Here’s how to get downtown during Ann Arbor Art Fair

Buses line up at Briarwood Mall to shuttle crowds to the Ann Arbor Art Fair on July 19, 2019. (TheRide)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Art Fair is almost here, and so is Art Fair traffic.

If you’re like most Ann Arborites, you avoid driving or parking downtown this time of year. But if you want to experience Art Fair, you have to find a way into the heart of Ann Arbor.

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Whether you plan to drive, take the bus, walk or cycle, there are plenty of ways to get downtown.

Here are a few:

SHUTTLES

Park at Briarwood Mall or Huron High School for free and take a shuttle downtown in order to avoid the melee.

Round-trip tickets cost $5 and free for children 5 years old and younger. Service animals are allowed on the shuttles, but pets are not.

Shuttles are air-conditioned and wheelchair-accessible. They will run every 10-15 minutes during the following times:

  • 9 a.m.-10 p.m .on Thursday (July 21) and Friday (July 22)
  • 9 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday (July 23)

The Huron High School bus will stop at Fletcher and Washington streets and near South University and Forest streets.

The Briarwood Mall shuttle will stop on Main Street at William Street and on State Street near South University.

PARKING STRUCTURES

Braving the downtown traffic? Parking structures are a good bet for all-day parking. There are several to choose from that are a short walk away from Art Fair.

This year, event parking will cost $18 per day and $9 after 5 p.m. at city parking structures.

Find a map of the available structures here.

BUSES

If you’re local to Ann Arbor, consider taking one of TheRide buses downtown. Adult fare for a single ride costs $1.50 and a day pass costs $4.50.

Buy tickets when boarding buses, online at TheRide’s website, with the EZ Fare mobile application, or in person at several locations in Ann Arbor.

CYCLE

Experienced cyclists can use Ann Arbor network on bike lanes to get downtown while avoiding the hassle (and expense) of parking a car.

More than 1,000 bike parking spaces are scattered around including bike hoops, covered bike parking in parking structures or seasonal on-street racks.

Additional bike parking is available on the University of Michigan campus.

Those who regularly commute downtown also have access to bike lockers and bike houses.

Learn more about cycling downtown here.


About the Author

Sarah has worked for WDIV since June 2018. She covers community events, good eats and small businesses in Ann Arbor and has a Master's degree in Applied Linguistics from Grand Valley State University.

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