Klyde Warren Park Announces Judges, Emcee, and DJ for Inaugural Fundraising Event
DALLAS, TX (September 15, 2015) – Klyde Warren Park announced today the judges for Park & Palate’s signature Friday event, Down to the Roots, will be Amanda Freitag, Food Network star and cookbook author; Patricia Sharpe, restaurant critic for Texas Monthly; and Tyler Seguin, NHL All-Star and current Dallas Stars player. Additionally, Klyde Warren Park is excited to share that popular local TV and radio personality, Scott Murray, will take the role of emcee for Friday night’s Down to the Roots and Saturday’s Grand Tasting presented by Central Market, which will include music from the talented DJ Lucy Wrubel.
“We are thrilled to see such a talented group of people come together to support Klyde Warren Park and to ensure that Park & Palate is a truly fun and memorable event,” said Erika White, VP of events and programs at Klyde Warren Park. “We can't wait for the big weekend!”
In addition to participating as a judge in Down to the Roots on Friday night, Amanda Freitag will also host the very first signing of her book, which is scheduled to be released later this month, The Chef Next Door: A Pro Chef’s Recipes for Fun, Fearless Home Cooking. Freitag, one of New York’s most celebrated chefs, is a judge of Food Network’s Chopped as well as the co-host, alongside Ty Pennington, of American Diner Revival. Freitag’s book will be available for purchase and to be signed during the Grand Tasting on Saturday afternoon.
Freitag will judge Friday’s Down to the Roots event along with popular Dallas Stars player, Tyler Seguin. Seguin is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and Stanley Cup Champion known as a philanthropist and outdoorsman, driving him to give back during Klyde Warren Park’s inaugural fundraising event.
Patricia Sharpe, the third judge for Down to the Roots, grew up in Austin, Texas and holds a master’s degree in English from the University of Texas at Austin. After working as a teacher and at the Texas Historical Commission, she joined the staff of Texas Monthly in 1974 where she has remained reviewing restaurants in her column Pat’s Pick in addition to contributing to Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Saveur, and the New York Times.
The voice of Park & Palate, Scott Murray, has more than 35 years of experience as a multi-Emmy-Award-winning broadcast journalist and TV/radio host, in addition to emceeing live events and galas in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Murray is currently the host of the weekly TV program, Conversations with Scott Murray on KTXD-TV and host of The Scott Murray Show on KLIF 570 Radio. Murray stays active in the North Texas community as a volunteer, serving on the board/advisory boards of many children’s, civic, charitable and non-profit organizations, now able to add the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation to his roster of deserving charities.
Popular roots-rock group, Paul Thorn Band will provide entertainment during Down to the Roots. Thorn and his faithful band who have been together more than 20 years create a funky sound, intertwining drum, keyboard, and slinky guitar lines under his playful banter – perfect for the evening filled with comfort foods and cocktail tastings.
DJ Lucy Wrubel, a world-traveled DJ based in Dallas and named “One of the Top Ten DJs in Dallas” by D Magazine, will round out the featured talent on Saturday during the Grand Tasting presented by Central Market. DJ Lucy Wrubel, known as a voracious collector of eclectic tunes, has played a wide variety of exciting events ranging from North Park’s Fashion at the Park in runway tents to Neiman Marcus’ 100-year bash.
Tickets for Park & Palate are on sale now at www.ParkAndPalate.org starting at $150 and varying in pricing for each day, with all proceeds generating funds for Klyde Warren Park and its free daily programming. Park & Palate will offer a limited number of tickets for an exclusive VIP experience, which includes a VIP lounge in Savor Gastropub with food by Chef Jonathan Waxman and Chefs Stephen Rogers and Allison Yoder of Gemma, wine seminars, mixology demonstrations, and prime viewing of the main stage.
Park & Palate will take place at Klyde Warren Park, located at 2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway in Dallas, Texas. For more information on Klyde Warren Park, please visit www.KlydeWarrenPark.org.
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ABOUT PARK & PALATE
Park & Palate is Klyde Warren Park’s first ever wine and food fundraising event taking place September 25 and 26, 2015, which will feature celebrity chefs, a Dallas-style grand tasting, cooking demos, live music, and a unique VIP experience. The two-day celebration will highlight the innovative Dallas restaurant scene as well as key tastemakers throughout the region. All proceeds from Park & Palate will go directly back to the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation, the 501(c)(3) that operates Klyde Warren Park, supporting its daily operations and free year-round programming. Please visit www.ParkAndPalate.com to learn more about the two-day fundraising event.