Not to sound too much like my grandmother but, clearly, $5 doesn't get you as much it used to.

A notable exception to that rule occurred over Labor Day weekend. For three days, Saturday through Monday, a crispy Abe Lincoln was all it took to gain access to a staggering array of musical talent at the sixth annual Comcast Art and Soul Oakland.

The inexpensive $5-per-day admission price is just one reason why this downtown festival is quickly becoming one of the most popular Labor Day weekends in Northern California. The festival drew some 18,000 in its 2001 debut. In 2005, the event attracted approximately 65,000 during its three-day run. Organizers expect this year's total to top that figure once the final numbers are tallied.

"We've grown by leaps and bounds every year," said Samee Roberts, marketing manager for the City of Oakland's Cultural Arts and Marketing Department.

Credit much of the success to the wide array of activities to be found at the festival, which is held in the area around the 12th Street/City Center BART station. There's a cool kid zone with lots of big inflatable contraptions, which unfortunately this reporter was unable to try due to age/height restrictions, as well as plenty of arts and crafts vendors.

Of special note, patrons could visit Oakland's Own Expo and sample many locally produced products, such as Ethiopian Honeywine from ENAT Winery and Wanks Off Da Hook BBQ Sauce (which, I must add, was truly off da hook).

And, of course, there was music — four stages and some 60 different artists over the three-day run.

The type of music on the Main Stage, which was located at 14th and Jefferson streets, changed each day. On Sunday, the KFOG radio-sponsored lineup featured the Bay Area's own the Bittersweets, indie-rock phenoms Calexico and the legendary Rickie Lee Jones. On Monday, KBLX radio hosted a smooth jazz/R&B cast that included soul diva Angie Stone and ex-NBA-star-turned-bassist Wayman Tisdale.

Live 105 radio station took control Saturday, the day I attended, and delivered a fine offering of alt-rock stars on the Main Stage. The highlights included power-pop darlings Plain White T-shirts, Welsh rockers Lostprophets and punk-pop powerhouse New Found Glory. Of that trio, the Lostprophets were probably the best, especially when the band launched into the popular sing-along "Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)" from 2006's "Liberation Transmission."

With the stages all located within easy walking distance, yet still far enough apart so that the music didn't blur together, the festival was a great opportunity to sample as much music as possible. And that's just what I did — watch a song or two of one act and then move over to another stage, and then another, to hear snippets of numerous sets.

I heard a bit of Kim Nalley's set at the Plaza Stage, located right in front of City Hall, as the songbird was wowing fans with her classy renditions of old-school vocal jazz. Later, I would return to catch some of the East Bay's own John Santos as he had the crowd up and salsa dancing to his hot Latin numbers.

Late in the afternoon, I again made my way back to that stage to witness the great local guitarist Bruce Forman deliver what might have been the best set of the day. (The Plaza Stage, by the way, was being sponsored on Saturday by San Mateo's excellent jazz station KCSM.)

As per my usual festival protocol, I spent much of my time at Art and Soul at the Blues Stage at 12th Street and Broadway. That was a fine place to park one's tired feet as the lineup, brought to us courtesy of the great Bay Area Blues Society, was solid from start to finish.

Following sets by Michael Robinson, Henry Clement and the Gumbo Marching Band and Craig Horton, the JC Smith Blues Band — the winner of Best Blues Band at the 2005 West Coast Blues Hall of Fame and Award Show — took the stage and delivered its typical fine offering of revved-up blues. Jackie Payne and Steve Edmundson kept the joint jumping with their set and then Sonny Rhodes and Lydia Pence and Coldblood closed out the day in fine fashion.

In all, the Comcast Art and Soul Oakland proved to be a true bargain for music lovers of all tastes. If there's a better way to spend Labor Day weekend in all of Northern California, please let us know.

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