The 13th annual Detroit Festival of the Arts runs Friday through Sunday, Sept. 17-19 in the University Cultural Center and offers more than 500 visual, stage and street performing artists from across the world. It opens at 11 a.m. Friday.

Hudson's Project Imagine presents this year's festival with a 20-block festival site that encompasses the Detroit Cultural Center, Wayne State campus and Orchestra Hall.

The festival has something for everyone in the family; it is advisable to come prepared to spend the day. Comfortable shoes and clothing, cash and credit cards are recommended. It is not recommended to bring the family pets.

Information booths will provide schedules, maps, information about rest rooms, lost and found (people and items) and emergency medical care.

The festival features the Artists' Marketplace with 125-juried artists selling watercolor painting, photography, jewelry and sculpture; street performers throughout the area, stage performers on five indoor and two outdoor stages, and an International Food Court.

The festival also has a Children's Fair with a Youth Artists' Market and favorites such as the Festival of Banners with workshops, and a grand arts procession.

Highlights this year are the Shakespeare-in-the Park Festival, musical Tales & Scales family entertainment in the Children's Fair, Lit Fest-on-the-Lawn with more than 65 poets and writers, and a 75-ton hands-on sand sculpture.

New, major headline acts are the Neville Brothers and Robert Palmer. Music, dance and theatre entertainment appear on the stages at specific times.

And to maintain the high fun ­-level for visitors are the antics of street performer Australian slinkies, jug bands, international giant stilt invaders, original and unique sight gags, human sculptures, acrobats and musical storytelling among others.

Wayne State plans to be active partner in the festival. Faculty, staff and student participation run throughout activities such as:

Alumni Association family-style pancake breakfast 10 a.m. - noon Sunday, Sept. 19, outside Alumni House on Ferry Mall;

Fencing demonstration in front of Reuther Library on Saturday;

1999 Faculty Art Exhibition in the Community Arts Gallery;

Ice Cream Social 3Ð6 p.m. Friday outside the Linsell House;

Reuther Library exhibitions: Russ Marshall's Labor and Industry Photographs and David Clement's Detroit's Soulful Signage;

Used book sale 11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, Purdy/Kresge Library;

Walk with Art Walk-a-thon fund-raiser for DRIS from 9Ð11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, meeting at WDET-FM, 4600 Cass; and

Wayne State Pavilion with 17 departments presenting displays and demonstrations.

Festival hours are 11 a.m.Ð9 p.m. Wayne State sponsors the festival with the University Cultural Association.

For more information or to check days and times of events, visit the Detroit Festival of Arts Web site.