he annual Charity Preview on the eve before the 2015 North American International Auto Show opens to the public is Friday, and folks are expected to pass through the Cobo Center dressed to the nines and flanked by shiny vehicles.
DETROIT, MI - They call it the auto prom. The annual Charity Preview on the eve before the 2015 North American International Auto Show opens to the public is Friday, and folks are expected to pass through the Cobo Center dressed to the nines and flanked by shiny vehicles.
The Charity Preview costs $400 to attend, but organizers say $390 of each ticket goes toward children's charities. Now in its 39th year, the event has raised more than $91 million since its inception.
Beneficiaries of the 2015 Charity Preview include:
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan
- Boys Hope Girls Hope Detroit
- Children's Center
- Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation
- The Detroit Institute for Children
- Judson Center
- March of Dimes Metro Detroit
- Detroit PAL
- DADA Charitable Foundation Fund, a fund of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Organizers expect to raise more than $5 million at the 2015 installment.
Headlining this year's event is rock legend the Steve Miller Band.
"Everybody knows that Steve Miller speaks 'the pompitus of love,'" Scott LaRiche, chairman of the 2015, said in a release. "Steve Miller Band is legendary and we are absolutely ecstatic that he'll be our very special musical guest at Charity Preview, helping us celebrate an amazing night and a spectacular week in Detroit."
The Charity Preview, which MLive Media Group is the official social media sponsor of, will be held from 6-9 p.m. The Steve Miller Band is expected to perform at 9 p.m.
The show will be open to the public Jan. 17-25. More than 750 vehicles will be on display, and some 800,000 attendees are expected to pass through the Cobo Center's doors for the event. Tickets to the 2015 public show days are $7 for senior citizens and children between 7-12 years old; $13 for adults; and free for children 6 and under. For more information on tickets, visit naias.com.
David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter