ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Nearly a thousand artists from across the country transformed Downtown Ann Arbor into a sprawling outdoor gallery during the city’s signature summer event, which is also considered one of the largest juried art shows.
The three-day Ann Arbor Art Fair, spanning 30 city blocks, featured an array of artistic mediums including ceramics, painting, jewelry and mixed media, drawing approximately half a million visitors to the Washtenaw County seat.
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“It’s exciting. It’s just always really a good crowd,” said Frances Hedblom, who creates flame painting collections with her husband Dan. “Sometimes, we see the same people year after year.”
The event’s appeal extends beyond passive art appreciation. Organizers emphasized the interactive nature of the experience, with hands-on demonstrations and opportunities for visitors to engage directly with artists.
“Just finding good art that we can touch and touch the artists at the same time so we can examine it,” said attendee Barbara Dulas. “After COVID, you can’t touch anything anymore – you have to order it online and I hate that.”
Beyond visual arts, the fair featured live entertainment and food vendors. Local businesses reported increased foot traffic during the three-day event, highlighting its economic impact on downtown Ann Arbor.
“I think it’s partially the history of it; partially the location – and just the size,” said Reese Schmid of The Guild of Artists and Artisans. “This is the largest juried art fair in the country and the amount of talent that’s brought here – ours come from all over the country to participate and I think this makes this really unique. You can’t really find this anywhere else.”
The Ann Arbor Art Fair comprises three independently juried, nonprofit art fairs operating simultaneously: the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original; The Guild’s Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair; and the Ann Arbor State Street Art Fair.
Here’s all of our coverage from Saturday morning:
