Every gardener with a green thumb learns that a plant cannot reach its full magnificence growing rampantly wild. Pruning once in a while, cutting off even half the branches, will make any garden bloom bigger and brighter.
Once spring rolls around, the dorms lock their doors, students fly home and the normally frantic tempo on campus slows to a tempered crawl. The exodus of students, however, does not cause Ann Arbor to wither away and become a city in hibernation until the swarms of students return. Like a plant, Ann Arbor thrives when its size is temporarily cut back.
The city instead blossoms into a cultural mecca - its true character seeping out of the woodwork.
Last summer kicked off on a solemn note, with the Allen Ginsberg memorial service in Hill Auditorium on May 24. Ginsberg, along with other Beat writers, poets and philosophers like Jack Kerouac and Anne Waldman, defined a generation that pushed and boldly crossed accepted societal norms.
The service began with prayers in the Jewish and Buddhist traditions. Follow-ing were performances by former 10,000 Maniacs singer Natalie Merchant, guitarist Lenny Kaye, the Gyutu Monks Tantrie Choir and Patti Smith. Music was interspersed between poetry readings by Waldman and several talented up-and-coming poets.
The just-off-Broadway performance of "Stomp" was next on the list of high-powered summer entertainment. The troupe members used brooms, garbage cans, sinks and their hands and feet as instruments. There was no pre-taped music, and a perfectly choreographed modern dance was performed solely to the beat of household items and appliances.
Theater was not a summer resident's only avenue for entertainment. Fuller Pool was the place to be for swimming, beach volleyball and seeking out some summer loving.
Lifeguard Peter Soto said fraternities and sororities, along with other large groups of college students, flock to the pool during the hot and dreary dog days of summer. With water splashing, the sun shining high overhead and 500 to 700 fellow sunbathers to mingle with, $3 admission is a scant price to pay.
People streamed through the streets and lines snaked out restaurant doors only one time during the long summer months. Locals dreaded the four days of Art Fair, but 500,000 people still traveled to the city looking for that perfect piece to hang above their living-room sofa.
The 38th annual Ann Arbor Art Fair was a roaring success, said Kathy Krick, Art Fair director for the State Street area.
Many young artists were brought in this year who previously sold their work solely in galleries, Krick said. "A lot of first-time artists were astounded by the number of people and amount of sales."
Long sticks with animals on top, along with marble statues forged in the shape of a chain, were among the more unusual and most popular items.
But Art Fair was more than just a giant art exposition. Ann Arbor transformed into a citywide bazaar, filled with music, vendors and entertainers.
There were numerous stages for music throughout the city streets, with blues, jazz, folk and rock 'n' roll all well represented. Will Soto, who juggled flaming pins and walked across a giant tightrope, was among the most popular attractions.
The fair also marked the final performance of a fixture in the Ann Arbor community. Bongo Man, who accompanies his bongo beat with a bit of freestylin', announced an end to his illustrious street performing career. For years, thousands heard his little ditties like "Hey there girl, you so pretty, put some money in my kitty," at Art Fair, football Saturdays and other citywide events.
The Art Fair's selection made it nearly impossible to pass through without a purchase. But for most college students - with bills stacked high and perpetually thinning pocketbooks - prices seemed stratospheric and fine works of art were unattainable.
The Ann Arbor Summer Festival's Top of the Park series was a dream come true for these budget-conscious students. Music and movies were presented at no cost to a crowd of 1,700 every night from June 20 to July 13 .
The series, held on the roof of the Power Center parking ramp, showcased an eclectic mix of musical talent running the gamut from jazz to classical to rock 'n' roll.
"Guitar Shorty, an old blues guy who does backflips on stage, was one of the most popular performers," said Colleen Murdock, marketing director for the Ann Arbor Summer Festival.
But the movie lineup was the major draw for college students.
"'Caddyshack' and 'Blues Brothers' were busy and 'Casablanca' was just packed - it was crazy," Murdock said. "(Top of the Park) is a good place to hang out with friends, and come (to) see a new band or movie."
As much as things change during the summer in Ann Arbor, there will always be one constant. Crushing concrete serenaded students, waking them prematurely from their slumber on many summer mornings.
Finally, the new School of Social Work building is nearing completion and the Diag is soon to be reopened.
But students walking from Angell Hall to the Chemistry Building will notice a prominent landmark is absent. The block M is missing from the Diag for the first time in 44 years.
As part of the $1.5 million Diag reconstruction, the M has been shipped away to be encased in granite. Until its return, the middle of the Diag will be paved in red brick.
The traditional legend states that if students step on the M before their first blue book examination, they will fail. Now that the mystical M is gone, will bad luck run rampant through campus in these fall months?
Summer has come to a close, but for any students thinking of going home next year - think again. Ann Arbor becomes a charming small town in summer, and many summer residents grow to dread September's return to "normality."
BOHDAN DAMIAN CAP/Daily
Doris Gould from Houston, Texas, sets up her sculptures with her brother Dan Sekellick from Albany, N.Y., at the A2 1997 Art Fair. The four-day fair brought crafters from across the country to the local area.