For three weeks, hundreds of Ann Arbor residents and University students hung out on the top of the Fletcher Street Parking Structure, dancing to local bands as part of the 18th Annual Ann Arbor Summer Festival.
- Paul Wong
- Several area restaurants, including Gandy Dancer, Zingerman”s and Rendez-vous Cafe, set up shop to serve the crowds at Top of the Park.<br><br>JOHN PRATT/ Daily
The festival, which ended last night, consisted of more than a dozen performances in the Power Center and Hill Auditorium Mondays at Mendelssohn, which featured young aruthors and comedians as well as nightly family and community-geared musical performances and movies.
George Berdard & the Kingpins, a local swing/classic rock “n” roll/blues/country band, kicked off the closing night of Top of the Park, a free community event coordinated by the Summer Festival.
“It”s so much fun. We have a blast, it”s so laid back.” said Engineering sophomore and Ann Arbor resident Anna Zdeblick, an employee of the Summer Festival.
Zdeblick, who has gone to TOP for the last three years, worked at the festival every night. Tomorrow, she”s down to having only one job, waiting tables.
“(Nite Flight) last night was the best,” she said, adding she”ll miss the job. “We go on breaks and dance by the stage.”
The Summer Festival started in 1984 as a way to bring summer art and musical performances to the community, said Steve Guttman, TOP manager.
Guttman said the best and most important aspect of TOP is that it is free and convenient, a combination that makes it a popular hang out for “townies.”
“If you are from town, you can see your next door neighbor, the kid you went to grade school with, or your teacher,” he said. “You can see everbody here. It”s truly a townie festival.”
The Summer Festival started June 16 with the musical “I Love You, You”re Perfect, Now Change,” performed in the Power Center.