On the final day of the festival, Oct. 10, one lucky volunteer will win a car hood and two tickets to the race, Newberry said.  “We want our volunteers to understand how important they are to the success of Spotlight Lexington,” the Mayor said.  As volunteer program sponsor, Valvoline will also provide each volunteer with a Spotlight Lexington special-branded Volunteer T-shirt.

Allmendinger’s No. 43 Valvoline Ford Fusion was on display during today’s news conference.  Allmendinger joined Richard Petty Motorsports for the final five races of the 2008 season.  In 2009 he had six top-10 finishes.  This past weekend he finished 16^th in the Brickyard 400.

Spotlight Lexington is the 17-day festival Lexington is planning downtown on evenings and weekends during the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.   Spotlight Lexington is being entirely funded through sponsorships, Newberry said.  “We have created opportunities for large and small sponsorships, and we want to thank all of the businesses that have already gotten involved,” he said.  St. Joseph Health System is the title sponsor.

More volunteers are needed for Spotlight Lexington.  To register to become a volunteer, or for more information, visit the Spotlight Lexington website at www.spotlightlexky.com.  The Games are now just 59 days away.  Spotlight Lexington begins on Sept. 24, one day before the Games. 

Valvoline is also getting involved in the Spotlight Lexington pin program, said Carolyn Richardson, chair of the Lexington Host Committee, which is planning Spotlight Lexington.  The $5 pins, which provide discounts at almost 40 local businesses and restaurants, as well as free entry to selected days during Keeneland’s Fall Meet, also qualify some lucky purchasers for daily drawings.  For a complete list of discounts go to www.spotlightlexky.com.

Valvoline is making a cowboy hat autographed by Richard Petty available as one of the daily prizes, Richardson said.  The grand prize is a Honda Accord LX, provided by Don Jacobs Honda.  Seventeen lucky pin purchasers who find a gold key in the envelope when they purchase their pin, will have a chance to draw for the car.  One gold key has already been found.

Pins are available for $5 at all Lexington area Kroger stores, downtown at Commerce Lexington and at the Don Jacobs dealership on Nicholasville Road.  Pins can be purchased in bulk at a discount.  Proceeds benefit the Spotlight Lexington Festival, helping to make all events free and open to the public.

The No. 43 Valvoline Ford Fusion will be on display during the news conference.  The news conference will be held in the Fifth Third Bank Pavilion in Cheapside Park, located next to the historic Courthouse on Main Street. 

Allmendinger joined Richard Petty Motorsports for the final five races of the 2008 season.  In 2009 he had six top-10 finishes.  This past weekend he finished 16^th in the Brickyard 400.

“I am thrilled to announce that country music star Blake Shelton will help us kick off our Spotlight Lexington festival.  With all of the talent spanning across many genres that we already have lined up to entertain our citizens and visitors, Blake’s addition is one more reason why Spotlight Lexington will be the place to be in Lexington during the Games,” said Mayor Jim Newberry.

Blake Shelton has charted seventeen singles on the country music charts, including six Number One hits: “Austin” (2001), “The Baby” (2003), “Some Beach” (2004-2005), “Home” (2008), “She Wouldn’t Be Gone” (2009) and “Hillbilly Bone” (2010), a duet with Trace Adkins. Besides these, three more of his singles have reached Top Ten: a cover version of Conway Twitty’s “Goodbye Time“, “Nobody but Me” and “I’ll Just Hold On“.  Earlier this year, Shelton won Vocal Event of the Year and Collaborative Video of the Year for “Hillbilly Bone“.

In addition to the Courthouse Plaza, Spotlight events will be held in Triangle Park, Cheapside Park and in the Centrepointe block.  A large video board will be placed at Phoenix Park.  The video board will carry coverage from the Horse Park to downtown on a daily basis.  For the most up to date listing of entertainment at all of the venues, visit www.spotlightlexky.com. 

Funding for Spotlight Lexington is being provided through sponsorship.  Sponsors include presenting sponsor St. Joseph Health System, Kentucky Utilities, WKYT, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Valvoline, Applebee’s, Don Jacobs Honda, BMW, and Volkswagon, Lynn Imaging, Smiley Pete and the Kentucky Arts Council.

Get your pin at any Lexington area Kroger store.  They are only $5.  You will also receive 2 coupons to Johnny Carinos inside the envelope and you could get the chance to enter our daily and grand prize giveaways.  For official rules click here.  OFFICIAL RULES

Pins are only $5 each and go on sale July 1 at Thursday Night Live at the 5/3 Pavilion.  They will also be on sale at the Spotlight Lexington booth located at the Courthouse Plaza during the July 4th Celebration.  Beginning July 5, pins will be available at Lexington area Kroger stores.

Businesses wishing to buy pins for their employees, clients, vendors, etc can do so and will receive bulk pricing.  There is approximately $50 in instant value and great prizes available to win (each daily prizes are valued at $500 or more and a New Honda Accord LX).

For businesses wishing to provide discounts and possibly increase traffic leading up to and during the World Equestrian Games, contact us at (859) 258-3100 or via email at spotlightlexington@lfucg.com.  Spotlight Lexington will promote your business’ involvement. And best of all, there is no cost to participate.

No purchase necessary to register to win a daily prize or the Grand Prize.  Download a copy of the OFFICIAL RULES.

For just $5, a Spotlight Lexington pin offers a citizen and visitors benefits at many local busineses, inlcuding FREE admission to the Keeneland Fall Meet opening day as well as every Wednesday and Thursday, restaurant and retail discounts, entry into drawings for a variety of prizes and a chance to win a NEW HONDA ACCORD LX from Don Jacobs.  (No purchase necessary to enter prize drawings.)  Click here to download a list of  Participating Businesses.

There are already approximately 20 participanting businesses in addition to Keeneland.  Johnny Carino’s is also providing 2 coupons inside the PIN envelope valued at $6.  Businesses that participate in the pin program could expect increased traffic during Spotlight Lexington and inclusion the marketing efforts.  Participating businesses will also be given signage so customers can easily identify them.  Participation is FREE.  Businesses intersted in joinging the PIN program should call (859) 258-3100 or email spotlightlexington@lfucg.com.

Pins will go on sale July 1 at Thursday Night Live.  PINS will also be on sale at the Spotlight Lexington booth located in the Courthouse Plaza during the July 4th celebration on July 3rd.  On July 5th, PINS will go on sale at 25 area Kroger stores.  You can also order pins by calling (859) 258-3100.  A business purchase program is also available.

Click here to download the OFFICIAL RULES.   (No purchase necessary to enter prize drawings.  Registration location is in the lobby of the Government Center at 200 East Main Street.  Limit one registration per person per day.)

“We’re just four months away and there are exciting developments for Spotlight Lexington every day,” Newberry said.  “This festival is going to offer something for everyone.”  Spotlight Lexington will begin on September 24, one day prior to the Games, through October 10.

Five different equine breeds, including three rare or unusal breeds, joined the Mayor for the news conference.  “The equine world in the Horse Capital of the World is wonderful and varied,” Newberry said.  “We encourage all horse groups and related industry representatives to participate in the parade.”

The Downtown Lexington Corporation is coordinating the parade and is just beginning to accept parade applications.  Horse Capital Productions will be featured in the parade.  They will bring a variety of breeds and participating organizations to the parade which will be a part of the International Equine Festival.  Click here to download the parade info and entry form.  Parade Application

The horses at the news conference were an Akhal Teke, a rare breed with a coat that has a metallic sheen; a Haflinger, an Austrian sport horse; a Kentucky Mountain Horse, a gaited breed developed in Eastern Kentucky; and a flat-shod plantation Tennessee Walking Horse.

Continuing with the festival’s overall theme of highlighting the best of Kentucky, Newberry announced an entertainment line up of local and regional bands for Cheapside Park that includes the Reel World String Band, the Big Maracas, the Swells Brass Band, Superfecta and Tee Dee Young.  A complete listing of entertainment can be found on www.spotlightlexky.com on the entertainment page.

Activities during Spotlight Lexington include musical entertainment, children’s activities, food and arts and crafts vendors.  The activities will be concentrated in Cheapside park, the Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza and Triangle Park.

In addition to announcing entertainment plans for Cheapside, Newberry today added to the line-up planned for the main stage on the Courthouse Plaza.  Here Come the Mummies, the Juggernaut Jugg Band, Songs of the Bluegrass and the Kentuckians Chorus join Laura Bell Bundy, Sam Bush, JD Crowe, Lula Washington Dance Theatre and more.

Host Committee Chair Carolyn Richardson again thanked the sponsors that are making Spotlight Lexington possible.  No public money is involved in the coordination of Spotlight Lexington.  “Corporate citizens continue to step forward to help us put together a great festival,” Richardson said.  The presenting sponsor of Spotlight Lexington is St. Joseph Health System.

Richardson also reminded citizens and businesses that are conducting events during the World Equestrian Games to submit the event information to Smiley Pete Publishing for the Official Event Guide.  Events should be submitted at www.smleypete.com/spotlight  by August 1.

Mayor Jim Newberry today announced new entertainment and new sponsors for Spotlight Lexington, Sept. 24-Oct. 10.  “This is going to be 17 days of fun for local residents and visitors, alike,” Newberry said.  “We’re going to have the best of Kentucky downtown, and it’s all free!”

             Entertainers who will perform on the stage at the Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza include:

·         Musical performances by Broadway professionals and Kentuckians Laura Bell Bundy, Lyndy Franklin, J.C. Montgomery and Jason Heymann, on Monday, Oct. 4.  Tony award nominee Bundy, who recently appeared on the “Tonight” show and on the Academy of Country Music Awards program, is also performing Oct. 1 at the festival.  The evening will begin with performances from Broadway Bound, the Academy of Creative Excellence, SCAPA and Summerfest.  The evening will also include a performance by Heather Parrish, who provided a sample during today’s news conference by reprising her 2009 starring role in “Always Patsy Cline”. 

·         Three-time Grammy winner Sam Bush, the King of Newgrass, will perform on Friday, Oct. 8, following J.D. Crowe and the New South.

·         The Lexington Philharmonic, with its popular new director, Scott Terrell, will perform Sunday, Oct. 3, after the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra warms up the crowd.

·         The Kentucky Ballet Academy, Kentucky Ballet Theater, the Lexington Ballet School and the Lexington Ballet Company will perform Saturday, Oct. 9, before welcoming the Lula Washington Dance Theater and Louisville’s River City Drum Corps to the stage.  The Lula Washington dance company, based in Los Angeles, is one of the most admired African American, contemporary dance companies in the nation.

The city had already announced performances by Bluegrass legend J.D. Crowe; University of Kentucky Opera Theater students, featuring numbers from the program’s popular “It’s A Grand Night for Singing” fund-raisers; The City, a local band, playing vintage R&B and original music; and perennial favorites, the Lexington Singers.

Newberry said the city has Spotlight’s sponsors to thank for the festival.  No public money is involved in Spotlight Lexington.  “Lexington’s corporate citizens are stepping forward to help us put together a great festival, and I greatly appreciate their assistance,” Newberry said.

Newberry announced several new sponsors:

·         Applebee’s, official bar and grill sponsor. Cash sponsorship valued at over $50,000.  Multiple vending locations.

·         Don Jacobs, official car dealership.  Sponsorship valued at $50,000.

·         Valvoline, official volunteer sponsor.  Cash sponsorship, $30,000. There are many volunteer opportunities for Spotlight.  Go to www.spotlightlexky.com

·         Lynn Imaging, official print partner.  Printing and signage needs.

·         150,000 postcards to be distributed by businesses and downtown organizations.  Designed by Mary Ellen Harden and published by Wall Street Greetings, the cards feature a fanciful map of downtown and include all Spotlight venues and provide event information on the back.

Let’s not forget about volunteer efforts for Spotlight Lexington.  There are several needs and opportunities for volunteers to participate in Spotlight Lexington – everything from acting as a host or hostess, serving as an event assistant or as a media center attendant.  Volunteers will be provided apparel, special discounts and a pre-party in downtown Lexington.  Approximately 500 volunteers are needed.  To learn more about volunteer opportunities, as well as register, visit www.spotlightlexky.com and click on the volunteer tab.

Finally, Host Committee Chair Carolyn Richardson announced that Smiley Pete Publishing, sponsor for the Official Event Guide, will list any event in the guide related to Spotlight or the Games.  Events can be submitted to www.smileypete.com/spotlight  by Aug. 1.

The presenting sponsor of Spotlight Lexington is St. Joseph Health System.

RSVP to spotlightlexington@lfucg.com.  Be sure to include the time of the session you will attending along with the number of attendees.