Ford Motor Company Offers Reading, Music, Art and Science Programs for Children at Motown Winter Blast

DETROIT, Jan. 19 -- Super Bowl XL is just weeks away, and as part of the "Super Weekend" activities, Detroit is gearing up to host Motown Winter Blast, open to the public Feb. 2, 2006-5. At this outdoor winter festival, the Ford Motor Company Family Fun Zone will offer free, fun and educational activities for children and families, including reading, music, art and science programs.

Guest readers will visit the tent in the Ford Motor Company Family Fun Zone to read to children. Special guest readers will be announced at a later date. During the readings, participants will receive coupons for a 10 percent discount of the books read that day, redeemable at the Borders store located near Campus Martius Park. Earvin "Magic" Johnson also will make a special appearance to sign autographs for guests in the Ford Motor Company Family Fun Zone Tent.

Providing musical entertainment in the tent is Candy Band, a group of Michigan moms who "were sick to death of whiny music for children," and decided to form their own kid-rock band with a punk-rock edge. With influences like The Ramones and Iggy Pop, Candy Band promises to be a hit for children and adults alike. Candy Band will perform on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 2,3 and 4, from 7 to 7:45 p.m.

"We are proud to offer entertainment for children that is recreational, as well as educational," said Susan Pepper, Corporate Alliances, Ford Motor Company. "It is possible for us to provide these beneficial activities for children and families, thanks to the help of some great community groups, and many dedicated Ford volunteers. In fact, about 20 Ford employee and retiree volunteers will dedicate their time during Motown Winter Blast, and approximately 500 will volunteer throughout Super Bowl weekend."

Arts & Scraps, a non-profit organization that recycles industrial scraps by turning them into creative materials, will have craft activities available to children in the tent. In one project called the "Auto Factory," kids will create cars and trucks out of scraps and sparkles, while they learn about the concept of the assembly line. Arts & Scraps will be in the tent in the Ford Motor Company Family Fun Zone on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 2, 3 and 4, from 8 to 11 p.m.

For the weekend's science lesson, a geologist from the Cranbrook Institute of Science will provide demonstrations to explain the glacial history of Michigan. He will engage participants by discussing the transformational history of the grounds where they stand, at Campus Martius Park. These geological demonstrations will take place Friday and Saturday, Feb. 3 and 4, from 11 to 1 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 5, from 10 a.m. to noon.

In anticipation of the Motown Winter Blast, Ford Motor Company has joined forces with Travel Michigan, through http://michigan.org/ , to host an online giveaway with the opportunity to win an outdoor adventure for four to explore the wonders of Michigan winters. The winner of this exciting contest will receive a package at Boyne Resort's all-new Mountain Grand Lodge and Spa for four people, and the choice of an all-new 2006 Ford Explorer or Mercury Mountaineer for a 10-day vehicle rental. Now through Feb. 5, go to http://michigan.org/motownwinterblast to complete the online entry form, review contest rules and learn more about travel, careers and business services in the State of Michigan.

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With nearly 325,000 employees and 110 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive-related services include Ford Motor Credit Company and Hertz. For information regarding Ford's products, please visit http://www.fordvehicles.com/ .

The Motown Winter Blast is Detroit's Winter Festival. Created and paid for by the Detroit Super Bowl XL Host Committee, the festival serves as the backdrop, for visitors and local residents, for Super Bowl XL. The event, made possible by General Motors, Ford Motor Company, DaimlerChrysler and michigan.org, provides creative programming that embraces and celebrates winter. The event is produced by Jonathan Witz and Associates. For more information, visit http://www.motownwinterblast.com/ .