THE ARTS IN ACTION: It wouldn’t be spring in Princeton without Communiversity, the annual festival that brings together the town and the University for a day of visual arts, performances, games, and food. About 40,000 people attended last year.

For Jeff Nathanson, Communiversity is a chance to observe the power of the arts in action. The annual celebration of campus and community, which is set for this Saturday, April 28, from noon to 5 p.m., “puts smiles on a lot of faces,” says Mr. Nathanson, the executive director of the Arts Council of Princeton, which co-sponsors the event with Princeton University students’ Campus and Community Affairs Committee.

It was in 1970 that “The Art People’s Party” was first organized on the lawn of Nassau Hall. To reflect its expansion into the community and a collaboration of town and gown, the festival was soon renamed Communiversity. Since then, it has taken place on the campus and in the streets of Princeton nearly every spring. Some 40,000 people showed up for Communiversity last year, and sponsors are hoping to attract at least as many this weekend. The festival will be held rain or shine.

Expect to find more than 200 artists, crafters, and merchants; live entertainment on five stages; games for children; and lots of food. Attractions are on Nassau and Witherspoon Streets, in Palmer Square, and throughout the University campus. The Free B bus will run continuously between the Princeton Township Municipal Complex parking lot as well as Elm Court and Princeton Shopping Center.

At the Town Topics and Princeton Magazine booth, young aspiring poets can drop off submissions for the Youth Poetry Contest, the theme of which is “What Princeton Means to Me.” Winners will be selected from three categories — elementary, middle, and high school. Those chosen will have their picture and poem published in an upcoming issue of Town Topics. Submissions should include name, age, grade, school, and email address and phone number. The booth will also be accepting favorite recipes from readers, to be individually featured in the paper’s weekly recipe column.

Communiversity lasts only five hours, but the festival is the product of extensive planning. “We meet a couple of months before with the student representatives and organizers from Community Affairs. There is quite a bit of collaboration so we know what each other is doing,” says Mr. Nathanson. “In keeping with the Arts Council’s mission of building community through the arts, this is an event designed to do just that. Through performing, visual arts, the arts and crafts people, and the business community, we hope to draw more people to downtown Princeton to see what a great place it is to live and work.”

Princeton was recently ranked twelfth in a list of the 20 best small towns in America, by Smithsonian Magazine.

This year marks Mr. Nathanson’s seventh Communiversity. He views the festival as a great exposure for local artistic talent. “We love that the public gets to see and hear what creative people are doing,” he says. “When I walk around and see tens of thousands of people enjoying the music and interacting with the artists and crafts-people, it makes me feel great. You see the non-profit organizations letting people know about the good work they are doing. The merchants, the food vendors — everybody is benefitting from all of the exposure.”

Among the musical participants are the Princeton University Marching Band, The Blue Meanies, Sarah Donner, Opera New Jersey, Blue Jersey Band, Princeton School of Rock, the Youth Orchestra of New Jersey, Chamber Music for Malawi, Westminster Conservatory Suzuki Violins, and Bill O’Neal & Andrew Koontz. Dance groups taking part include American Repertory Ballet, the Princeton Ballet School, and the YWCA Princeton’s dance department.

Children’s events include Stone Soup Circus, Wendy & Flying Kidz Music, the Quarter Notes of the Princeton Girlchoir, a chalk street-painting area, and a sports clinic hosted by Princeton Athletics. Children can also take part in art-themed carnival games, face-painting, and ceramics demonstrations by the Arts Council.

For Mr. Nathanson, highlights of last year’s Communiversity were the “flash” performances by students from Westminster Choir College of Rider University and John Witherspoon Middle School. “They were so fantastic and so much fun,” he says. Asked if any “flash” performances can be expected to crop up this year. “I can’t say. Because a ‘flash’ performance is always a surprise, isn’t it?”

Communiversity is part of Princeton Arts Weekend, which kicks off Friday with Pinot to Picasso Vintage 2012, the Arts Council’s annual art and wine fundraiser. For a full list of events and participants, visit www.artscouncilofprinceton.org.