Local in A2. Very interesting time to be here because the foot traffic downtown explodes. The art booths are fun to see but a lot of it is stupidly expensive. Food options are also super limited; it's a few food trucks with local businesses selling overpriced iterations of some of their fare. A couple of happy hour spots I like in town shut their discounts down for the weekend. Most art is unexceptional. I really don't feel like anything is worth purchasing but it is fun to browse. With that said. It was fun to see the variety of works on offer. The La Croix booth (free la Croix seltzers) and pickle booths ($8 for a small, $11 for a large), were some of the most popular stands I saw. Perhaps there could be more of a consumable stand next year. read more

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AA Art Fair is one of the best events of the year in AA and definitely one I look forward to every single year! My challenge to myself each year is to visit every nook and cranny of art fair because it is EXPANSIVE! My strategy is to go more than one day (obviously a little difficult to do if you're coming into town for this each time, but still completely worth it) so that I can spend at least one day looking at everything, MARINATE on it all, and then come back another day in the same weekend to buy everything in a less impulse-centric way! The AA Art Fair goes on for a whole weekend in July each summer, normally ranging from Thursday to Sunday! There are well over 1,000 vendors to look at and it basically spans across many of the streets throughout all of Ann Arbor (Main, Liberty, State, South U, East U, University, Washington, and more!). It's not only Michigan's, but the WHOLE NATION'S, largest JURIED art fair and it worth checking out a thousand times over! I've been checking out the art fair basically every year since 2010 and I've loved to see how it has evolved over the years! Obviously there are some vendors that keep coming back and that I have gotten to know over the years, but there's also so many new and incredible vendors that show up from year to year just waiting to be discovered and it's absolutely the funnest thing ever! The only downside to the art fair is how HOT it can be given that it takes place at the peak of Michigan summer, so take precautions with sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, and PLENTY of water breaks and/or duck into shops throughout AA for brief respite as needed! It's wonderful because there are also tons of the AA storefronts that you can check out during art fair as well because they'll put on massive deals knowing that art fair is going on! AA Art Fair is truly the best! I hope everyone gets to check it out at some point in their lives and am eagerly looking forward to next July's art fair again! read more

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This is by far the largest art fair I have ever been to in Michigan. It's much bigger and more focused on art for sure. We went last summer. Can't wait for it again in a few more months. The art fair map weaved in an out of every streets. There's so much tents and kiosks set up, it was overwhelming. My husband and I had to have a strategic game plan to make sure we went by every street, end to end and planned our next street visit a street before. We took a break and had lunch at Bar Louie. I bought a few prints for the house, Detroit and nature themed. I do notice many of the same artists go from place to place and I am starting to recognize these artists work when I hit these art themed festivals. Bring a car or SUV or crossover that might fit a decent size piece. You will be surprised what you will find here. read more

This art fair is just amazing,. HUGE and encompasses many streets, (we spent two full days here) tons of vendors and it is an exciting and vibrant place to see many different types of art and a wonderful time to see the beautiful U of M campus. We don't live in Michigan any more but think this is worth a drive or a flight! You'll get to see vendors from all over the US, plus meet lots of great people. Don't miss this gem! read more

It's a fun time to see all the amazing artists. It's soooo big! A little more people than I was expecting post Covid but it also makes sense because I how everyone is antsy to get out after being locked down for a COVID year. read more

The buzz was in the air and parking had become a huge headache -- it was clearly the time of year for the Ann Arbor art fair! My hometown hosts a pretty big art fair as well. The kind of art fair where the school board eventually had to make it a holiday because so many teachers would call in sick to attend. Despite the lore of that fair, the Ann Arbor one provides a worthy rival. I visited recently on a steaming summer day, both to see what all the fuss was about and also to hit up some of the food trucks and tents that were set up. Stretching across the entire downtown -- from Bill's Beer Garden on the west side, up to the top of the park on the east side -- there's truly something for everyone at this art fair. Beyond the usual art, jewelry, and handmade items, there were a number of tents representing political campaigns, local businesses, and -- of course -- some great restaurants. But maybe the coolest thing I saw was a hydration station that the city had fitted up to a fire hydrant, meaning that everybody could beat the heat in the middle of July. If you haven't been, it's worth the trip, and may be one of my new favorite summer events! read more

I've only heard of the legendary street art fair, but have never really experienced it first hand. This isnt just your around the mill art fair in your neck of the woods. This guy seems to be the one that's been injected with the highest grade steroids benching 350 and squatting a half a ton. Yes! This art fair is gigantic. Do wear comfortable foot wear because its street corner upon street corner upon street corner massive. Things from paintings, sculptures, pet things, lotions, balms, olive oils, etc. The selection keeps going and going. It was super hot that day and they did put up misters and fans to cool off people. Plus this has been a well organized event. I'm definitely glad I went and I would definitely love to come back again next year. Even to just walk around and do some window shopping while catching up with buddies and such. Thank you so much for reading my review. I hope this helps with your decision making experience. Enjoy your awesome yelptastic day! read more

Just a few years of living and/or working in Ann Arbor and having to try and navigate around art fair traffic have probably turned me off from the actual art fair in general forever. If I do choose to try and peruse the art fair, I usually make sure I have a good chunk of time to attempt it, and another goal (like a meal in a sit-down restaurant) to break it up. Unless you feel like walking, park at the mall or another spot with busing available to the fair. If you feel like walking, finding a spot a ways away from downtown on a side street somewhere and walking through the residential areas to get there can be pleasant. read more

2012 We usually love the Art Fair *BUT* people at Art Fair are another story: words of advice to keep everyone happy - 1. Don't bring your dog - it's usually too hot and crowded and your precious babies leave their treasures for people to step in, and spoils everyone's day. People will accidentally step on them. Did I mention it's crowded? 2. The middle of the aisle is for walking. Don't stop. If you want to stop or slow down, move to the side. Don't clog up the walkway. It's being courteous. 3. If you are vendor, don't have your kids screaming down the street to buy water from them for $1. No one will buy from them and it's just annoying. If they aren't legit, where the heck are the cops?! I was terribly disappointed that the chicken on a stick people did away with the hot mustard this year. Shame, they lost good business. We didn't find anything that struck us as interesting or that we wanted to purchase and we had quite a roll burning a hole in our pocket, specifically saved for Art Fair. A lot of dishes, weird crafts and photographs. No where near the quality we have seen in years past. Still worth a visit but hoping it improves. read more

So many stalls!! There r arts & crafts and food stalls too. Love the jumbo popcorn & getting lost in the crowds. Some of the photographs & paintings are amazing. The tin men art work are super cute! Only one more day left read more

Ann Arbor Street Art Fair - Everyone is waking up - Local Flavor Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Last time I went to see the Art Fair was... well... 10 years ago :) yes, it's been a while... and looks like it has grown since then... I actually avoid downtown ann arbor during the event, as traffic, parking and everything else related to downtown is hectic and crazy... but this year, I went to check out the food offering... I ended up on the W. Liberty portion to check out the good... the offerings were good, there were some joints that I would not go back... - Donnie's Bar-Be-Cue - had the pulled brisket sandwich and rib tips - $16 for both... the pulled brisket was ok... I felt as though the meat was bought from a store, heated and served... as for the rip tips... they were dried out... rough to eat, even with the rip tips bathing in the sauce. - Paradise Concessions - best elephant ear! - Greek Gyro platter at the corner of W. Liberty and Main - not worth the $12... the lamb was dried, but edible... I guess you can't expect great great foods at the art fair, but at least the rib tips should have been edible... not dried out like it was... the most memorial moment was seeing a student vomiting in front of Bar Louie... this was a kodak moment of 2015 Ann Arbor Art Fair. read more

World's biggest and most expensive garage sale. Fun to walk around, but save your money and leave your wallet at home. It's hot and crowded. read more

So yes, I know there are actually FOUR Ann Arbor Art Fairs, but this is the only one listed on Yelp :). Would have given this 5/5 stars in previous years, but I like my freebie booths (companies, etc) and they have decreased. This year it wasn't HOT HOT HOT which was nice, it was about 70 out yesterday when we went. Be prepared to WALK and to BROWSE. The Street Art Fair is I believe the South U one ... ? I know the "Original Art Fair" is the North U one, then there's also State St, South U, Main St, William and Liberty Sts, etc. I have been coming to the art fair(s) since high school, so about 10-15 years now, and when I lived in A2 while attending the U I went as well. Locals hate the art fair for clogging up traffic but visitors love it. We like to browse the art and probably will be going next year as well. VETERAN TIP: bring coins or a credit card, get there early, and park at a meter. Parking structures used to be like $8 for the day, which is semi-reasonable, and now are $12. We pooled our quarters and parked near East Quad (4 hours max) instead. read more

So many stalls... so little time! Last week was my first visit to the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair. Won't be my last. Thankfully, I was under the wing of my brother, an Ann Arbor denizen. He knew that the smart approach is to park at Pioneer High School, and take one of the many shuttle buses to the fair. Note that while AASAF is free admission, there is a nominal cost for the shuttle. There is a way for seniors to ride free, but we did not meet the criterion. At 60+ YO, I've been to dozens of arts fairs, and the 59th Ann Arbor Street Art Fair -- a conglomeration of 4 fairs -- is easily the best I've been to. And apparently the largest. It was in the 90s that day, I had neither sunscreen nor hat. Nine days later, my sunburn is still peeling. I'll be better prepared next year. Because of the heat, I lasted only a few hours. All arts fairs have their share of noshmongers, but the AASAF is the only fair I've seen with numerous 5-star-worthy restaurants within spittin' distance. Gratzi is one such bistro; Palio is another where we had lunch. (Separate review for Palio.) I'm fully rested now... can't wait 'til next July! read more

The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair is absolutely magnificent! It is massive with every type of art - paintings, jewelry, sculptures, woodwork, leather purses, and more. And it is free. The people-watching is wonderful! The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair begins Thursday morning in July and ends Sunday at 6:00 pm. Visitors have the option to view it on a single day, but if you want to see it all, I advise 3 or 4 days. There is a free shuttle bus that takes folks to every part of the art fair. Parking a car can cost from $10 to $20 a day (July 2018). See online website for more details. read more

As a creative professional, gaining new art inspiration is a must. The A2 Art Fair delivered on this and more! We came on a Saturday early afternoon, and spent a good 3 hours perusing the booths and different art pieces. We didn't come home with anything, but I was happy to see such wide variety of vendors and talent. The crowds made it feel like there was a sense of community; something that I don't see very often. Didn't try any of the food options, so cannot comment on that. I did get a huge whiff of cinnamon treats, and had to drag myself away from it. Ohhh it smelled sooooo heavenly! Though some people might not view art the same way as I do, there is definitely enough visual interest to pique everybody's curiosity and to walk away with something pretty. :) Prices were a bit high, but you're supporting local creatives, so worth it! read more

I'm an Ann Arbor Art Fair goer from waaay back! I went to this event when I was in high school...??? many years ago! LOL I chose to write about it now because it's coming up again soon and you will have time to prepare! It's always the 3rd Weds thru Saturday in July each year! The streets are shut down for cars and set up with thousands of little tents and all different kinds of people selling anything and everything to be considered "art"!!! The only thing it's not good for really is dogs and little tiny people that get hot and tired and very ornery!! There are many crafters with things like : purses, t-shirts, clothing, jewelry, pottery and many other items for sale. I have a picture of this one sculptors work, I'll have to look for it in my massive mounds of pictures and put it up here for you all to see!!! This one artist makes sculpted "People"!! It's so weird and they are almost "scary" ....eerie-like too! They have hair and cool eyes and everything looks so real on them! One year he even had a "security guard" statue that he made and people took a second look because they thought the statue "cop" was real!!! It was not of course! Everyone stands around in droves to see this guys work! It's spectacular!! If you get the chance to go, you should go! It's a landmark event in Ann Arbor each year and every year gets bigger and better and more and more people, artists and many other "weird"things too, along with the good! Don't forget to walk by the little ally that is all painted and see the guy who tries to pretend that he is "M.J." when he dances to all of the Jackson's songs in the ally~! Have fun and get lots food and drinks, and save the dates for the 3rd weekend of July every year including in a couple of weeks from now! You can try to drive down and get a spot in the parking garages but you have to get there very early to do that! Most people drive to Chrysler arena or to Briarwood Mall and take a shuttle for a few bucks and then you don't have to worry because they run about every 20 minutes all day long! Enjoy and have fun...keep track of your little ones and if they are really little, leave them home....probably not good for them....and the dogs...pleaaaaaaaase don't bring your little dogs and torture them and submit them to the heat and the crowds...it's so not fair to them....they cannot speak for themselves so I'm begging you instead!! Have a great time if you can make it! ....Suzy Q read more

I'd say there are 3 factors that really play into how much you will enjoy the Ann Arbor Art Fair... how much you like the art (and how it relates to your budget), the weather, and the event organization. And how much you can tolerate crowds. Four. There are 4 things that really play into how much you will enjoy the Ann Arbor Art Fair. And the snacks. Five. There are 5 things that really play into how much you will enjoy the Ann Arbor Art Fair. So, let's break it down. The art is pretty great. Some of it will be crap. Some of it will not be to your taste. A lot of it will be out of your price range. But it's a numbers game, and if you like art you will like some of the art here. Weather was a fluke this year. It's going to be hot as a crotch most years. This may factor into your crowd tolerance and snacks of choice. It will be hot. It will be crowded. The food will be good. You can do that math on your own. The event organization is the piece that lends itself to a yelp review. Overall, they do a pretty good job. The booths are more or less logically arranged in shapes that lend themselves to taking it all in. They largely segregate the sunglasses and vinyl siding salesmen from the proper art. There are kid's crafts and live music and other fun goings on while you take it all in. Obviously, this thing's been going on for a while - it's not their first rodeo, and it is a pretty well ordered affair. My only minor grievance is with the 4 fairs/1 weekend concept. Just be one thing. Or, more accurately in terms of my 4-star rating, just have one website. If you live in the immediate vicinity, it will muck up your ability to get around for the whole week but you probably knew that already (So six. There are 6 things...) The remote parking options and shuttle service are fantastic. If you don't live within walking distance, just park at Pioneer High - you won't be sorry. read more

The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair (the Art Fair for short) is the best thing to happen to Ann Arbor during the Summer months. The Car Show, the Taste of Ann Arbor and the concerts next to the Clock Tower are alright, but the Art Fair definitely takes the cake. It's basically the concerts and the Taste of Ann Arbor all rolled up into one event. Sure, there aren't any cars, but who cares?! Most people who attend the Art Fair are from Michigan (like they don't see enough cars already). Although the art makes the streets look pleasant, I'm quite partial to the various foods being served via the stands. This is my personal take on the Art Fair. I don't really come for the art, I come for the food; and it's so delicious. Another great thing about the Art Fair is that it lasts for several days (4 to be exact), so if you happened to miss it one day, don't freak out because you'll probably catch it the next. This will be my second time attending the Art Fair so I'm a complete neophyte, but it doesn't take more than one time to know that you'll be doing a lot of walking. Make sure to bring a water bottle or cash to buy bottled water so that you won't get dehydrated. Also, if you've got pale skin, don't tan easily, or basically if you're White, make sure to bring something along to protect yourself from the heat (another reason I'm happy to be Black). Lastly, even if you think the food sucks, and the art is anything but artistic, the one thing that will float your boat is the fact that this is the one time during the Summer when Ann Arbor looks like a bustling little town. Anyone who's stayed here during the Summer (be you a student or a long-time resident) knows that Ann Arbor is completely boring and listless without the students there to spice it up. However, once the Art Fair rolls around, you'll find that everyone has come out to play. 5 stars for an event that puts itself on the top of everyone's to-do-list during the Summer. Aesthetics, music, food, and lots and lots of people. Take it all in, because once it's over it's back to the same old humdrum Ann Arbor, and it'll be another month and a half before the students arrive and the college football season starts. read more

Two things must happen for the Ann Arbor Art Fair to go on: a severe thunderstorm warning and an extreme heat warning; this year was no exception. If you enjoy crowds so big that you cannot walk without bumping into another sweaty person, walking in extreme heat with very few places to shade yourself, and paying a premium for art, than the Art Fair is definitely for you. The truth is, I actually do enjoy going to Art Fair, and since I work on the U of M campus, it is fairly easy for me to enjoy everything it has to offer. Many people that visit Art Fair though, do not live/work in Ann Arbor and only have 1 or 2 days, if that. It is my very strong opinion that you cannot enjoy Art Fair fully in just 1 or 2 days; it is just too overwhelming. In addition to the artist booths, there are non-governmental booths to check out; lots of tasty and fried fair food to try; freebies from Art Fair sponsors to grab; and of course lots and lots of Downtown/Campus area store sales to browse as almost all the stores are having their annual art fair sales. To help you navigate and enjoy Art Fair, here is some advice: 1. If you can, try to come to the Fair on a Wednesday or Thursday. During the day is better, but night is okay too. The crowds are definitely not as crazy as they are on Friday, and just forget about Saturday. 2. Take a re-usable water bottle and re-fill it often. This is important because: (a) it will be hot and you need to stay hydrated and (b) you will get thirsty and you don't want to have to keep spending $1 on small bottles of water that every booth seems to sell. 3. Break up the fair into sections, or into what you are interested in, and just do that for the day or a few hours. This will allow you to fully appreciate and be able to spend time looking at the offerings. 4. Don't pay for parking; you will pay a premium. There is actually a lot of street parking around the perimeter of the fair and in University of Michigan owned lots (free on the weekend and after 5 p.m. during the week). You have to find them yourself though because I feel like other Ann Arborites would kill me for sharing a secret. You can also take the AATA buses for $3 per person, but this may not actually save you money if you are a car full of people. 5. You don't have to buy the art. I often look at the Art Fair as a really large Art Gallery with a ton of neat and different stuff to look at and appreciate. Think of it as an art museum with no admission charge. 6. If you see an artist you like at the Ann Arbor Art Fair, take the artist's card. Also, ask if they will be at any other art fairs in Michigan (or near the state you live) in the coming weeks or months. There are two reasons for doing this: (1) If you go to their gallery, the artist might have more reasonably priced items and more of a selection for you to pick from and (2) I have heard, although I am not sure that this is true, that the artists charge more for their pieces during the Ann Arbor Art Fair because people will buy at the higher price. They may charge less for the same or a similar piece at another, less well-attended art fair or in their gallery. All that being said, enjoy the next Ann Arbor Art Fair and stay cool and dry! read more

Any longtime resident of treetown will tell you that Art Fair is the annual gargantuan alien facehugger wrapped around the face of Ann Arbor, its stamen ruthlessly rammed into every edifice and orafice for FOUR DAYS. Okay, not all the 'art' is negligible. But the way my town is so thoroughly usurped makes me fall down on my knees (cue thunderstorm) and scream "KHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAANNN!" It takes me twice as long to get anywhere, including work. Certain eating establishments are brazen enough to RAISE their prices. Unless I'm escaping town, I don't dare drive. I pledge my fealty to the Shadow Art Fair. No time-bending crowds, no dogs, no babies and no things on sticks! read more

This year was a great Art Fair for many reasons. One of the best was that the weather was perfect. Finally we had an Art Fair when temperatures were actually comfortable. I'd say the best way to experience the Art Fair is to take it in sections and stroll around leisurely. Too often in the past I've tried to rush through and see it all. It's better to take your time, walk and talk to the vendors, interact with the volunteers, and just enjoy the day. If you are a visitor I'd recommend staying overnight or even for the whole weekend. There is a lot to enjoy both in the art and in Ann Arbor. If you are local I'd recommend spending a full day or visiting twice if it's in your budget. The quality of the art and the different types of art have gotten better year after year. The organization has also gotten better with more information booths and maps this year than I have ever seen. It has also been easier to walk around. There are nice clusters of vendors separated by other retail booths and exhibitors and performance stages. There is also good Michigan and national representation at the performance stages. Ann Arbor too is changing. There used to be a lot of very traditional retail. You would wander around Ann Arbor and see the same buildings year after year (like Borders, Shaman Drum, Cottage Inn etc...) While I miss Borders a lot it is nice to see new retail in the city, particularly the campus area. The area near U Towers is completely different and has a fun vibe. The State Street area has the traditional favorites like Ashley's and of course the Union but there is new retail showing up too and particularly new restaurants as well. This is true of Main Street as well. My one problem with the Art Fair (besides temperatures being too hot, which we escaped this year) is it that it is a combination of different organizing groups without one easy-to-find umbrella group. For example, if I try to look up information on Google it is hard to find one page that links everything together. I don't mind when I'm walking around but it should be easier to find information for friends and guests. I know the City of Ann Arbor site does list some information but it is still too hard to find. Otherwise I loved the festival this year. It is a great event for Michigan which I think deserves national attention too. read more

Words cannot express how much I LOVE this. One of the reasons I look forward to summer every year is because of this fair. I go ever year and browse through the entire thing... it's HUGE so usually takes an entire day or more. If you're not a fan of art (like some of the various friends I've dragged with me), this might be a bored... but if you like shiny, pretty things, you'll love this too. :D If you don't want to walk the whole thing, the State St./E. Liberty/E. Williams areas are my favorites. P.S. These are rare occasions to take advantage of the funnel cakes. :P read more

Its fun. Ive gone to this thing since I was a kid. Everything is eclectic and exciting but there is ONE major drawback... It has historically ALWAYS been scheduled on the hottest days of the year. I am not kidding -- it is hot. The other problem is that it always rains so you are going to get some of that stuff too. Just get ready for it. Musically you can't beat this place. If you never eat in this town come hungry because there are some of the best eats in Michigan ... hands down. Its a party man - no doubt about it. If only we could do this thing in June, I would be so grateful !!! ;-) read more

When I first moved to Ann Arbor, I loved my first two years of Art Fair. The streets were closed off, I felt like I was discovering something great! at every corner. I was on the hunt for deals and sales, and I learned really quickly that being the early bird at Urban Outfitters gets first pick at evereything. I also didn't mind the art so much. One year I even bought a wooden bumblebee baby toy, which was for myself, but now I can give it to my son. Now I dread Art Fair. Mostly because I've worked at local businesses the past few years, and I dread the hot days and the road blockages. I used to hear the "Art Fear" and "Fart Air" and "Arts and Crafts Fair" jokes and thought they were mean, but now I agree. The crowds and booths can be way too overwhelming. If you decide to check it out one year, come early when it's not sweltering and when the crowds haven't hit. You'll probably enjoy your elephant ears more. Also, I noticed this year Thai Thai had a booth! I love their food. read more

Are there five distinct art fairs? Or more than that? If you have been here at least since last July you know: for around a week, art fairs take over absolutely every aspect of the city. Don't go out to dinner. Don't try to park anywhere. Just look at booth after booth after booth. Am I jaded? Well, ok, I am. But I love the Art Fair: you can see that, it's April and I'm already looking forward to it. My favorite is the oldest art fair, which used to be on South University, but for imponderably complex political reasons moved over to the area around the Bell Tower. The art there is one step above the rest in both quality and price. In some cases, sticker shock is the only response possible. The remaining art fairs vary from high quality downward towards craftsmanlike acceptability downward to utter junky kitsch. It's an EVENT!!! Update July 18, 2007: This year's best art fair (the one around Burton Tower) was of fantastic quality. Every artist had both skill and imagination IMHO. The art fair on the south end of State St. (in front of the Union) was also very good -- though not quite as uniform. I spent way more than I meant to! read more

First time here. Loved the event. Very happening. Tons of shops for you to walk around , buy stuff or eat ! Check out the fried Oreos! read more

Ann Arbor Street Art Fair - Local Flavor Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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If you're into art you'll like this event. If you're into art and douchebag liberals you'll really like this event. The event is huge can't fault them on that. You really do need an entire day dedicated to it. For the most part prices range from high go really high. I know for a fact some people raise their prices simply for this event. Example-some of the same booths are at other local art fairs, with the same items priced a few dollars less. read more

This Art Fair puts all the other, lowly art fairs to shame... every year, the Ann Arbor Art Fair draws in thousands and thousands and thousands. Artists come bring their work, which range from paintings, drawings, and sculptures, to jewelry to hand blown glass, to whatever else you can think of. The stores that line the streets hold sidewalk sales. Live music is played, and magicians perform shows (for kids and childlike students). Local restaurants set up food stands, and people roam the streets looking for whatever tickles their fancies. Even if you go every year, you still manage to find novelty in the whole experience and see things you've not seen before. At the same time, there is familiarity in the whole art fair, a familiarity you can both feel, as well as see... like with the giant, animal sculptures made of nails. read more

Hide your car for four days and learn to enjoy the scenery while you walk everywhere downtown. The parking lots are closed and so are the streets. It's not a good time to own a car, but it's a great time for art. Taken together, the four art fairs comprise the largest event of this kind in the U.S. More than 100,000 people visited last year. If you're into art, there's a lot of it. If you're into people-watching, expensive fair food and walking around in the sweltering sun, you're still in the right place! One of my friends recommended filling a plastic soda cup with beer so you can drink while you peruse the art. Haven't tried that yet, but it would probably work. The art fair is also important because it gives "townies" something to complain about besides the university. The Street Art Fair is the original. For information about all four of the fairs, try the following Web page: http://annarbor.org/events/artfairs.asp. read more

LOVE the Ann Arbor Art Fair. I go every year and it gets better. Not only is it an art fair all the shops along the Fair route have sidewalk sale tables, I have purchased many great deals over Art Fair week! The restaurants have outdoor setups. It is a great event. Now, to get the most out of it I suggest going Wednesday which the first day of the Fair. It is definitely the least crowded day. If coming from out of town park at the mall and shuttle in that way you don't have to pay for parking and you can pick the shuttle up from multiple locations along the fair route. read more

We were pretty impressed by the street art fair. Ann Arbor has always been an eclectic and creative town so we expected it to be pretty great! Even if you're just window shopping the art, there's a lot more to do than that... Restaurants serving samples and offering specials, live music entertainment, and we left with some free skin care products too; not quite sure how or when that happened. Parking, as usual, is at a premium in Ann Arbor, but if you can tolerate the traffic jam that is Ann Arbor, you'll have a good time! read more

Well art fair is love it or hate. I wouldnt want to be a resident of AA during this time. I like going to people watch. Most of the art is the same year after year. I'd recommend going during the week to avoid the crowds. The Art fair vendors occasionally have good sales. read more

I stopped by the Ann Arbor Street Fair on my way to Chicago and I was so glad I made the stop! There are sorts of unique pieces by both local and national artist with price ranges across the board. Even if you are there just of out admiration for the art work you can still have a great time. There are magicians for the kids, the local businesses are having sales, there is music playing and everyone appears to be having a blast with just the concept of the fair. The entire community of Ann Arbor along with thousands of other people that attend really pull this event off every year! I purchased some hand blown glass work that is just magnificent! The sculpted piece goes any where in my home. The best part about it is that I won't see my piece in a national furniture store chain! read more

Whether you love art or not, this is definitely a cool summer-time activity to engage in on a warm and sunny day. My step-mother is an artist, so many summers I would come with her as she perused the crafts. When I came to the University of Michigan for school, I had to appreciate the art fair on a completely different level. Many streets are blocked off, so it was extremely difficult to find parking while taking summer classes. In fact, it was downright annoying! If you are going to come out here, I suggest parking at the Commuter Lot on State Street and taking the bus into the fair. That's better than the hassle of finding parking! read more

I grew up in Ann Arbor and I've gone to many Art Fairs. My father was involved in the creation of this thing, so I feel I'm qualified to critique the fair. Initially, it was a juried fair, meaning that artists had to conform to certain standards. Artists had to produce art, not crafts, to be included in the fair. Sadly, that qualification has long fallen by the wayside. Regardless, the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair will not disappoint the connoisseur. There is genuine art to be admired and even purchased. It has turned into a carnivale atmosphere, but a good time can be had. Even though the initial intent of the Fair has long been forgotten, it's fun to wander around the stalls and also see the other entertainment offered. The only drawback can be the Michigan summer weather: will it be excruciatingly hot or freezing cold. Perhaps it will be perfect. I remember watching Forth of July fireworks while wearing a winter coat. But chances are, it will be hot and humid, so dress appropriately. You will enjoy yourself at this cavalcade of "art". read more