Tonight marks the return of Top of the Park, the popular, free (donations welcome) outdoor happening featuring music, movies, kicking back, running into friends, and a variety of other attractions.

Each day in cooperation with the Ann Arbor Summer Festival—which presents Top of the Park as well as main-stage ticketed events—AnnArbor.com will publish a rundown of that night's happenings. In addition to the daily entertainment, a variety of local food vendors will also be on hand each night.

Here's an overview of tonight's schedule, followed by a more detailed rundown of the events and attractions, with descriptions of the performers provided by the acts themselves:

OVERVIEW

5-8:30 p.m. - Body Masterpiece - extreme face painters
5-9 p.m. - Planet Rock climbing wall
5-8 p.m. - KidZone - kids activity tent
5 p.m. - Ryan Racine - Americana music
6 p.m. - Lucciana Costa - acoustic pop music
7 p.m. - Detroit Party Marching Band
7:30 p.m. - Superdot - reggae/rock
9 p.m. - The Sun Messengers - funk/pop
11 p.m. - After Dark with DJ Hardy

ENTERTAINMENT DETAILS

Ryan Racine - 5 p.m.
Racine performs original songs of heartache and loneliness that draw heavily on vintage country and honky-tonk with nods to the “Bakersfield” and California country/rock sounds.



Lucciana Costa - 6 p.m.

Lucciana Costa is known for her unique piano arrangements and her insightful, humorous lyrics. Lucciana continues to gain a reputation as one of Southeast Michigan's most talented young singer songwriters.
Performing since: 2007.
Home base: Ann Arbor, baby.
Style of music: Smart Pop (piano-based dough rolled in quirky lyrics, then deep fried. Spirit animals include Harry Nilsson, Ben Folds, Regina Spektor).
Members: Lucciana Costa, piano and vocals. Patrick Prouty, bass. Chuck Mauk, drums. Stefan Koch, cello. (Note: the male contingent will not be playing at my TOP set.)
Backstory behind the band's name: In 2009, we had a show at The Ark and we didn't have a name yet. So instead of, you know, picking one, we decided to let the crowd choose their favorite from our list of potentials. "Lucciana Costa and the Lucky Bastards" was the clear winner.
Day jobs: We are all highly successful fortune cookie writers.
Favorite road food: Did you know Dunkin' Donuts just throws away donuts at night? Favorite stage outfit: Spandex bodysuit.
Musical hero: Freddie Mercury (this is actually true).
Website: www.luccianacosta.com
Twitter: twitter.com/LuccianaCosta
Blog: shallowmoneytrench.tumblr.com/
Myspace: Is it 2004?



Detroit Party Marching Band - 7 p.m.
The Detroit Party Marching Band is an ever-evolving, spontaneously-assembling collective of Detroit area musicians and non-musicians devoted to revelry, driving jams, and loose-limbed brass in and around Southeast Michigan. The band aims to enliven and embolden audiences with impromptu performances of bombastic tunes inspired by the passion and spirit of Mardi Gras and Carnival. Its musical influences include Balkan, funk, pop, hip hop, dance, Bollywood, Zydecore, science rock, Croatian Clap Jazz, and beat-boxing.
Performing since: 2010.
Home base: Detroit.
Style of music: Guerilla marching music! Often uninvited, high-energy jams drawing on the brass music of Eastern Europe, New Orleans street parades, classic soul music & more. A far cry from your ordinary high-school pep band.
Backstory behind the band's name: It speaks for itself!
Day jobs: We're students, artists, teachers, business managers, non-profit administrators, computer technicians, pizza deliverers, brewmasters & more.
Favorite stage outfit: Black & gold marching jackets with the hat to match, and/or tons of gold sequins.
Musical hero: Serbia's Goran Bregovic, New Orleans' Rebirth Brass Band, San Francisco's Extra Action Marching Band.
Website: www.detroitpartymarchingband.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DetroitPartyMarchingBand
Twitter: @GuerillaBrassD



Superdot - 7:30 p.m.
Superdot has been playing their brand of ska, reggae and rock since the summer of 1993, when Bobby Barnes, Jeremy Abbey, Chris Hooper and a handful of others decided to get together to reinvent the Jamaican Ska styles of the late '60s, '70s and early '80s. Nominated for twelve Detroit Music Awards (and winner of two), Superdot has played all over the Detroit area and Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Colorado.
Performing since: 1993.
Home base: Detroit burbs...and Chicago.
Style of music: Ska, Reggae & Rock 'n' Roll.
Members: Jeremy Abbey (Sax & Vocals), Bobby Barnes (Vocals & Trombone) Charlie Bongo (Drums & Vocals), John Calahan (Bass), Keith DePoorter (Vocals & Guitar), Chris Hooper (Vocals & Trumpet)
Backstory behind the band's name: Old trombone player did too many drugs.
Day jobs: Executive Chef, Police Officer, two US Army Civilian Workers, Property Manager, Marketing/Advertising/PR.
Favorite road food: Wendy's in Paw Paw.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/superdotband
Twitter: www.twitter.com/superdotband



The Sun Messengers - 9 p.m.
The Sun Messengers are an eight-piece, horn-driven R&B party band with a hard-hitting style that has made them a favorite in Southeast Michigan for over 30 years. The Sun Messengers have opened for Jay Leno, backed up R&B luminaries Martha Reeves, The Drifters and Sir Mack Rice, and have been rocking the Palace of Auburn Hills since 1996 as the house band for the Detroit Pistons.
Performing since: 1980.
Home base: Detroit.
Style of music: High-energy party music.
Members: Rick Steiger - baritone sax, Gary Kwek - alto/tenor/soprano sax, John Douglas - trumpet/vocals John Paxton - trombone/vocals, Arthur Colden - keyboards/vocals, Dan Mayer - guitar/vocals, Terry Thunder Hughley - drums/vocals, Tipp Hayes - bass/vocals.
Backstory behind the band's name: Two guys way into jazz and world music sitting around a table thinking up band names.
Day jobs: no day jobs except teaching music lessons.
Favorite road food: a hot meal.
Favorite stage outfit: looking sharp.
Musical hero: James Brown, Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Sly Stone, Prince.
Website: www.sunmessengers.com



After Dark with DJ Hardy - 11 p.m.
After Dark puts a new “spin” on festival moonlighting. Every Friday and Saturday night, The Grove at Top of the Park hosts a late-night chill lounge after the stage bands stop playing. An exclusive showcase of guest DJs will be spinning tunes, and drink specials will be offered until midnight in this cozy outdoor lounge. Ages 21+.
DJ Hardy spins Pop/Hip-Hop/House/NuDisco.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS

Body Masterpiece - 5-8:30 p.m.
The Body Masterpiece face painters push the limits of face and body painting to transform kids and adults into colorful creations of art and spectacle. One-on-one extreme makeovers take five minutes per person.
Paintings are free, with a suggested donation of $5 per face, but reservations are required. Friday and Saturday sessions for children only (ages 2 and older); Sunday session for children and adults.
At this writing all appointments have been filled. A limited number of sessions may be available on site, based on no-shows.

Planet Rock climbing wall - 5-9 p.m.
Local climbing gym Planet Rock offers festivalgoers a portable 25-foot climbing wall at Ingalls Mall for all ages and abilities. With several different routes of varying difficulty, children and adultsare both welcome. No experience is needed, and the Planet Rock staff will be onsite to assist with the safety procedures.
The climbing wall will be open on June 17, 18 and 19 from 5-9 p.m. at Top of the Park. The climbing is free, with a suggested donation of $5. No reservations required; first come, first climb.
The wall was designed with seven distinct routes for various abillty levels. It can accommodate five climbers at one time.

KidZone - 5-8 p.m.
As described by the festival, "An interactive area for our youngest concert-goers, the Kidzone tent provides a fun and safe area for children and their parents to discover and explore a wide variety of hands-on activities with different community partners. From getting temporary tattoos, creating homemade instruments, or jamming out rock band style, KidZone offers different nightly activities for families at Top of the Park. Open nightly ‘til 8:00 pm."

Special note — free wifi: New this year, AnnArbor.com in partnership with 20/20 Communications is providing free public WiFi access at Top of the Park for the duration of the 2011 Summer Festival. Look for the AnnArbor.com Public WiFi SSID and get connected!

Top of the Park takes place in front of the Rackham Building on East Washington Street. In addition to the daily entertainment, a variety of local food vendors will also be on hand each night. For more information, see the Summer Festival website, and watch AnnArbor.com for complete coverage of festival events.


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