Leave your mark on downtown Ann Arbor with Paint the Town event before Art Fair

Children play and draw on a mandala moon created by Mary Thiefels and TreeTown Murals on the intersection of Main and Liberty streets. (Sarah Parlette, WDIV)

ANN ARBOR – Paint the town red (or whatever color can be found) right before Ann Arbor Art Fair.

Community members can join artists and musicians to beautify Main Street by painting mandalas and coloring a chalk mural on Tuesday, July 18.

Recommended Videos



The new Paint the Town event was organized by Main Street Ann Arbor, CultureVerse and The Guild of Artists and Artisans to give Ann Arborites a chance to express their creativity before the hustle and bustle of Art Fair.

The event runs from 6-9 p.m.

There will be a community chalk mural at the intersection of Main and Liberty streets and a mandala project organized by Ann Arbor artist Asha Jordan.

Musicians will play at the intersection of Main & Washington, on Main Street and on Liberty Street. Artists slated to perform include Corndaddy, Vicissitones, Félix and Ángel Benkí and Isaac Roughton.

Here’s where you can find the event:

  • Main Street between William and Huron streets
  • Liberty Street from Ashley Street to 4th Avenue
  • Washington Street from Ashley Street to 4th Avenue

Plein Air artists are encouraged to bring their easels and brushes to paint what they see. Organizers said artists can even sell their work during the event.

Paint the Town is part of Main Street Ann Arbor’s A2 Summer Streets programming, which includes live music, kids activities, brunch specials, silent discos and block parties.

Learn more 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.

Recommended Videos