City of Rochester
News Release
(Monday, July 7, 2014) – Returning for its third year larger than ever before, Rochester SummerFest will take place across the city from Thursday, July 10 to Sunday, July 13. SummerFest kicks off Thursday with a school supplies giveaway and continues into the weekend with musical entertainment and a three-day $25K Basketball Tournament.
“I want to recognize Eddie Hammonds and the Team E Foundation for their commitment to the community and for pulling together this great lineup of events,” said Mayor Lovely A. Warren. “SummerFest has always provided a great time and I am happy that a donation will be made to our city schools.”
Six elementary schools including Henry Longfellow School 36, Martin Luther King School 9, Enrico Fermi School 17, John Williams School 5, Dr. Louis Cerulli School 34 and Charles Lunsford School 19 are in the running to win backpacks filled with school supplies for all of their students. The donation is being provided by the Team E Foundation and Rochester native and NFL star Branden Albert of the Miami Dolphins. Mayor Warren and Team E Foundation President Eddie Hammonds will draw a winner by lottery at 2 p.m., Thursday, July 10 in the Atrium at City Hall, 30 Church St. The remaining schools will each receive a $400 check to purchase school supplies for the coming academic year.
The Fifth Annual $25K Basketball Tournament begins at 6 p.m. on the following evening, Friday, July 11 at the Thomas P. Ryan Community Center, 530 Webster Ave. The tournament continues each morning at 9 a.m. on July 12 and 13. Teams from Florida, Tennessee, Indiana, New Jersey and New York City will participate. A Celebrity Basketball Game featuring Camron, Bobby V, Shawty Lo, local talent Sierra Dunklin and others coached by Natalie Nunn from the Oxygen channel’s Bad Girls Club will also take place on the last day of the tournament. Admission is $5 on July 11 and 12 and $10 on July 13 for the championship game and celebrity match.
The SummerFest Concert featuring Marvin Sapp, Regina Belle and the Jimmy Highsmith Band will take place at 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 11 at the Auditorium Theatre, 885 East Main St. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.
Marvin Sapp is a Contemporary American Gospel music singer-songwriter and pastor of Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Sapp’s music has made U.S. Billboard lists and won him several awards at the 26th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards in 2011.
Regina Bell is a four-time Grammy award-winning R&B/Pop artist who has been dedicated to music since she was a young girl. She has released nine albums across the course of her career and appeared in concert with such other performers as Ray Charles, Boney James and Frankie Beverly.
Jimmy Highsmith is a smooth jazz artist and Rochester native. He is a Grammy-nominated, award-winning saxophonist and has shared the stage with many artists including Alicia Keys, Chris Botti and Wynton Marsalis.
SummerFest Concert tickets are $33 and may be purchased at Mad Flavors, 185 Lyell Ave., People’s Choice, 651 Chili Ave. or the Auditorium Theatre Box Office, 875 E. Main St. They may also be purchased by calling the Auditorium Theatre Box Office at (800) 745-3000 or online at Ticketmaster.com with an associated service fee.
The festival is organized by Team E Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization that supports disadvantaged city youth who have demonstrated a commitment to overcoming adversity.
For more information, visit www.cityofrochester.gov/summerfest.
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News Media: For more information, contact Communications Director Christine Christopher at 428-7135.