The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is an exhilarating celebration of performing arts, outdoor entertainment and community spirit. An international arts gathering in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the three and a half-week festival offers an array of ticketed and free events, both indoors and out, featuring a progressive mix of local, national and international artists.
Presenting over 150 events each season and attracting a diverse audience of more than 80,000 people, the festival continues to grow and is a leading multi-arts celebration that enriches the cultural, economic and social vitality of the region.
The festival's 33rd Top of the Park season runs six nights per week, from June 10-July 3, 2016.
For more information, visit the festival website at www.a2sf.org or download the free festival mobile app.
Highlights include Flip FabriQue's Attrape-Moi (Catch Me!), Gregory Alan Isakov and The Ghost Orchestra, Bebel Gilberto, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Gregory Porter, !Cubanismo!, See Jane Sing! (with Jane Lynch), Bruce Hornsby and The Noisemakers, Mayer Hawthorne, The Capitol Steps, and One-Man Circus (L'homme Cirque)!
The festival's Mainstage performances take place in The Power Center for the Performing Arts and at Hill Auditorium on the campus of the University of Michigan, and at Burns Park in downtown Ann Arbor. The Power Center is located at 121 Fletcher St., Hill Auditorium can be found at 825 N. University Ave. and Burns Park is at 1200 Baldwin Ave. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Michigan League Ticket Office, 911 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor; online at a2sf.org; or by calling 734-764-2538.
Flip FabriQue's Attrape-Moi (Catch Me!)
8 p.m. Saturday, June 11
3 p.m. Sunday, June 12
Power Center
1/2 Price Kids Tickets Available
Twirling 12 hoops, dancing with diabolos and soaring through the air–all in a day's play for Flip FabriQue, the new face of Quebec circus. High flying, fearless and fun, these young artist-athletes astound audiences with adrenaline pumping feats of cutting edge nouveau cirque, dazzling in a crowd-pleasing spectacle of extreme acrobatics, dramatic turns on a trampoline wall, and inventive parkour. This is a virtuoso display of athleticism and showmanship for the whole family.
Gregory Alan Isakov and The Ghost Orchestra
8 p.m. Wednesday, June 15
America's greatest folk singers have a new addition. Plaintive and poetic, Gregory Alan Isakov crafts stunning, sepia-toned compositions that tell a story of miles and landscapes, captivating and haunting his listeners. With nods to Leonard Cohen and Andrew Bird, his lush arrangements lend themselves to a fuller sound, and he will be accompanied by his band, as well as a mini-symphonic ensemble. In a tour that includes headlining Red Rocks and The Kennedy Center, this is a rare opportunity to see a unique performance with one of indie folk's most admired new singer/songwriters. His newest release will be available June 10.
Bebel Gilberto
Saturday, June 18
Brazil's beloved Bebel Gilberto arrives at the traditions of bossa nova and samba and innovates on them, weaving sultry pop and soft electronica influences into her sophisticated sound. Born into Brazil's most famous musical family–her father is Joao Gilberto, mother Miucha, stepmother Astrud Gilberto, and uncle Chico Buarque — she's been at the forefront of Bossa 2.0, working with superstar producers like Mario Caldato, Jr. and Mark Ronson. Elegant and ethereal, her music will make you feel like you're sipping caipirinhas on a yacht overlooking Ipanema at sunset.
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Tuesday, June 21
Hill Auditorium
Capturing an irresistibly bright and uplifting sound, musical pioneer and humanitarian Michael Franti's globally conscious reggae pop anthems are spreading some much appreciated positivity worldwide. A Bay Area native, he's long been known for his lyrical activism and powerful performances spanning hip hop, reggae, rock and spoken word. Inspired by his calling to create positive change, he asks us to celebrate life, dance joyfully and raise consciousness. This is a very rare area appearance by one of America's most exciting artists. This tour features Michael Franti's newest release, "Soulrocker."
Gregory Porter
Wednesday, June 22
Warm, soulful baritone and Grammy-winning jazz vocalist Gregory Porter's beautifully spiritual voice thrills audiences as he explores the rhythmic phrasings of jazz, the passion of R&B, the soul of gospel, and the immediacy of the blues. Charismatic, uplifting and assured, this is modern jazz's biggest star, and for good reason. He makes his festival debut on the heels on his new Blue Note release, "Take Me To The Alley."
!Cubanismo!
7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 26
For 20 incredible years, world-famous Sierra Madre trumpeter and bandleader Jesus Alemany and his orchestra have been Cuba's musical ambassadors, sharing their authentic yet innovative, danceable and joyous sounds with the world. Fiery and passionate, they specialize in sizzling dance tunes full of swaggering horn charts and skillful polyrhythms that recall vintage big bands, traditional rumba, cha-cha, danzon and pa'ca ritmo. These Grammy-nominated all-stars enjoy experimenting with world fusion, yet always embrace island authenticity.
See Jane Sing! (with Jane Lynch)
Wednesday, June 29
You've loved her as Sue Sylvester singing like Madonna on "Glee." You still laugh at the thought of her in "Best in Show" prancing around with her poodle, Rhapsody in White. Now, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Jane Lynch combines her talents in an uproarious night of live musical comedy. Joining her onstage will be "Glee" musical arranger Tim Davis and the fiery redhead Kate Flannery of "The Office." You'll be in stitches with her American Songbook, which includes selections from "The Brady Bunch," "Fiddler on the Roof" and Nicki Minaj.
Bruce Hornsby and The Noisemakers
Thursday, June 30
Bruce Hornsby's work displays a creative iconoclasm that's been a constant in the artist's two-and-a-half decade recording career. His commercial stock soared early on, when "The Way It Is" became one of the most popular songs on American radio. Despite his early mainstream successes, Hornsby has pursued a more idiosyncratic musical path, focusing on projects that sparked his creative interest, including collaborations with the Grateful Dead, Spike Lee and Ricky Skaggs. Hornsby's performance will offer a glimpse of a restless spirit who continues to push forward into new musical terrain.
Mayer Hawthorne
Friday, July 1
Neo-soul singer Andy Mayer Cohen has an incredible ear for what makes music soulful. "Flashy but classy" and always stylish in a fine suit, he's a sensation onstage. A hometown hero, he soaked up Curtis Mayfield, Barry White, Shuggie Otis, Hall and Oates and hip hop producer J Dilla spinning DJ sets at The Firefly and The Blind Pig. Now this deeply talented multi-instrumentalist, singer, and producer has moved to LA, sold millions of albums, helped Pharrell win a Grammy for best producer, and become neo-soul royalty. His album out this spring is "Man About Town."
The Capitol Steps
4 and 7 p.m. Monday, July 4
Perfectly timed for an election year, America's foremost political satirists make their annual Fourth of July appearance at the festival! These former Congressional staffers "mock the vote," poking fun at both sides of the aisle with up-to-the-minute song parodies like "Deleter of the Facts" and "All About the Base." If you are sick of hearing about the candidates, Bill Cosby and Brian Williams, you've come to the wrong place.
One-Man Circus (L'homme Cirque)
6:30 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, Aug. 24-28
Burns Park, Ann Arbor
Enter the magical world of David Dimitri. Lauded "Lord of the Wire" by New York Times, this world famous high wire dancer and veteran of Cirque du Soleil and Big Apple Circus epitomizes innovation as he alone performs an entire circus. Creating what he calls "a unique magic" in the intimate setting of a tent in Burns Park, his L'homme Cirque balances dramatic feats like high wire flips and a human cannon launch with humor, poetry and serenades on the accordion. It's as gripping as it is charming–and with grand flourish, be awestruck as he exits the tent on his high wire, crossing above at 150 feet "and into the sky."
