Free Festival 'Top of the Park' promises fun to A2 residents

"Where's the bathroom?"

And so begins the typical visit to Top of the Park, said Michelle Williams, an LSA senior and information booth worker. Top of the Park is an event which finds itself brimming with vendors, free entertainment and crowds of people.

Top of the Park, a part of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, is a free event that lasts from June 19 to July 12. It is located on the roof of the parking structure next to the Power Center. The festival marks its 15th anniversary this year and has not found itself disappointed by the crowds.

"The kind of people who come here are mostly families, older couples and high school kids," Williams said. "Everyone in Ann Arbor is looking for something to do, and this is really the perfect place."

DANIEL O'DONNEL/Daily Ricardo Gonzalez dances with his mom, Josephine, at 'Top of the Park.' The Ann Arbor Summer Festival offers the city free entertainment.

Various restaurants from the Ann Arbor area have also set up booths to feed the hungry audience members.

"We try to be open by six," said Matt McGuirk, a senior at Eastern Michigan University and a worker at the Gandy Dancer booth. "Business is fairly good through the evening."

McGuirk added that although the Gandy Dancer booth does not sell many items from its restaurant menu, the booth serves as good exposure for the restaurant.

Other vendors agree.

"We don't really make a large amount of money here, except during the weekends," said Alfie Ramirez, a worker at The Moveable Feast booth. "It's OK, though, because we get good exposure that we wouldn't normally get.

"The reason that the food is a little more expensive is because Top of the Park takes 10 percent as a sort of donation," Ramirez added.

The expense does not harm business, though.

"Many older couples don't see a problem with the money," said Jerome Balmes, an LSA senior and another worker at The Moveable Feast booth.

Balmes said he has noticed that not many University students attend the summer festival.

"Where are all the Michigan students?" Balmes asked, adding that the only University students he has seen were incoming first-year students who were on campus for their Orientation sessions.

Until July 12, the evening will be alive with people at Top of the Park. Free movies will be shown after dusk, and bands will play before the movies start.

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