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Saturday, 10 July, 2010 3:00 AM

Everyone's a Townie at the 6th Annual Townie Street Party!

Under the big tents on Ingalls Mall and North University St. Monday, July 19, 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM - FREE

Logo credit: aagallery.aadl.org

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – – The Townie Street Party, the kick-off event for the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original, takes place on Monday, July 19th from 5:00pm to 9:30pm on North University between Thayer and Fletcher.

Providing the opportunity to celebrate Art Fair week before the visitors arrive, the Townie Street Party features art, music, food, fun and so much more. Enjoy live music, interactive art activities, make-and- take craft projects and the 4th Annual Kids’ Art Fair, where local children display and sell their work. Admission and activities are free.

Taking the stage from 5:30pm to 6:30pm will be Ann Arbor’s own Danny Kline. Best known for his band Delta 88, Kline will perform at the Townie Street Party with his band the Original Sinners, consisting of local favorites, Jim and John Latini and Mathew O’Brien. Americana singer-songwriter Chris Mills will perform from 6:45pm to 7:45pm. Mills, a Chicago native with an affinity for Ann Arbor, has toured extensively with Uncle Tupelo and Wilco. He will perform with a three-piece back-up band. To round out the evening and make sure there will be dancin’ in the streets, classic rock band, Relics, will kick out the jams between 8:15pm and 9:30pm. The stage performances are sponsored by Annarbor.com.

Of course, as the kick-off to the Art Fair, there will be plenty of avenues for party-goers to explore their creativity. This year the Art Zone activities will focus on themes of environmental awareness.

The activities and their hosting organizations are: Crafting Ceramic Tiles – Motawi Tileworks Block Printing – Blue House Studios Screen Printing – Modati Clothing Seed Planting – Ann Arbor Public Schools Foundation Japanese Carp Kites – Blue House Studios Build a Boat, Make it Float – DayCroft Montessori School Paper Bag Hats – Ann Arbor Street Fair

Join your fellow Townies in a Community Art Project, Invader-Invasive, led by local environmental artist Leslie Sobel. Learn about the ecology of the Huron River as you help create a giant collage of invasive non-native species. This artwork will include drawings, photographs, paintings, written expression (poems), and much more.

Back by popular demand, the Kids’ Art Fair, presented by Toyota, will debut over 80 young artists ages 6 to 14. Take a stroll through this bustling marketplace full of amazing art and support our future artists!

New to the Townie Street Party this year is The Terrace; a private bar and lounge featuring complimentary food and beverages, plus a wine tasting. Receive exclusive access to The Terrace by becoming a Townie Friend of the Fair for a $50 donation. To make your donation and receive tickets to The Terrace or to get more information on this program benefiting the Ann Arbor Street Fair, visit www.artfair.org.

All downtown parking structures and lots will be open at their usual rate. For one day only, visitors may park on the street at bagged meters.

The Townie Street Party is sponsored by Toyota, AnnArbor.com, Whole Foods Market, Dr. James Lee Dental Office, WellHome, getDowntown, and Bell’s Brewery.

The Townie Street Party benefits the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair. Established in 1960, the Street Art Fair’s mission is to increase public knowledge and appreciation for contemporary fine arts and fine crafts by creating opportunities that connect artists, the Ann Arbor community and the general public to their mutual benefit. The Street Fair is the original of the now four-award winning Ann Arbor Art Fairs that bring over 500,000 visitors our city to enjoy not only art, but all that Ann Arbor has to offer.

For more information about the Townie Street Party or the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair visit www.artfair.org.