Plan Your Visit
Tree Town in the summer
The Ann Arbor area is the state's rare jewel: a small, friendly town with big city sophistication; a world-class educational and high-tech research center nestled in a peaceful rural setting; a close-knit community of charming neighborhoods with a rich mix of cultures.
Located in southeast Michigan, just 45 miles west of Detroit and 35 miles north of the Ohio border, the city boasts a vibrant arts and cultural scene, including theaters, music venues, museums, galleries, and street fairs. The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is one of the area’s key attractions, with the warm weather offering a perfect opportunity for outdoor concerts, movies under the stars, picnics on the lawn, and dining al fresco.
Whether you’re a local or just visiting, summer is a great time to be in Ann Arbor. Make the most of the festival by indulging in a long weekend at one of our partner hotels, seeing a few shows, and sampling cuisine at one of our local eateries. So come to the Ann Arbor Summer Festival in June and July, stay and play in true style, and enjoy all that this community has to offer you.
To learn more about Ann Arbor, please visit the below websites.
Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
Maps
Click here for a detailed map of parking and venues
Click here for a detailed map of accessible parking and drop-off spots
Due to construction projects in process around the festival site, we strongly recommend that patrons allocate an additional 20 minutes to their normal travel time to park and arrive in the venue before the performance begins. All parking structures will remain open during construction, including Fletcher and Palmer structures. We thank you for your patience.
Directions
I-94 Eastbound (from Jackson and Chicago)
Take I-94 East to Exit 172, Jackson Road. Jackson Road becomes Huron. Continue on Huron to State Street. Turn right on State Street, then turn either left or right onto Washington Street (parking lots are located in both directions). See map for exact parking locations.
I-94 Westbound (from Detroit)
Take I-94 West to Exit 177, State Street. Turn right (north) on State Street. Continue on State Street to the U-M campus. Turn either left or right from State Street onto Washington Street (parking lots are located in both directions).
US-23 Northbound and Southbound
Take US-23 to Exit 37 B, Washtenaw Avenue (to Ann Arbor). Go west on Washtenaw (from the Northbound exit you will automatically go west; from the Southbound exit turn right at the end of the exit ramp). Continue on Washtenaw until it forks. Veer to the right at the fork. Washtenaw becomes Huron. From Huron, turn left at the light on Fletcher. See map for exact parking locations.
M-14 Westbound (from Plymouth or Livonia)
Take M-14 West to Exit 3, Downtown Ann Arbor, Main Street. Continue on Main Street. Turn left on Washington. See map for exact parking locations.
I-96 Eastbound (from Lansing)
Take I-96 East to US-23 South to M-14 West. Follow directions for M-14 Westbound.
I-696/I96 Westbound (from suburban Detroit)
Take I-696 or I-96 West to I-275 South to M-14 West. Follow directions for M-14 Westbound.
I-696/I96 Westbound (from suburban Detroit)
Take I-696 or I-96 West to I-275 South to M-14 West. Follow directions for M-14 Westbound.
Parking
We know that parking in downtown Ann Arbor can be difficult and take longer than expected. Please allow plenty of time to park. Parking is available in the following structures:
Fletcher Street (at Power Center)
Entrance off Fletcher Street at Washington; $5 event parking begins two hours before the event.
Palmer Drive (near Power Center)
Entrance off Washtenaw Avenue adjacent to Palmer Commons; $5 event parking begins two hours before the event. Accessible to U-M blue and gold permit holders with an AVI device.
Thayer Street (near Hill Auditorium)
Entrance off Thayer Street between Washington and North University Avenue; $5 event parking begins two hours before the event.
Liberty Square (walking distance to Ingalls Maill / Top of the Park)
Entrance off Washington between State Street and Division; $2 after 3 pm, free on Sunday.
Maynard Street (convenient downtown Ann Arbor location)
Entrances off Maynard Street and Thompson between William and Liberty; $.80/hr, free on Sunday.
GOOGLE DRIVING DIRECTIONS
Hill Auditorium
825 N. University Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Click here to create customized driving directions from your home address.
Earl V. Moore Building
1100 Baits Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Click here to create customized driving directions from your home address.
Ingalls Mall / Top of the Park
915 E. Washington Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Click here to create customized driving directions from your home address.
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre
911 N. University Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Click here to create customized driving directions from your home.
Michigan Theater
603 E. Liberty Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Click here to create customized driving directions from your home address.
Power Center
121 Fletcher Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Click here to create customized driving directions from your home address.
University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA)
525 S. State Street
Ann Arbor 48109-1354
Click here to create customized driving directions from your home address.
Group Travel
Heading down to the festival and hoping to avoid the hassle of driving and parking? We are proud to partner with BTB Party Bus to provide green transportation for groups of all sizes to and from festival events. Besides giving you a carbon-neutral way to get to Top of the Park -- BTB Party Bus runs on waste vegetable oil from your favorite Ann Arbor area restaurants -- riding the bus will also provide you the opportunity to support the festival since $.50 of each fare is donated back to us. Click here for more information.
Some helpful tips
For the comfort and safety of all patrons, please respect the following rules:
*No outside food and beverages – help keep Top of the Park a free event by supporting our Culinary Row vendors
*No dogs or other pets allowed, except personal assistance dogs
*Shirts and shoes required
*No bicycles, roller blades, scooters, or skateboard riding inside the event area -- bike racks are available throughout the site
*No solicitations
*No alcohol beyond the fenced beverage garden area
*No climbing on scaffold towers or stages
*No wading in the fountain
*No unauthorized vending
And be sure to bring these...
*Sunscreen, hats, and lawn blankets
*Cash. No ATM on site
*Photo ID for access to the beverage garden
*Heaps of smiling friends
*Dancing shoes
Welcome to Culinary Row
Food just tastes better when it’s eaten al fresco!
Culinary Row at Top of the Park features some of Ann Arbor’s favorite eateries and caterers. These food artists highlight specialty menu items that provide you with a mouth-watering selection of delicious meal options, including children’s menu items and ready-to-eat picnics for purchase. Reasonable prices allow you to eat to your heart’s content. Seek out an all-time favorite, or be adventurous and try something new.
You can always purchase a beer or glass of wine as you enjoy your favorite band or movie. You’ll also find bottled water and Coke products stationed throughout Top of the Park.
2011 food vendors include:
Frita Batidos
• Cuban Sloppy Joe
• Pulled Pork Sandwich
• Cuban Inspired Picnic for Two
• Tropical Cole Slaw
• Best Snack Ever (beans, rice, cheese, and cilantro salsa)
• Corn on the Cob
• Corn on the Cob with Butter, Spices, Cheese
• Avocado Spread with Plantain Chips
• Cilantro Lime Salsa with Plantain Chips
• Churros
Noodles & Company
• Wisconsin Mac & Cheese
• Mushroom Stroganoff
• Buttered Noodles
• Spaghetti
• Braised Beef
• Veggie Sides
• Garden Side Salad
Oasis Grill
• Fattoush Salad
• Falafel Sandwich
• Vegetarian Grape Leaves
• Hommos Pita
• Baba Ghanouj Pita
• Protein Booster (Mujadara)
• Greek Goddess Salad
• Chicken Shawarma
• Oasis Chicken
• Shish Kafta
• Gyro Sandwich
• Hommos
• Baba Ghanouj
• Meat Pie
• Spinach Pie
• Filo Spinach Pie
• Cheese Pie
• Rice Pudding
• French Pastries
• Baklava
Ray's Red Hots
• Ray’s Red Hot
• Chicago Dog
• Coney Dog
• Slaw Dog
• Budget Dog
• Polish Sausage
• Bratwurst
• Bowl of Chili
• Tofu Dog
• Ray’s Cole Slaw
Silvio's Organic Pizza
Pizza by the Slice
• Cheese/Margherita
• Potatoes
• Zucchini
• Pepperoni
• Eggplant
• Capriciosa
• Sausage and Rapini
• Napoletana
• Vegan
• Fantasy
• Emidio
• Truffle
• Brie
• Bianca
• Grapes or Blueberry
• Pizza Rustica
• Stuffed Pizza Slices
Calzones
• Eggplant
• Cheese
• Ricotta
• Truffle
• Vegan
Cookies
• GF Checkerboard
• Vegan
• Whole Wheat
Salad
• Greek
• Caesar
• Arugula
Stucci's
Ice Cream
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
• French Silk
• Mint Chip
• Strawberry
• Vanilla Supreme
• White Russian Fudge
Frozen Yogurt
• Crème de Menthe Chip
• Mocha Chip
• Swiss Chocolate Almond
• Raspberry Chocolate
Sorbet
• Raspberry
• Chocolate
Ice Cream Sandwich
• Grasshopper Pie
• Vanilla
• Chocolate
Sugar Shack
• Cotton Candy
• Snow Cones
• Popcorn
• Caramel Corn
Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea
• House Coffee
• Dragon Eye
• Ginger-Lemon Tea
• Iced House Coffee
• House Iced Tea
• Iced Ginger-Lemon Tea
• Iced Chai
• Lemonade
• Coffee Ice Dragon
• Mocha Ice Dragon
• Lemonade Freeze
• Strawberry Lemonade Freeze
• Strawberry Bliss (yogurt based)
• Cut Strawberries & Whip Cream
• Sweetened Condensed Milk
Beverages
• Dasani Water
• Classic Coke
• Diet Coke
• Sprite
• Barq’s Root Beer
• Minute Maid Apple Juice
• Minute Maid Orange Juice
• Minute Maid Cran-Ras Juice
Beer Selections
Bottle
• Miller Lite
• Miller Chill
• Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
• Corona
• Corona Lite
• Heineken
• Heineken Lite
• Pabst Blue Ribbon
• Michigan Brewing Co. Pale Ale
• Leinenkugel Summer Shandy
• Mike’s Hard Lemonade
• Mike’s Black Cherry
• Mike’s Strawberry Lemonade
Draft
• Miller Lite
• Leinenkugel Summer Shandy
• Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat
• Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
• Sierra Nevada Summerfest
• Brooklyn Summer Ale
• Foster’s
Wine Selections
• House White Pinot Grigio
• House Red Merlot
• Cabernet/Merlot
• Pinot Noir
• Chardonnay
• Prosecco (Sparkling White)
Beverage Partners
Coca-Cola Bottling Company
O & W, Inc.
U.S. Wine Imports
Turning up the volume on green
We've made reducing our waste and hosting a more sustainable festival one of our main goals for this year’s celebration. To help, we’re teaming up with our friends at Whole Foods Market to launch an extensive recycling program at Top of the Park. Look for colorful recycling bins throughout the festival grounds.
In addition, Whole Foods team members will be onsite volunteering on select evenings to help ensure patrons are aware of our efforts to recycle, and to encourage attendees to participate. Festival staff will also be on hand to share information on the Rock & Recycle program, answer general questions on the festival’s greening efforts, and direct guests to the recycling bins.
We thank you in advance for your commitment to reduce, reuse, and recycle while visiting the Ann Arbor Summer Festival.
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Everyone's welcome
We are working hard to make the Ann Arbor Summer Festival accessible to all our visitors, as it is our goal to offer everyone an enjoyable experience. The map and program schedule links below indicate the following amenities which are available to our guests at Top of the Park, Power Center, Hill Auditorium, and University of Michigan Museum of Art.
*Accessible parking near venues
*Recommended drop-off areas
*Accessible restrooms, including portable ADA compliant restrooms at Top of the Park
*Select closed captioned movie screenings at Top of the Park
Note: We are working toward having courtesy wheelchairs and American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted performances available at Top of the Park. Please contact the festival office at (734) 994-5999 for possible wheelchair availability, or to express interest in ASL interpreted performances. If we are unable to meet these needs this season, your input will assist us in accommodating these needs in the future.
For ticketed performances at Power Center, Hill Auditorium, Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre and the University of Michigan Museum of Art, the following amenities are available when requested in advance. Arrangements must be made when advanced tickets are purchased by calling the Ticket Office at (734) 764-2538:
Wheelchair, companion or other special seating
Courtesy wheelchairs
Hearing Impaired Support Systems (Power Center and Hill Auditorium only)
American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted performances
Navigation assistance for guests with low vision
In addition, all festival staff, ushers, and volunteers participate in Disability Awareness and Sensitivity Training. Festival personnel can be identified by their festival credentials or uniforms, and are located throughout each venue to assist guests with specific needs or concerns.
If you have any further questions, please call the festival office at (734) 994-5999.
ACCESSIBILITY MAP
Click here for a detailed map of accessible parking, drop-off spots, and restrooms
CLOSED CAPTIONING
Click here for information on closed caption movie screenings at Top of the Park
GOOD NEIGHBOR TICKET PROGRAM
The festival’s Good Neighbor Ticket Program is a unique outreach initiative that provides human service agencies in the greater Washtenaw County area with complimentary tickets to select indoor performances. The program is offered to those whose financial and/or social situation would otherwise prohibit them from experiencing the performing arts.
Click here to download Good Neighbor Ticket Program Application (PDF)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The A-Ride program is available through the Ann Arbor Transit Authority. The program is a shared-ride door-to-door transportation service for individuals who cannot use AATA fixed-route service due to a disability. An AATA ADA Eligibility Card is required to participate in this program.
Click here to download information on Handicap Parking in Downtown Ann Arbor (PDF)
OTHER HELPFUL LINKS
University of Michigan Parking and Transportation Services
