The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is an exhilarating three-week celebration of performing arts, outdoor entertainment and community spirit that attracts more than 60,000 people each year. The event offers dozens of performances, events, activities, exhibitions, parties and more, with eclectic music, dance, theater, film, visual arts and family fun. Last year's festival featured Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, Los Lobos, and more.
Top of the Park is an admission-free outdoor event duri>...
The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is an exhilarating three-week celebration of performing arts, outdoor entertainment and community spirit that attracts more than 60,000 people each year. The event offers dozens of performances, events, activities, exhibitions, parties and more, with eclectic music, dance, theater, film, visual arts and family fun. Last year's festival featured Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, Los Lobos, and more.
Top of the Park is an admission-free outdoor event during the festival featuring three stages. An average of 2,000 people attend the event each night. Compensation is available for certain selected performers, and 9 slots will be reserved for Sonicbids artists..
Please note: This gig listing is accepting submissions for all three stages and for roaming performers. Please read about the stages below before submitting. You will be asked to specify which stage your submission is for.
Rackham Stage:
This stage will feature artists from all genres, including pop, rock, country, electronic, jazz, folk, hip-hop/rap, urban, funk, reggae, gospel, classical, world, and more. Comedy and novelty acts will also be considered. Although the festival will consider Top of the Park submissions from national artists who have routing through the Ann Arbor area, they are primarily looking to book talent from Southeast Michigan.
Full sound, stage, lights, tech staff, merch sellers, and festival promotion are provided for band performance sets ranging from 30-120 minutes. Bands on this admission-free stage are compensated for their performance with a modest flat fee.
Grassrootz Teen Stage:
Programmed by and for young adults, this modest, unplugged space features an eclectic mix of homegrown emerging artists showcasing music, dance, comedy, and spoken word in a teen-friendly environment at Top of the Park. Each Grassrootz night is programmed in partnership with an area youth-focused non-profit organization. Past years have included partnerships with The Neutral Zone, Ann Arbor Music Center's Rock Band School, Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts, and others.
Bands must be under 21 years of age, perform family-friendly (PG-rated) material, be punctual with their arrival and performance times, and perform an appealing set to a wide variety of patrons. Minimal tech support is provided including: stage coordinator, power strips, mic stands and drum rug are provided, so artists must take care of whatever they need to perform. Artists should do their own promotion!
Please note that this is a promotional opportunity and artists are not compensated for their performance on this stage. Submissions are evaluated based on type of performance, content, quality, diversity, and potential audience appeal.
The Grove DJ Stage:
The festival seeks guest DJs to spin at its “After Dark @ Top of the Park" weekend series. All genres of music are accepted, but special consideration is given to those who play House (all styles), Techno, Trance, Electro, Progressive, World Fusion, Global and other multi-ethnic styles. Amateurs as well as seasoned professionals are invited to submit. The ability to keep a party going is a must!
Selected DJs will get an hour-long late night set after the headliners on Friday or Saturday. The festival welcomes artists who use both digital and vinyl, and the festival will provide stage coordinator/loader, power supply, table, lights and show promotion. DJs, however, must provide their own PA (for crowd areas averaging 200+), speakers/stands, mixing boards, materials, hard drives and turntables if needed.
DJs are paid a modest honorarium for their set and are expected to self-promote their own shows.
Roaming Street Performers:
The festival accepts submissions from strolling and street performers such as stilt walkers, jugglers, acrobats, sidewalk chalk artists, unicyclists, clowns, face painters, go-go dancers, hula hoopers, costumed strolling characters, contortionists, tumblers, magicians, balloon artists, storytellers, one-man bands, solo unamplified musicians, and more.
Performers cannot use fire or pyrotechnics, "busk" within one mile of the event site, or perform material that isn't family-friendly.
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Submissions are evaluated based on type of performance, content, quality, diversity, and potential audience appeal. Every band/artist submitting will be notified directly. We receive hundres of submissions, so your patience is appreciated. No phone calls or e-mails, please.