A2 Art Fair Poised for Another Exciting Summer
by David Nassar

Since it’s inception in 1960, the Ann Arbor Art Fair has drawn hundreds of thousands of people from across the nation for a weekend of food, fun and, of course, art. Originally composed of several individual art fairs, as of this year, the Ann Arbor Art Fair is now one (very large) art fair with the mission of increasing public knowledge and appreciation for contemporary fine arts and crafts and to connect artists, the Ann Arbor community and the general public. This year’s event will be held July 20 – 23 in the streets of downtown Ann Arbor.

The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair started in 1960 as a way to draw exposure and people to local merchants, and it has grown steadily over the years. It is generally regarded as one of the best art fairs in the country, earning national recognition and numerous awards. In 1967, The State Street Area Fair jumped into the mix, and three years later the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair, sponsored by The Guild, joined them to help expose the talent of local artists. When “The Original” relocated to the streets surrounding Burton Carillon Tower in 2003, The South University Art Fair came along to fill the vacated area. Today, the entire fair draws several hundred local and national artists and more than 500,000 visitors over the course of four days.

The Ann Arbor Art Fair offers the general public an opportunity to interact with artists, view and purchase arts and crafts and participate in a wide range of activities, street performances and artist demonstrations—as well as take advantage of the distinctive shops and restaurants in Ann Arbor. For artists, the fair presents an opportunity to participate in one of the foremost art fairs in the nation and expose their work to a national audience.  As Allen Levy, a Virginia-based acrylic paint and mixed-media artist says, “I’ve only been doing art events for about two years, and this will be my first time in Ann Arbor. I decided to apply to this show because of the reputation it has.”

The fantastic reputation of the event has grown over the years, not only due to the artists and visitors it draws, but also because of what it has meant to the local community.

“I love it.  I’ve been going since I was seven years old,” says Ann Arbor native Marlena Goodsitt. “It’s just cool seeing all the different mediums that artists work in, and it’s a great place to people-watch because everybody goes.”

Visitors will be able to see a wide variety of fine arts and crafts throughout the fair, including painting, photography, mixed media, clay, glass, jewelry and much more.  Visitors can also experience street performances, artist demonstrations, create their own works of art at the Art Activity Zone, visit the Beer and Wine Garden, as well as browse the numerous merchant sidewalk-sales and local restaurants.  And, if you’re like the rest of us and your wallet is a little light these days, there’s nothing to fear.  Although nationally recognized as a fine arts and crafts fair, the Ann Arbor Art Fair offers original art for every pocketbook.

Featured Events at this Year’s Fairs:
- Street performances by George Tait: The Living Statue, Mr. B and Bob Culbertson
- Artist demonstrations
- Live entertainment every day
-Beer and wine garden
- Two children’s tents

Details, Dates and Times:
The Art Fair is held from July 20 – 23 in downtown Ann Arbor.  Hours are Wed. – Fri. 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Sat 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Parking is available at various locations throughout downtown Ann Arbor.  For more information regarding activities, locations and parking, visit www.artfair.org