap that brings in masses of people, some of which are drunk and crazy and unfortunately it usually seems to be very hot each year but it's a fun thing to check out on the long Labor Day weekend. read more

See all

Overly expensive event that results in you walking around and trying to find a place to eat that isn't completely packed. When you do find something to eat, it is way overpriced for a tiny little portion. Beer prices are way too high as well. First off, let's start by talking about the horror of finding a place to even park. We drove around more than once to try to find a place, and decided to just lay the overpriced parking fee. You can't park at the parking meters, so you might as well just pay the fee. The actual mini concert area isn't worth paying to get into in my opinion. It's not like they have amazing singers I enjoy. It's not like it isn't loud enough for me to hear while walking. Along with that, you get a lot of music all over the streets. It is crowded with people trying to cross, which causes a lot of traffic by the way. Cars will stay stuck waiting for everyone to cross continuously, which is why it can take 15 mintes alone to actually park. Nothing we experienced was worth the price we paid. Everything was too overpriced and overplayed out. When we came another year, vendors kept trying to sell us fake stuff. Pretty sure the prices all went up too. Prices went up, but no improvements?? read more

I would kick this up one or two stars if it wasn't so pricey. Plan to do a lot of walking. It was a beautiful day when I arrived this Saturday around 11:00am. I arrived early enough to be one of the first cars in the parking lot at Washington and Catalpa - I have an SUV so it was a very tight squeeze to park in-between the lines at this parking lot. The spaces were very small. The cost to park was $15.00 (I find that silly) - when I drove away I noticed the parking price at all of the nearby lots was $15.00. Some of the lots were a hefty hike away from the main action. Further assault to your wallet is they charge $3.00 to get in. Stupid. I don't see why you should have to pay to get in. Don't bother bringing a bottle of water or coffee as that is not allowed into the festival. More money will pour out of your wallet when you learn that in order to try some of the festival food, a main event since 'eats' is in the name of the festival, you have to pay with tickets, not cash or cards. Minimum price for tickets is $10.00 - you're out nearly $30.00 before a corn-dog hits your lips, or a piece of art is viewed. Finally, after paying a sizable ransom I can view some art. There is a nice selection of art from leather goods, to jewelry (a staple everywhere you go anymore), pictures, glass works and purses. There is a lot of fun food and drink to try (if you can afford it). The isles are wide, the place is clean and there's a lot of different music playing in various sections of the festival. Many of the shops remain open so you can have fun exploring the local stores. It's fun, interesting but mostly it's pricey! read more

See all

Too many people allowed in main concert area,couldn't move, get a beer, eat nothing. They also changed entrances from Saturday to Monday with out any signage letting you know. Security didn't even know where the entrance was. read more

The cost of drinks is absurd. $12 for a beer and a 4% fee to use a card. It's unfortunate that this event has become something that only well-off people can afford. I recommend not buying drinks here and going to one of the local bars instead that are within the event. You can buy beers that don't extort your bank account and walk around with them. I will not be going back because of the outrageous prices. read more

Ok, first I didn't take as many photos as I usually would have but I have a good reason... I was stuffing my face while walking. Anywho I had a great time with my eldest daughter who took me here as a Birthday gift. The first place we went to was sold out of they're best product. (Deep fried lobster tail on a stick. ( they called it lobster corndog) I know this sounds wrong but I was intrigued but soon disappointed when I found that they were sold out. I waited in a bbq food truck line and decided not to go that way because not only was the line long this was a bbq food truck that did brisket but not burnt ends. I saw how fast the noodle tent was doing and decided to check that out they did not disappoint. I got the teriyaki chicken noodle dish. If you're going to go to a place like this where there are multiple food vendors its best to just buy a taste it will leave you with room in your stomach to try other foods. These places can be a bit overwhelming so its best to make a day of it. I actually went to other tents and trucks but I failed to take enough pics. read more

See all

Once is enough. Overall, as a first time attendee, I was disappointed. I'm glad a variety of non-profits benefitted, but as far as festivals go, I thought this one was way overpriced and overhyped. Starting with $10 to park and shuttle in from the high school. It seems that if you are asking festival goers to park far, far away, you could offer free parking and a complimentary shuttle. By far Beats were the best part of the festival. Not only because they were free (admission to event notwithstanding), but because there were so many stages and musicians performing. As for the arts-there were far more retail businesses hawking their wares and services than art. And the Eats? Eats and drinks were plentiful but required plenty of tickets. And unless you used cash, ticket purchases came with a surcharge. Had I known, we would have parked closer on our own and had our eats and drinks at one of the regular restaurants or bars inside the event area and we could have enjoyed all the music we wanted for just the price of admission. Lesson learned. read more

See all

Great people watching but that's about it. The festival has definitely outgrown the space and Royal Oak isn't set up to accommodate it any longer...at least not on Washington's strip! Entry fees seemed to have remained consistent however, the ticket prices have soared and parking is consistently a nightmare. Additionally, there's not a whole lot of "arts" worth seeing, the beats seem to be the main draw, while the eats (and drinks) are pretty much all overpriced. I'll pass for a few years and check it out in 2019. read more

Definitely a fun experience. There's a wide variety of food, so there's something for everyone. I've been about 4 or 5 times now over the years and we've never been disappointed. Our only complaint is that we weren't offered any type of map upon entering the festival. It's very easy to get turned around seeing as it's a pretty large event. It would be nice to be able to see where everything is and what food options are available. This is the biggest issue every year when we go. I personally think an app that shows the festival in its entirety and shows all of the vendors and directions on how to get to them would be incredible. At the very least, a paper map would be awesome. Other than that, it's a great experience and I think everyone should go at least once. Just be prepared to walk!!!! read more

My family and I went here on Labor Day to see the Cole Swindell show at the main stage. We got there early and had previously purchased VIP tickets for the show. When we purchased tickets for the show, we were told the admission price was included in the VIP Ticket. Awesome! Except every gate we went to nobody could tell us where to pick up our tickets from so we ended up paying the gate fee. After an hour of asking people we finally found the will call pick up area to get our VIP tickets. Not sure if everyone working at this event was paid or volunteer but a lot of people we encountered were very rude to other workers and event goers. My family and I loved the arts and enjoyed looking at photos and shops. The eats were pretty sad. 16 tickets for $10. A bottle of water alone was 6 tickets and most food was over 10 tickets. Wowzer! Some food trucks have tickets and cash payment. Most food stands have tickets. Definitely adds up fast. I also don't think you can purchase anything less than $10 worth of tickets. The beats were great- with a few issues. Loved the bands that played at the main stage. First act of the day was scheduled to go on at 2:45 but didn't go on until after 4pm. False advertising? Not sure what happened there. The speakers were in rough shape and could help that a couple were blown. We did get the seats we wanted (front row) which was all I really wanted. In the VIP section you got free pop and water. Started off as 12oz pop cans and then it was 20oz bottles. That alone was worth it. It was a hot day and the ice cold water really helped. The admission price to the festival was $3 but before you know it you're spending $15 on parking,$20 on food and drinks and if your kids wanna ride a couple rides that's another $10. Easily over $50 spent. If you have to renter the festival, even if you're just going to the ticket booth and coming right back in, you have to throw your drink away. Beware. Very crowded. They definitely pack all the arts, beats and eats in. Would be better if done in an open space with more room to move. You're like a can of sardines. read more

Ok listen, there are a very few select amount of people in the world that would say they do not like to eat. Crazy, right? However, they do exist. Some of those amongst us simply eat for sustenance alone, and could give a shot about there taste buds. I for one, do NOT count myself in that "elite" group. And so, it is with great happiness, and a very sincere sense of flabiness, that I bestow upon you my supreme knowledge of the wonderment that is Arts, Beats and Eats. Yes, to be fair, the festival is not ALL about food. So, to begin with, let me tell you that the art is imaginative and original. I love supporting local artists, and this is a great weekend spot to do it. There is everything from paintings and sketches, to glassworks, pottery, tiles, woodwork and more. My girlfriend and I bought a painting and other small stuff last year, and we love them. There are also some great calendars and photographs, particularly those of Michigan. My one piece of advice would be to bring something to carry them around with, or be sure to ask the vendor if you can pick up your goodies before you leave so that you don't have to lug them around with you all day. Next up is the music. There is a fairly nice blend of jazz, modern, contemporary, hip-hop, and rock. Many of the performers are local, and as I said earlier, why not support local whenever you can. I haven't come across any band that I LOVED, but, for the most part, all of the music was good enough for background noise if nothing else. Now it's food time. Let me begin by telling you that every year is different, and just because a restaurant was present last year does NOT mean it will be there this year. That being said, there is alway a fabulous blend of ethnic cuisines. Last year there was Middle Eastern, American, Indian, Mexican, Asian (Chinese, Japanese, and Thai) and Italian. There may have been more, but that's all I remember. One place had ribs, pulled pork, and burgers, while another had tacos and burritos. There were corn dogs right next to egg rolls, chicken parm next to chicken satay! It was amazing. I'm writing this early as opposed to right after because this is one event I want all of my Yelp friends to experience, and if I don't tell you about how great it is now, you may miss out on a weekend full of great music, brilliant artists, and button-busting food! Be sure to check out the website for this event for vendors and artists, and plan your weekend around your favs. See you there! read more

Went on Saturday, and a lot of the crowd that is going there these days is a pretty ratchet. It gets a little worse each year it seems. The main stage speaker system was effed up (blown speaker) making the Our Lady Peace show awful...not even exaggerating. Felt bad for the band that the event staff couldn't get their shit together, it was so bad people weren't even applauding (many left). Perhaps everyone was depressed after hearing the previous band JrJr who really sucked. The ticket process is a disaster, whoever thought of how they do tickets, should be forced to listen to 2 hours of music through the blown speaker, as punishment. 10 oz beer is like 6 bucks, cmon what a ripoff, and your left with extra tickets since this shitty process works like Dave & Busters where its priced where you always have small credits left. The food was so so, but again the ticket process is a disaster, id rather just pay cash and cut out the nonsense of the tickets. It was overly crowded and people are rude as hell, its like going to a walmart or flea-market. And people with big ole strollers in tight places, just suck! Not a fan and I only go for the music, which sucked because of the venue. read more

$15 Parking $10 (2 people) Entry $20 2 beers and 1 tiny slider = $45 in the first 5 minutes we were there The original 'taste' menus were all but gone. Remember the good ol' days in Pontiac where you could sample a dish from a fancy restaurant you could never afford for a few tickets? Now, a simple, tiny slider costs you $7. Also, where did the art go? I saw carnival rides, cheap fake designer sunglasses, and window salesman. The performing artist line up wasn't half bad, if they would only run on time. The only 'good' thing about this festival is that you can find an empty seat at an otherwise packed restaurant in the area at 7pm on a Friday. Never again. read more

I see a TON of complaints for Arts Beats and Eats. I get it. It's busy. It's crowded. It's loud. Parking can be difficult. That's what popular festivals are like. It's a very large venue and they do their best to accommodate a ton of people. You pay a varying amount of money depending on the day/time you go. It can be free or up to $7 to attend. Even at $7, you can't beat seeing great bands in concert. The bands are my favorite part. You can lookup the lists of shows in advance to choose the best day/time to arrive. That gives you plenty of time to find nearby parking. '18 had AWOLNATION and the crowd was intense. Everyone was singing and dancing. I couldn't ask for anything better. The food lines are probably the worst part of AB&E for me, but the food is always delicious. There's a Jamaican restaurant that has a tent and it's soooo good. Light enough to still dance, but filling enough to be good to go. The art is pricey, but that's art. You get to chat with the artists and if you're really into their pieces but can't afford the big real thing, you can usually get an art print. This event is for people that like busy festivals. I do and I love it! read more

The first thing I think of when it comes to Royal Oak is D-bag capital of Metro Detroit. The second thing I think of is - arrogance. You get some of the former and a lot of the latter at Arts Beats and Eats. As many have mentioned - $15 to park?!?!?!? That's robbery. I parked a little further away for $10. Put the event sanctioned lots are $15. That's foolish. I've been to fairs throughout the country and especially in metro Detroit (Plymouth art fair and Ann Arbor art fair come to mind). The Ann Arbor art fair is huge, massive and they don't charge that much to park! It's almost as if they are "taxing" you if you don't live in their D-bag city. Just when you think you don't have to spend anymore until you get in---not so fast! Admission time. Admission goes up based on the time you enter from $3 before 3, $5 after 5, and $7...$7!!! After 7. Are you seriously?!?!?! Get the hell outta here with that. If you can't afford to run the show with sponsors, vendor booths you're doing something wrong. Want to charge an admission, fine. But now what you're charging. Cap at $3 maybe...but cap at $7 EL O EL. Now we get inside. 16 tickets for $10. That comes to $.625 a ticket. A Pepsi is $3.75?!? Those are sporting event prices! While walking around you have to dodge vendors who are trying to get you to buy new siding, windows, leaf guards, xfinity, and other crap. You know where else I find these same vendors - the free art festivals mentioned above. If I'm paying to get in, get that crap away from me and don't harass me as I walk by. The food choices are good and the music choices are decent as well. After you sell your first born to get in. read more

Don't care for the art. Just come for the food and to play a few carnival games. Ends up being a pretty pricey evening as you gotta pay for parking and entry into the festival in addition to the food and carnival games. The food we had from the various vendors was good and we enjoy the variety. read more

See all

Well, the name says it all; Pontiac's Labor Day weekend festival is a combination of art, food, and music. It's grown to become one of Metro Detroit's most popular summer fests and it's easy to see why. With its exceptional national music acts like Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and The Neville Brothers taking the stage, some of the area's best restaurants feeding the droves of attendees and a wonderful mix of art from jewelry, metal sculpture, to painting. This festival has got it all. In addition, to the entertainment within the festival the area bars open their doors to festival goers to have a drink and check out some of downtown Pontiac's restaurants and bars. There is tons of parking, both in most and on the street, around the area, which makes attending this festival much more enjoyable. For specific information, like the entertainment schedule check out the website. read more

Arts Beats Eats - Photo Taken Form artsbeatseat.com - Festivals Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

See all

To hear my lifelong Michigander beau tell it, Arts, Beats and Eats used to be _the_ event of the summer. Tweens and teens excitedly looked forward to the music performances and spending the dog days wandering between stalls and games from noon til the wee hours of the morning. Those wistfully recalled days are long gone. Now you're dealing with a 3-day Etsy marketplace punctuated by restaurants hawking overpriced, lukewarm entrees on paper plates -- a fraction of the food at double the cost, with none of the ambiance. AB&E is effectively ruled by too many stalls crammed together down Washington Street, and way too many people flowing in a crush down the main streets and side venues. Hope you like fighting for a place to walk, and don't even think about stopping to check out a pretty necklace or framed photo without being run over. Appreciate being knocked about by tipsy hipsters in 85'F heat? It's par for the course. Parents, bring your strollers for mildly more room. The entry fee keeps climbing year after year, while basic facilities for parking, bike lockup, toilets, and shaded areas decline. Purchases of food and beverages, alcoholic or not, rely on tickets distributed from booths around the area. Prices are high: 10 tickets for $16, which might get you a small meal. Assume 5-7 tickets for a cup of beer or wine. PROTIP: Before buying tickets, walk around the food area(s) to see 'prices' and decide what you need. Despite being hawked as a family event, AB&E is really not. The midway events barely entertain tweens and booths dedicated to children's activities are few and far between, hard to locate at the best of time. Kids are easily overstimulated by the crowds and endless cheap junk shoved in their faces by sellers who should know better. You'll park halfway into Huntington Woods if you're lucky or be driven to saying things no one under 50 should hear circling for a spot, just in time for some derp to shark in and steal it. That's before you even get into the festival. Musical acts, national and local, play throughout the day. Different stages accommodating different genres assure something for mostly everyone, and headline bands include recognized acts like Our Lady Peace (rock, props to Canada!), The Guess Who, and Salt-n-Pepa. Sounds great, a popular rock, country or indie band playing under the sunset to thoroughly drunk, hungry fans baked under the sun all day long... except the sound system lacks the professionalism of a real concert, main acts can overwhelm sideshows due to volume control, and the crowds have all the manners of a class of cranky toddlers. Pay more for a real ticket to Meadowbrook Pine Knob or whatever it's called now, if you want an outdoor show in humane conditions. Finally, AB&E is an Etsy bazaar shot by cheap knickknacks, mall junk (like the weird stuff sold in the corridors of Great Lakes Crossing) and small scale vendors who may or may not accept Square/credit cards. ATMs run out fast. Take business cards and shop from the comfort of your air conditioned house. Don't expect deals even on the last day. Most of the crafts vendors show up in smaller festivals/art shows around the area all summer, so why not see them in Berkley or Ferndale instead of subjecting yourself to this horror? The only summer event /worse/ than Arts, Beats & Eats is Dream Cruise, and given we flee town annually for it, that should tell you all you need to know. Don't subject yourself to this even if you're a masochist. read more

Crowds don't usually bother me but this was a cluster of craziness. I tried to partake of the Arts and Eats but I just couldn't handle the massive amounts of people crowded into what seemed like the narrowest streets in the world. And, apparently people don't know how to walk. One foot in front of the other, people. We went down there specifically to see Rhythm Corps and Mayer Hawthorne. Oddly, the main stage area (The Michigan Lottery Stage) didn't seem to be teeming with people. Before and after the bands it was a great place to chat with friends and have a beer. After Rhythm Corps finished we walked right up to the front. Technically, we were in the first row after the VIP area, which led to great viewing for Mayer Hawthorne. Hawthorne didn't seem very happy that there were only about 20 people in VIP area so he invited the crowd to fill it up. Crowds broke through the barrier and started rushing towards the front of the stage. It took a few minutes before security and the police realized what was happening and then they put a stop to it. Overall, I think the layout of the festival in Pontiac worked so much better. I was dubious about the move to Royal Oak from the beginning. The planning commission has a lot of kinks to work out before next year. For me, the festival could be renamed Beats & Brews. That's all I had the patience for. read more

The festival may be fun for some, but the total shutdown of opportunity to enjoy non festival establishments is beyond irritating. I simply wanted to try 2nd St Sandwich Shop before I headed into work but would have had to pay 15 DOLLARS to park, no exceptions! And of course the meter maid with an attitude was hanging around writing tickets so a quick run in was out of the question. I'll be glad when this thing no longer exists read more

Now that the ABE has been in Royal Oak for a few years, they've really created a smooth experience for the crowd. First, I ran the 10k on Saturday morning. With the race entry fee comes 2 free tickets to enter the ABE. The event fills most of the west side of downtown Royal Oak with food stalls, art vendors, music, and plenty of other activities for all ages. If you've been around metro Detroit for a while, you've probably tried most of the food that is at the venue. It's worthwhile to seek out some lesser known places. There were some BBQ places and some shrimp and fish stalls that were great. They sell sheets of 16 tickets for $10. The tickets are used to buy food and drink. The food ranges from 6-14 tickets. The drinks are 6 tickets for non-alcoholic drinks. A little steep, but it's what you'd expect for a event like this. There's also a mini carnival that you can ride the rides. Mostly for younger kids. They take the tickets. About 6 per ride. It adds up fast. To buy the tickets, come armed with cash. If you look carefully, there's a few that accept credit cards. Many of the stores are still open along Washington Street. You can duck into many of them to cool off from typical hot Labor days. read more

Parking is a nightmare! And very expensive. $50 ticket for parking on any street $100 if not paid within 3 days. Event is totally over priced. Food and Drinks are expensive and there are long lines. read more

ABE was better than I expected. I believe that I might have had some advantages that others didn't, so maybe that's why my rating is a bit higher. I read some of the other reviews and guess I had a better experience. 1 - Lines: I never waited to get in. I entered off 4th street each time and walked right up. When I went to get a soda, beer, smoothie, or any food item I never waited more than 2 minutes. 2 - Prices: Very Reasonable. I think most food and drink items averaged around 8 tickets which was $5. Some items were slightly more, some less, but overall it's what you would expect at an outdoor festival or fair. 3 - Crowd: Yes it was crowded, I guess they were even turning people away on Sunday for awhile. I guess the crowds didn't bother me. I think it's what you would expect and if you aren't in a hurry and know how to navigate a crowd it's okay. Being a resident of Royal Oak I was actually enthused to see how many people were there. Being that the Michigan economy has suffered the last few years, it was refreshing to see so many people come out and have a great time and enjoy themselves. I hope the large crowds show the potential this event can have in Royal Oak and helps it attract even bigger artists and musical acts for next year. The first year in Royal Oak was surely a learning experience and I'm sure next year there will be improvements. 4 - Food: I was very happy with the vast selection of restaurants that came out to ABE. The smells and aromas coming off all of the grills and smokers was so intoxicating. I came to ABE 3 separate days and was able to try a few different things. The sliders and Sicilian steak sandwich from Vince & Joe's were both great. I had a great smoothie from the stand near the carnival, wish I knew where to get one like it after today. The selection, much like the crowd, was very eclectic. There were cuisines from all different areas and regions, so it was hard not to some something up your alley. 5 - Music: I thought there was a lot of great acts this weekend although I was only able to see a few. I thought Kenny Wayne Shepherd on Saturday night was awesome. Also the Killer Flamingos on Friday covered a lot of current and older songs and were a solid closer Friday night to the alt rock stage. 6 - Parking: I'm local so I was able to drive closer and park in a friends driveway or even walk from home if need be. Non-issue for me, but I could see where an extra $15-$20 would be annoying to people driving in from other areas. 7 - Art: I thought there was a lot of good art displayed. Whether it was photography, paintings, sketches, jewelry, pottery etc., there was something for everyone in that department. The only thing I wish is that there was more modern art and photography (and it was cheaper), but overall the selection was solid and I'm sure it will only get better. All in all I had a great time at ABE this weekend (probably why I went 3 times) and I was thrilled to see Royal Oak thriving. I know a lot of local business say a substantial spike in foot traffic and revenue this weekend so hopefully ABE comes back next year and everyone supports it like they did this year. read more

I will start with the bad, since this should be shorter: 1) Parking: Nearby parking is $15 bucks. You could park farther away for $10 then catch a shuttle to the main entrance. I walked from my home and some friends parked in driveways of people they knew. 2) Entrance backups: the main gate backed up something awful. This could be because the shuttles were dropping off here, but it looked like the wait was for the wrist bands. Maybe some signs pointing to the alternate entracnes (i never used the main one to enter, and never had to wait in line) would have been helpful. 3) Bathrooms: occasionally hard to locate & long lines. The good stuff now: 1) The food options were vast & tasty. We had Indian Tandoori Lamb, then got Italian Chicken skewers next door and had a tasty churro on our walk back to the main strip. Then there was Dessert Ally with all kidns of goodness available. 2) There were so many bands & groups performing. If you don't like the country music at that stage, check out the African tribal dance on the international stage. There were so many options for entertainment. 3) The Carnival! I have concluded that I do not not like carnival ferris wheels, unfortunately I came to this conclusion at the top of this on in Royal Oak. However, it was fun and the view may have been worth the fear factor. 4) The art section was great. Some local artists, some distant ones. I found some local artist who does prints of Detroit Art/Architectural Icons and am having some of them shipped to my brother who moved to NYC a few years back. Most artists are offering discounts if you buy at the festival too, so there's extra incentive. It was crowded too, but that is both good & bad. Bad because it hampers your ability to move around & get where you want to be. Good because you know with these crowds it is profitable & that it's likely to happen again next year. read more

We avoided the whole parking thing by walking there, which was way cooler than shelling out 15 bucks. Once inside, we quickly snatched up tickets and headed for the beer. Bud, Bud Light, and Bud Amber?! Yeah, I know that Budweiser is a sponsor but please, Michigan boasts some fantastic craft brews, not to mention Royal Oak Brewery's finest--couldn't there have been a couple tents showcasing one of our State's liquid treasures? The food--I was pleased. Lots of choices for adults and kids. Blackfinn's spicy shrimp was great, there were several bbq joints featuring rib tips, pulled pork, fried catfish, and the like. Tasty Indian cuisine from Rumalee's, and a generous sized Cubano from Cafe Habana. The art was cool. Some interesting stuff that I hadn't seen before. The carnival area though was a ripoff--which I guess is normal. $5 so that your kid could throw 3 softballs into a basket which was positioned in such a way that the ball bounces out each time? Same with darts, etc. Big money pit. Next time I'd just avoid that area completely. All in all, happy to have ABE in Royal Oak. read more

This was my first ABE, never wanted to go to Pontiac to attend before. As a RO resident I was very excited to attend though I may not have if I was not within walking distance... $15 to park is pretty steep. The food selection was great, though I hope event organizers will re-think layout and traffic flow for next year. Washington was a solid wall of people at a complete stand-still, tough to get to all of the food selections. I have to admit I am one of the jerks with a stroller and trying to maneuver over to the kids section was pretty impossible but once in there was a ton of stuff for the kiddies and lots of room to move. The one miss in the kids section is the lack of a diaper change port-a potty. Hope the planning team works out the kinks for next year! read more

This was horrible this year. $3 admission, not bad, but a lot of businesses were closed and because of parking which sucks. I know they want people to partake in the Eats part but nothing was really great or eye catching. Full sun for every stage but 1, so not the best to sit and enjoy music in, a pitiful arrangement of art, mostly just advertising and crappy carnival crap. I am not going back until they make major changes. Yuck. read more

Picture perfect weather brought out a lot of festival goers today. Even though parking will cost $10-$15; I suggest parking in a designated lot and using the shuttle. We drove around looking for street parking, found a spot on a street that DID NOT have signs designating it as a no parking area, only to return to a $50 parking ticket!! The streets were so crowded it was difficult to navigate through the downtown Royal Oak venue, which also made it nearly impossible to see what wares the vendors had to offer. Baby strollers added to the congestion; maybe there should be a NO STROLLER policy for another year. Plus it really doesn't seem like a child friendly environment to start with (so, maybe just get a sitter and enjoy a day out with the hubby!) It was awesome to see the art vendors booths filled with customers! The food vendors were plentiful enough and the food we sampled was very tasty. It would have been nice to find some seating areas nearby though so you didn't have to eat while walking and bumping into other people. There was a decent variety of beer, wine and other beverages throughout the festival area. Admission into the event was reasonable and the tickets were about what we expected to pay. Royal Oak is always a nice place to visit and hopefully the event will return again next year with a few improvements. read more