Acura Drives Into New Orleans as Sponsor of Jazz Fest 2000

27 April 2000

    TORRANCE, Calif., April 26 Acura will be the main stage
sponsor at this year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival which opens
Friday, April 28 and runs through Sunday, May 7.  This is the first year Acura
is involved with this event, which is celebrating its 31st year as the world's
largest music festival, hosting more than 500,000 music lovers of jazz, blues,
rock and everything in between.
    "Acura is proud to be sponsoring such a historically renowned event like
the Jazz & Heritage Festival," said Dick Colliver, Executive Vice President,
Acura Division.  "This event allows us to align ourselves with Acura owners to
complement their lifestyle and to more accurately gauge what they want and
need from our cars."
    The main Acura stage is one of twelve stages where performances are
scheduled, and will play host to various artists including: Sting, Lenny
Kravitz, The Allman Brothers Band, The O'Jays, Erykah Badu, Big Bad Voodoo
Daddy, The Temptations, Dr. John, Liquid Soul, Lyle Lovett & His Large Band,
John Hiatt, Jimmy Cliff and The Neville Brothers.  In addition, Acura will
present a state-of-the-art, multi-vehicle exhibit celebrating the spirit of
the Festival, allowing attendees see the full line of Acura premium
performance vehicles including the newly redesigned 2001 CL luxury performance
coupe and the upcoming MDX luxury sport utility vehicle.
    The festival first began in 1970 under the direction of producer George
Wein, founder of the Newport Jazz Festival and numerous other festivals
worldwide.  The inaugural festival featured 300 musicians, including Duke
Ellington, Mahalia Jackson and Al Hirt, who entertained audience members in
New Orleans' historic Congo Square.  Today, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage
Festival attracts music lovers from across the globe and features music genres
from bluegrass to rock to country to jazz.
    In addition to the upcoming MDX luxury sport utility vehicle on display at
the Jazz Festival, Acura offers a full line of premium performance vehicles,
including the mid-engine NSX exotic supercar, the 3.5 RL flagship luxury
sedan, the best-selling 3.2 TL luxury performance sedan, the all-new 3.2 CL
luxury performance coupe, and the fun-to-drive Integra.  No other luxury
manufacturer offers this diverse range of premium performance vehicles.