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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The 26th Annual Ann Arbor Summer Festival is now underway. It runs for 24 nights in a row in the heart of the University of Michigan campus. There will be 47 bands, lots of movies, kids activities and food. The festival takes place at three locations: Ingalls Mall, the Power Center and the Hill Auditorium.

All of the activities at Top of the Park (Ingalls Mall) are free with a ticketed charge for the other venues. Organizers ask that attendees donate $3 per person or $5 per family at Ingalls Mall, if possible. It all kicked off with a parade to the Top of the Park stage with performances by Fubar and NOMO on June 12.

"We run for three and a half weeks through July 5," said Rob Woulfe, executive director of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival. "There is a lot of festivals and fairs that go on but the Ann Arbor Summer Festival is a little bit different in that we run for 24 consecutive nights. So every night on this beautiful mall, you'll find movies, entertainment, all admission-free. In the different surrounding venues, we have indoor concerts. Everybody is welcome to this. If folks don't have the resources, we still encourage them to come down and enjoy all of the free entertainment down here."

Some of the main stage headliners are Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, Ahn Trio, The Los Lobos, Pink Martini and The Capitol Steps. Those performances have a ticketed charge at either the Power Center or the Hill Auditorium.

Nearly every type of music is being offered at the Top of the Park stage. You'll hear The Crawdaddies, The West Philadelphia Orchestra, Joe Serrapere & The Willie Dunns, Pistolera, The Sun Messengers, My Dear Disco, The Macpodz, The OneUps, Kentucky Chrome, The Hot Club of Detroit and That 1 Guy.

"I'm looking forward to seeing all the people that came in past years and the cool music," said Elizabeth Bauer of Ann Arbor, who came with three of her friends. "I really wanted to get my face painted but there was a long line so they told me I couldn't. I'm going to be so happy to come here everyday and watch all the good movies."

Many free movies are also being shown at Ingalls Mall. Festival goers will be able to enjoy Twilight, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Horton Hears a Who!, Harold and Maude, Mamma Mia!, Jaws, Sunset Boulevard, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Raising Arizona, Quantum of Solace, The Sound of Music and Iron Man. All movies begin at 10:00 p.m.

Lots of activities are scheduled for the Top of the Park area at Ingalls Mall. A Grassrootz stage will showcase fresh, local talent on June 13, 20, 27 and July 4. A series of global parties are scheduled to spotlight different ethnic backgrounds and traditions on June 17, 23 and 30. A special Kidzone tent will features activities for children and their parents. Each Wednesday during the festival, attendees can sample up to three wines for $10. Each Friday during the festival, DJs will spin music at The Grove tent from 10:30 to 11:30 p.m. Aged 21 and over only.

"The kids are having a lot of fun, they really enjoy it," said Susan Bailey of Whittaker, who brought five of her kids to the festival to get their faces painted. "The artwork is really, really nice."

A video game night will be offered on June 29 at 6:30 p.m. There will be a Donkey Kong high-score contest and a Super Smash Bros. Brawl single-elimination tournament. A photo exhibit by Myra Klarman titled "Re.fresh" is being shown inside the Power Center from June 16 to July 4.

"I've been here for 25 years, almost every year that it's been here," said festival goer Carolyn Grawi of Ann Arbor. "There's some dates that my daughter and my significant other wrote down that they want to come and things that I want to see. We'll be back again."

There are many restaurants on site at the festival with booths. Festival goers will find the Glass House Cafe, Oasis Grill, Rendez-Vous Cafe, Silvio's Organic Pizza, Stucchi's Sugar Shack, Sweetwater and Tios Mexican Cafe. Beverages will be provided by Coca-Cola, Busch's, O & W, Inc. and Rave Associates.

Ten-year-old Justin Brandt of Ann Arbor enjoys "The food and the music and the videos (the movies)."

Festival goers are encouraged to bring sunscreen, hats, lawn blankets, cash, photo ID for alcoholic beverages, lots of friends and dancing shoes. What's not permitted: outside food and beverages, dogs or other pets, bicycles, roller blades, scooters or skateboards in the festival area, soliciting, climbing on stages or unauthorized vending. Bike racks are available throughout the festival.

Click here to check the full schedule for the 2009 Ann Arbor Summer Festival.