Ann Arbor Summer Festival

A Community Tradition since 1984

A2SF champions performing arts, outdoor entertainment, and community spirit. In addition to a nearly four-week festival each June that attracts a diverse audience of over 80,000 people and offers over 200 concerts, art exhibitions, kids activities, spectacle, and film screenings, A2SF presents compelling experiences throughout the year.

Founded by Eugene Power, and established as a partnership between the City of Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan, early seasons emphasized classical music and theater, but have since become more popular and diverse in nature, encompassing a breadth of performance genres. Today, the June festival offers two concurrent series. The outdoor centerpiece at Top of the Park offers admission-free concerts, movies, open-air spectacles, and unique family attractions held along a beautiful U-M campus green. The indoor, ticketed series features world-class music, dance, contemporary circus, and comedy.

SUN JUNE 11

All Day

Sidewalk Chalk Day

Sidewalk Chalk Day returns this year with local favorite David Zinn leading the charge at Top of the Park. Join us on June 11 for an extravaganza of personal expression. Chalk at Top of the Park, on your own sidewalk, or wherever you choose to make your canvas!

David Zinn’s chalk work began in 2001 as an excuse to linger outdoors, but has since achieved global notoriety through the sharing of photos on Facebook, Huffington Post UK, The Cheezburger Network, Street Art Utopia, and Archie McPhee’s Endless Geyser of Awesome. Be inspired by his ability to incorporate 3-D illusions into familiar scenery and have fun searching for his most frequent characters, Sluggo, a bright green monster with stalk eyes and irreverent habits, Philomena, a phlegmatic flying pig, and many entertaining mice. https://zinnart.com/

His whimsical chalk drawings can be discovered and enjoyed for the duration of the festival.

5:00PM

Aspen Jacobsen

O&W GROVE STAGE - TOP OF THE PARK (INGALLS MALL)

Genres: Folk, Americana, Country Pop

18-year-old singer and multi-instrumentalist Aspen Jacobsen returns to A2SF this summer on the heels of the release of her first full-length album, Arsonist Daughter. Born and raised in Commerce, Michigan, Jacobsen decamped to Los Angeles after graduating from Interlochen Arts Academy’s High School to further her craft as a singer-songwriter at the University of Southern California’s Popular Music Program. Performing since the age of nine, Jacobsen makes music that is rooted in Americana, encompassing folk, blues, and pop. Her style recalls Joni Mitchell and Ani DiFranco in equal measure. The award-winning artist is a compassionate, thought-provoking lyricist with a natural gift for connecting with her audience through her emotive voice and reflective lyrics. Two critically acclaimed recordings are already under her belt, but Jacobsen’s first full-length album takes her to a new level. Eleven impassioned country-folk tunes encapsulate the expression “wise beyond her years.” Jacobsen’s striking voice, skill and comfort with her instrument, and heartfelt performance is sure to inspire a strong emotional exchange with audiences who come to see her live this summer.

5:00PM

Kidzone: C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital – Bandaid and Medical Materials Craft

KIDZONE TENT

Meet Child Life Specialists from C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital who will help with art projects using medical supplies such as Band-aids and gauze, among other surprise family-friendly activities.

5:30PM

Retreat: Ita Yoga – Slow Vinyasa Flow

POWER CENTER LAWN

This class combines movement and held postures to increase strength and flexibility. Longer posture holds allow the student to adjust, modify, build patience and endurance. We emphasize pranayama (breath work), an integral part of yoga practice. Participants are encouraged to establish a deep connection to the breath in order to bring balance to the mind and body.

Great class for beginners needing a slower paced class with more detailed instruction and for students of all levels needing to slow down and pay more attention to their posture alignment.

6:00PM

Anne Erlewine

O&W GROVE STAGE - TOP OF THE PARK (INGALLS MALL)

Genres: Folk, Americana, Singer-Songwriter

Ann Arborite singer-songwriter Anne Erlewine brings her contemporary folk back to A2SF this year. Erlewine explores the most gentle zones of sound with her deceptively stark acoustic guitar strum and delicate lyricism, unsurprising for someone who is also a painter. Her debut album Over the Bones was produced by acclaimed singer-songwriter Chris Bathgate and recorded at High Bias Recordings in Detroit, with the musical support of local artists. The resulting sound approaches neo-Americana, reflective and vulnerable in equal measure. After the pandemic thwarted hopes for a spring tour, Erlewine turned to deep songwriting and home recording with her band: guitarist Sam Vail, bassist Ozzie Andrews, guitarist and lap steel player Alex Anest, and drummer Jason Berthold. Experience her meditative, emotionally resonant, painterly folk music live at Top of the Park this summer.

6:00PM

The Annex: Print Your Own T-Shirt with Sajeev Visweswaran

THE ANNEX

Screen printing refers to a technique where images are printed onto any surface through a mesh screen which has an image or pattern on it. First, participants make a pencil drawing on paper, which we will trace onto the screens. In this technique participants will use screen filler (as a drawing medium) to mark the image directly on the screen. The image can be drawn with a fine brush. Once the screen filler is dried properly, the printing process will start. In the next stage, ink is pushed through the screen with a squeegee with the screen frame centered over the printing paper. This transfers the image to the printing surface. 

Bring your own t-shirt. Printing supplies provided. Workshop is limited to 30 people. 

7:00PM

The Shake Ups (Kidsrock)

RACKHAM STAGE - TOP OF THE PARK (INGALLS MALL)

Genres: Pop, Kids, Children’s Music

The Shake Ups are an award-winning, Midwestern-based power pop band that performs songs inspired by pop culture and a variety of cartoons, both classic and new. Their ultra-fun combination of co-ed vocals, danceable hooks, and catchy melodies makes for a unique live experience that can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages. The band has released several collections of critically acclaimed original music tributes to animated series, from Scooby Doo and Voltron to Steven Universe and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. It’s little wonder that their concerts are often described as Saturday morning cartoon-fueled extravaganzas. Professional crowd pleasers and the galaxy’s most animated band, the Shake Ups bring joy to pop culture enthusiasts and families alike. Come have fun with the Shake Ups at Top of the Park this summer!

8:30PM

Lady Sunshine and the X-Band

RACKHAM STAGE - TOP OF THE PARK (INGALLS MALL)

GENRE: R&B, Soul

With lively shows that echo the Stax-Volt legacy, the music of Lady Sunshine and the X-Band is a passionate reflection of the very essence of the Motor City: emotion, fire, pride, and soul. Growing up singing gospel, Lady Sunshine is a born entertainer whose voice channels a soulful depth alongside her down-to-earth demeanor. A rhythm section you might reliably call a groove machine and an air-tight horn section complete the powerful blues and soul ensemble. An Ann Arbor favorite, come on down and enjoy the time-tested sounds of Lady Sunshine and the X-Band.

Festival Dates: June 9-25, 2023