Top of the Park

“Top of the Park is the one event that gets everyone out together without all the folks from out of town. Not that I dislike football weekends or Art Fair, but I really enjoy letting the kids run around while I chat with the neighbors,” says Tommy York, partner in Morgan & York. “It feels like Europe right here in Ann Arbor.”

“La Passeggiata” is Italian for a slow stroll, usually in the central square, in the evening. I agree with Tommy (in gray shirt above) – that’s what we are graced with here in Ann Arbor with Top of the Park. And from the peanuts dancing in front of the stage, to the teenagers hanging out by the fountain, to grownups in the beer garden, TOP is a multi-generational good time.

In it’s second year on the Ingalls Mall, TOP appears to be drawing hundreds more people. On Brazilian Carnaval night, folks enjoyed a Brazilian bateria performing on the grass, as well as Sheila Landis & Brazilian Love Affair on the stage set up on the steps of Rackham. Later, Jeremy Kittel performed – not sure how that worked into the Latin theme, but hey, what the heck.

In addition to the entertainment, there’s the food. Tios, Rendezvous Cafe, and Cottage Inn are among the usual suspects on “Culinary Row.” Zingerman’s and their Dancing Sandwiches are missing this year, but Zoup! is the new kid on the block. Steve Guttman (in orange shirt at left) manages the food vendors, and every year we have the same conversation about how to improve the quality of the offerings. There are challenges. Health regulations are strict, so menus are limited. And staffing the booths for 24 nights straight is tough. All it takes is a few nights of bad weather and the vendors get cranky.

If you want to avoid the lines at the food booths, one of the private parties in the beer garden is the way to go. Every year I manage to scam at least one invitation, or sashay in through sheer charm and brazenness. I always enjoy striking up a conversation with the kids Steve hires to work these events – this is Analynn poring my Pinot Grigio. She's been working at TOP for four years, and just graduated from college. She's going to spend the next year helping at-risk kids in Chicago before going to law school.

So the food and music keep rolling along, and after dark the free movies flicker on the way-cool inflatable screen. Not to hint at my age, but I remember the first summers back in the 80s, when there were movies every night. Dirty Dancing would have been in its first run back then. Just as fun for a new generation, and “nobody puts Baby in a corner” still elicits a chorus of “woo hoo!” from an appreciative audience.