Ann Arbor Art Fair: Summer Art Fair promises to be hot – and “very exciting”

With temperatures expected to be in the 90s, the Ann Arbor Art Fair promises to sizzle this week with close to half a million visitors expected to gather in downtown Ann Arbor starting on Thursday. For three days, nearly 1,000 artists from all over the world will line a total of 30 city blocks to showcase their creative talents and sell their original art.

The Ann Arbor Art Fair is comprised of three independently juried, nonprofit art fairs: the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original, the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair and the Ann Arbor State Street Art Fair. All three fairs run consecutively and work together to put on the fair.

Karen Delhey is the executive director of the Summer Art Fair, which includes two sections – Main Street, from Williams to Huron and from Ashley to 5^th Street; and on State Street, from Williams-Madison and Southview up to Forest.

Delhey is warming up to the idea of another HOT Ann Arbor Art Fair in 2022.

“It’s very exciting and we can’t wait to get to Thursday,” says Delhey, who started with the original fair in 2005 and moved over to the Guild in 2010. “First and foremost this art fair is about the art and the artists. We are really excited to have the artists who’ve been here before back this year and we also have a lot of new artists. So we are expecting another spectacular show.”

Delhey says they are seeing a lot of art work that was created during the pandemic.

“It’s never the same show twice and we are seeing quite a bit of new work which is exciting,” she said. “I think during the pandemic some artists kind of reinvented themselves. We also have some new partnerships that we are excited about.”

The Emerging Artists Program also returns with 15 emerging artists being featured this year. These are artists new to the art fair circuit and there will be two booths on State Street and one on South University.

David Zinn also returns and will be doing Chalk the Walk on Thursday and Saturday with a rain date on Friday at Liberty and 5^th Street.

The Ann Arbor Art Fair features a wide selection of styles and media, including painting, drawing, ceramics, glass, sculpture, mixed media, jewelry and more. It also will include live music performances at the fair’s three stages, culinary treats and an array of shops and sidewalk sales. The Stage on Main is set up by The Ark and will feature a variety of outstanding musicians and bands.

Come hungry, leave happy. Ann Arbor’s vibrant dining scene is sure to entice and satisfy everyone’s cravings. From sandwich shops to fine dining and everything in between, visitors are encouraged to support the city’s large mix of diverse and award-winning restaurants located in the downtown area before, during and after attending the fair. Within the fair’s footprint, food vendors will be onsite to offer an appetizing array of cuisine and options, such as fresh tacos, flavorful shawarma, savory barbecue, Asian street food, American classics and decadent dessert.

“To the visitors, the Ann Arbor Art Fair is a chance to get back out into the community to enjoy a much-celebrated tradition and anticipated event,” says Delhey. “It will be a fun three days full of art, music and more.”

The annual Ann Arbor Art Fair runs 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, July 21 and Friday, July 22 and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sat., July 23.

SPONSORS

Premier Event Sponsors: Destination Ann Arbor, The City of Ann Arbor, & Ann Arbor DDA. The Stage on Main is presented by DTE, featuring one of the top music clubs in the world, The Ark. Chalk the Walk is presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union, featuring Ann Arbor’s own world-renown artist David Zinn. MKX Oil is the Official Power Sponsor, fueling the Ann Arbor Art Fair. Other committed sponsors include Leaf Filter, University of Michigan Credit Union, Bank of Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Regent & Bell Tower Hotel and ModuGo. Community Partners: Main Street Area Association and University of Michigan. Media Sponsor: All About Ann Arbor.

The Ann Arbor Art Fair is a Midwest tradition that draws close to half a million attendees over three days in July. The largest juried art fair in the nation, the Ann Arbor Art Fair features nearly 1,000 artists and a footprint spanning 30 city blocks in downtown Ann Arbor. The Ann Arbor Art Fair is comprised of three independently juried, nonprofit art fairs that run consecutively: the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original, the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair and Ann Arbor State Street Art Fair. For more information about the Ann Arbor Art Fair, please visit www.theannarborartfair.com.