TOP is a family, community oriented festival. Friends I have brought from out of town have marveled, wishing their hometowns offered something similar. My hat is off to the work of the organizers.

When our kids were younger, we appreciated having (free) events where they could roam about and socialize with their peers safely. There is still a parallel teen TOP, that has nothing to do with the acts on stage…

This is my favorite time of year anyway, early summer, and the warm air, the tasty beer, the cheerful crowd, all contribute to my enjoyment. Watching the moon change a little each evening, a few glimpses of the majestic Peregrine Falcons on Burton Tower, the dancing kids’ shadows on the walls of the stately Rackham Building, are all really fun.

You often get to hear some good music, without a big investment. The venue seems to inspire the bands, and most of them give their best, often moving or swinging the crowd. If you don’t like the band, just sit and chat, or watch the dancers. The people watching can’t be beat, and if you sit in one place long enough, you will have a chance to meet and greet half the people you have ever met.

Adding to my enjoyment is the proximity to my Old West Side neighborhood, so that we can walk down, or ride our bikes, thus avoiding parking hassles. Also, we are both teachers, so we can stay for the whole movie if we want, as we don’t need to get up at the crack of dawn in the summer. I notice a lot of my colleagues at TOP, which confirms what I was once told about teachers and freebies by a colleague: The most dangerous job in the world is guarding the free lunch wagon at a teachers’ convention!