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Newport Yachting Center's 2009 Newport Waterfront Events' Core Festival Attendance Reaches High Water Mark

January 29, 2010

NEWPORT, RI, January 28, 2010 – The Newport Yachting Center, a full-service marina and special events facility, announces that total attendance to the four traditional festivals (Schweppes Great Chowder Cook-Off, Stop & Shop Taste of Rhode Island, Newport Waterfront Irish Festival and International Oktoberfest) of the 2009 Newport Waterfront Events schedule rose by more than 10 percent compared to 2008 figures. This comes on the heels of increases in attendance of 8 percent in 2008, 9 percent in 2007, 4 percent in 2006 and 7 percent in 2005.  Newport Yachting Center also reached its goal of raising more than $25,000 for local charities during the 2009 festival season.

        “Once again, the Irish festival was the big winner in attendance with an increase of 15 percent on top of a 26 percent increase in ’08,” said Michele Maker Palmieri, General Manager of the Newport Yachting Center. “Chowder and Oktoberfest also enjoyed significant bumps in attendance which more than offset Taste being down after the event was impacted by rain for the second year in a row. I think these figures offer further evidence that, even in a challenging economic environment, if you offer reasonably priced, quality, family fun at a beautiful waterfront setting it can be a win-win for everyone.” Palmieri added that attendance for the 2009 Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series was also up substantially as the event grew from six to nine concerts and showcased a number of memorable performances from an eclectic mix of major acts satisfying a variety of musical tastes, including blues, rock, pop and Motown.

         Some of the other highlights of the 2009 festival season included: restaurants from all four corners of the country competing at the Great Chowder Cook-Off and national coverage of the event by the CBS Early Show for a fourth year in a row; the introduction of Stop & Shop as a name sponsor for the Taste of RI; the introduction of Nantucket Nectars as the name sponsor of the Sunset Music Series, with a new tiered ticketing system and strong line-up of headliners including Michael McDonald, Chris Isaak and Huey Lewis and the News; a new, covered Main Stage for the Newport Waterfront Irish Festival which helped Guinness celebrate its 250^th year; and an expanded Biergarten at the International Oktoberfest.

         In addition to providing entertainment to adults and children alike, other beneficiaries of the festivals were local and regional charities, who created their own fundraisers within the event or received a percentage of each ticket sold and the food and beverage consumed. The result was that the 2009 Newport Waterfront Festivals generated more than $25,000 in donations for the following organizations: Rhode Island Community Food Bank, Hugs and Halos, Autism Project of Rhode Island, the Potter League for Animals, McAuley House, the Alzheimer’s Association and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center.

         “Tens of thousands of dollars in charitable support was raised through a variety of activities during our most recent festival season, including raffles, silent auctions and merchandise sales,” said Mike Martin, Director of Newport Waterfront Events. “Looking towards our 2010 festival season, we look forward to building on the more than $500,000 in assistance the festivals have generated over the years for a variety of deserving causes in our community.”

         The Newport Yachting Center’s 2010 Newport Waterfront Events line-up is as follows: the 29^th Annual Schweppes Great Chowder Cook-Off (June 5), the 13^th Annual Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series and the Newport Comedy Series produced by RocJo Productions (both held throughout the summer), the debut of the Newport WineFest produced by Life Marketing and Events (August 20-22), the return of the Newport Arts Festival produced by Looking Upwards (August 28-29); the 13^th Annual Newport Waterfront Irish Festival (September 4 -6), the Newport International Boat Show (September 16-19), the 22^nd Annual Stop & Shop Taste of Rhode Island (October 2-3) and the 18^th Annual International Oktoberfest (October 9-11).  All the events are held at the Newport Yachting Center in the “city by the sea” where beach-going, shopping, dining and enjoying the nightlife are often a part of the pre- or post-Newport Waterfront Events activity.

            Newport Harbor Corporation, an ESOP (employee-ownership) company, has been operating as a hospitality business since 1979 and has roots in the region dating back to 1925. The company has grown into a leader in the hospitality industry, building an impressive portfolio of award winning hotels, restaurants and events. Today, the Newport Harbor Corporation owns and/or operates the Newport Restaurant Group, Castle Hill Inn & Resort, Blackstone Caterers and the Newport Yachting Center Marina & Special Events.

         For more information on this year’s upcoming Newport Waterfront Events, please visit www.newportwaterfrontevents.com