BLUES TRAVELER TO JOIN MINI TAKES THE STATES 2010 IN DENVER: MINI Proudly Confirms Blues Traveler As Headline Band for MINI’s Music Festival during MTTS

* MINI Music Festival scheduled for Saturday, August 14, 2010
* The weekend festival will include five live bands, a MINI autocross driving experience, games and more for just a $25 registration fee
* A portion of the registration fee will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on behalf of Ryan’s MINI Adventure

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – July 16, 2010… Blues Traveler, known for the spontaneous spirit of their legendary live shows, will headline the MINI Music Festival in Denver, Colorado on August 14, 2010 – the capstone event for the 2010 MINI TAKES THE STATES (MTTS) road rally.

“Blues Traveler’s music has been influenced by a variety of genres, including blues, rock, folk, soul and southern rock.  This creates a very broad fan base which is perfect for the diverse group of owners that we will bring to our Denver finale from all over the U.S.” said Jim McDowell, Vice President – MINI USA. “Blues Traveler’s following, much like MINI owners, enjoy a special camaraderie, and we are excited to have the band headline our MINI Music Festival.”

Blues Traveler has been staking out new musical territory and embracing fresh challenges more than 23 years; and through the years, the iconoclastic combo has consistently stuck to its guns and played by its own rules.  The band's best-known single, “Run-Around,” was the longest-charting radio single in Billboard history.  Along the way, the band has played more than 2000 live shows in front of more than three million people.

The MINI Music Festival portion of MTTS will be held at the Infinity Park Stadium, beginning at a11:00 am on August 14, 2010, and running until 9:30 pm. Blues Traveler is expected to take the stage at approximately 7:00 pm. Four other bands are also confirmed, including Rayland Baxter, Fox Street All Stars,  18 South featuring Shawn Camp & Holly Williams and Pat McLaughlin Band.  The MINI Music Festival is sponsored by Harman Kardon and SIRIUS.

To gain access to the concert, guests must register for the Denver Festival at MINITAKESTHESTATES.COM. There is a $25 per person registration fee, which includes access to the MINI Music Festival, a goodie bag with official rally credentials, MTTS 2010 buttons and a few other surprises. A portion of the registration proceeds will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on behalf of the Ryan's MINI Adventure initiative. More about Ryan and her amazing story is available at RyansMINIAdventure.com.

In addition to enjoying the concerts at the MINI Music Festival, attendees will be able to drive MINI vehicles on an autocross track, play games and activities in fun zone, and enjoy a Yellow Designs BMX Stunt show. They will also be able to get a sneak peek at the all-new MINI Countryman, MINI’s all-new crossover vehicle which will make its way to the U.S. in early 2011.

MTTS is hosted every other year, offering MINI owners a chance to rally across the country with thousands fellow enthusiasts and enjoy the unique experiences and community of MINI ownership. MTTS 2010 kicks off from five cities across the U.S. and end in Denver, Colorado. MTTS rallies drive through a total of 19 states, covering more than 8,000 miles of road and is expected to bring together as many as 10,000 participants.

The MTTS festival will begin in Denver on August 13.  Once there, MTTS participants will enjoy a weekend of MINI fun, including the music festival, MINI-Cross driving challenges, a road rally, games for the family and a vendor village where participants can stock up on MINI gear for themselves and their vehicle.

All MINI owners are invited to register at MINITAKESTHESTATES.COM to drive with the MINI team and enjoy the MINI Festival in Denver.

MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC which has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country.  BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes.  The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 143 BMW motorcycle retailers, 98 MINI passenger car dealers, and 31 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at:  www.bmwgroupna.com

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Journalist note: Information about the BMW Group and its products is available to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address: www.press.bmwna.com.  Additional information, images and video may be found at www.miniusanews.com.  Broadcast quality video footage is available via The NewsMarket at www.thenewsmarket.com.

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