The Ann Arbor Art Fair features more than 1,000 competitively juried artists from all over the world who will return to the streets of Ann Arbor, exhibiting their creative talents for others to appreciate and purchase. Throughout 30 city blocks this includes a wide range of media including: painting, drawing, glass, sculpture, mixed media, jewelry, fiber and furniture.
For just four days, from Thursday, July 21 to Sunday, July 24, 2016, thousands of art enthusiasts will turn out and enjoy engaging with the artists, experience their artwork, and embrace the chance to enhance or start their own collection, experience the music and art, and explore the eclectic shops and restaurants that make up Ann Arbor. The Ann Arbor Art Fair is an art lover’s destination of original works of art, street performances, culinary treats and a variety of shops featuring sidewalk sales.
Here are 7 things for you to experience while visiting Ann Arbor, during The Ann Arbor Art Fair:
1. The Art. Pure and Simple.
Year after year, artists from across the country, apply to exhibit in The Ann Arbor Art Fair, displaying their latest creative talents. Each art fair is a juried event, making The Ann Arbor Art Fair one of the most important art fairs for artists to exhibit in nationally.
2. The Food. Ann Arbor is a Food Town.
There are many reasons why Ann Arbor is known as one of the best food towns in the United States. Around the downtown and close to campus you will find a plethora of unique restaurants to choose from while walking around the 30 blocks that make up The Ann Arbor Art Fair, Thursday, July 21- Sunday, July 24, 2016.
3. The Shops.
The Ann Arbor Art Fair is one of Michigan’s finest summer traditions that people look forward to each year due to the rich diversity of art, the casual conversations on the street and the unique finds that attract you into the shops around the art fair. After all The Ann Arbor Art Fair was established to help drive summer traffic to the merchants during the summer months and that tradition continues.
4. The Beer & Cocktails
With the art on display by day, by night the crafts will be on display in the plethora of bars and clubs surrounding the art fair. From craft beer to craft cocktails, Ann Arbor will be full of artists by day and mixologists by night. In Ann Arbor, you will not only find one of the largest selections of beer and whiskey, you will find some of the most creative cocktails in the Midwest to enjoy after hours.
5. The Art Fair, After Hours.
New this year is that The Ann Arbor Art Fair will run through Sunday, so plan to enjoy one of three stages on Saturday evening – and on every night discover your new favorite nightspot in Ann Arbor. The Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau invites you to stay after the fair closes on Saturday, July 23 and rediscover Ann Arbor. Several local businesses will have drink and meal specials and there will be lots of music and entertainment to choose from.
6. The Outdoors.
It’s summer time in Michigan and The Ann Arbor Art Fair is one of Michigan’s finest summer traditions in one of Michigan’s most artistic and creative concrete playgrounds. So come, stay and play and create your own masterpiece at on of the art fair’s art activity zones or dance to any number of musical performances at one of three stages, or catch a glimpse of the various street performers around the art fair.
7. The City Itself.
This is Ann Arbor and for four days, the Ann Arbor city streets turn into an art lover’s paradise. So from Thursday, July 21 to Sunday, July 24, join us.
For more information, visit http://www.TheAnnArborArtFair.com or on Twitter @AnnArborArtFair.
*This post, originally prepared by Daniel Cherrin for The Ann Arbor Art Fair and Ann Arbor Convention Visitors Bureau, appeared in Travel Michigan's Blog, Pure Michigan, June 28, 2016.
