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Downtown Oakland Spruced Up For Art And Soul Festival

OAKLAND (KCBS) – Work crews are putting the finishing touches on booths and attractions in downtown Oakland, preparing for this weekend's Art and Soul Festival.

The tents are going up around Frank Ogawa Plaza and stages are being constructed as organizers transform 10 city blocks into a weekend summer bash.

Oakland Director of Marketing Samee Roberts also serves as Executive Producer for the Art and Soul Festival, which is in its 11th year.

KCBS' Mark Seelig Reports:

"There are 40 bands performing on four big concert stages. We have Tower of Power, a big Oakland name," she said.

If music's not your thing, there will be plenty of food booths and a chance to look at the work of local artists. There will also be a kid's fun zone.

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan said that a majority of the people coming out to the festival do so from outside city limits, meaning a boon for the local economy.

"This is a huge boost as it's usually a couple of million dollars, when you include all the extra hotel rooms that get booked and groups that come to the city," said Quan.

The Art and Soul Festival runs from 12-6pm both Saturday and Sunday. For more information go to www.artandsouloakland.com.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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