From May 26-28 in Charlotte, N.C., the 17th annual festival, Food Lion Speed Street, will provide attendees a multitude of activities such as the Food Lion Kids’ Zone presented by General Mills, Your Carolina Chevy Dealers display and much more.
Over the course of several years, Food Lion Speed Street also has donated more than $425,000 to non-profit organizations. The three-day event has contributed $50,000 to The NASCAR Foundation, $375,000 to Speedway Children’s Charities and will make its annual donation of $50,000 to Speedway Children’s Charities this year. The check presentation will take place Friday, May 28 at approximately 6:30 p.m. at the Coca-Cola stage.
Fan activities
• Food Lion Speed Street Parade: During opening ceremonies on Thursday, May 26 starting at noon, Food Lion Speed Street will offer attendees a parade featuring event grand marshal and NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Allison, the West Charlotte High School Marching Band, the star of Disney Pixar’s “Cars 2” – Lightning McQueen, a super-sized Food Lion grocery cart, and General Mills characters. The parade will begin at the Food Lion Kids’ Zone. It then will proceed to the Coca-Cola stage in front of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
• Presented by State Farm, the “Agents on a Mission” tour hits the road with Disney Pixar’s “Cars 2” when four-time Piston Cup champion Lightning McQueen and best friend Mater join master British spy Finn McMissile—life-size remote-controlled models that race around, light up and rev for fans. Visitors can check out the cars and take part in a variety of “Cars 2”-themed activities, including a video kiosk, e-photo opportunities, games and giveaways. They also can enter the “Agents on a Mission” sweepstakes, which features 18,000 prizes, including a new car.
• Texas on Tour provides a virtual trip to The Lone Star State through a high-tech, high-intensity traveling exhibit. Using virtual reality technology, green screens and a projection theater, visitors can travel from the Texas coastline to a kayak adventure on the state’s lakes and rivers to the wide-open space of the prairies. Guests receive a souvenir photo plus experience interactive games that test knowledge of Texas’ diverse terrain and activities. Guests also have a chance to win a free Texas vacation.
• Gnarly Head Rippin’ Ribs BBQ Competition is kick-starting a cross-country mission to find the nation’s best rib recipe and prove that Old Vine Zin stands up to BBQ. This BBQ tour hits five cities in three months, culminating in a live championship cook-off at American Royal Barbecue Competition in Kansas City on Oct. 1. Gnarly Head has challenged Charlotte to submit and cook its finest pork rib recipe. Charlotte participants will compete on Saturday, May 28. The grand prize is $5,000 and a spot on the official Gnarly BBQ Team at the 2012 Memphis in May World Championship of BBQ. www.rippinribs.com.
• At the General Mills stage in the Food Lion Kids’ Zone , General Mills will present Big Bang Boom, a powerful trio that writes and performs parent-friendly children’s music, for multiple performances over the three-day event.
• Frito Lay — The “Lay’s Mobile Farm” is a traveling greenhouse featuring potato, tomato, pepper, onion and basil plants – just some of the natural ingredients found in Lay’s potato chips. Visitors will have an opportunity to learn how a real farm works from a horticulturalist and become a farmer in the “Farmer Photo.”
• Lunchables Mobile Tour: Delivering family-friendly fun, Lunchables will provide its Lunchables cafe to feature several tasty treats, an inflatable obstacle course, interactive electronic games, a photo activation booth deemed “Fruitfy Yourself” and an inflatable, child-size climbing wall called Pineapple Peak.
Community impact
• Food Lion Speed Street will continue its recycling efforts in 2011 with the assistance of HMS Helps. HMS is a leader in cost containment solutions for government-funded, commercial and private entities. The organization is providing recycling bags and bins to help facilitate environmental efforts. http://www.hms.com/
• On Friday between 3-4 p.m., Food Lion will host a special presentation from Drive to End Hunger—AARP and AARP Foundation’s national effort to end hunger for older Americans— and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina on the Food Lion Stage.
Admission to Food Lion Speed Street is free. The festival opens each day at noon. For a schedule of events, visit www.600festival.com or www.facebook.com/FoodLionSpeedStreet.