Ann Arbor Art Fair - University of Michigan

U of MI Flag

I did promise images of our trip to the Ann Arbor Art Fair, the largest art fair in the nation.  It was great if you ignored all the thunderstorms, rain and the blasted heat that moved through the area on Thursday, Friday and Saturday!  I really feel for the vendors because at some points it was just plain miserable.

This year my friend and I went to the art fair on Thursday and Friday.  We left early on Thursday morning and arrived at our hotel around 1:30pm.  We found out the hotel had a shuttle, that was free, that could drive us to the fair and pick us up.  That beats the bus hands down!  We decided to do a scouting mission on Thursday and the major shopping on Friday.

Storm Moving in Thursday

People walking around

Back of the booths in front of Art Museum

While we were walking around Thursday afternoon, into the evening, a storm moved in a lots of the customers took off.  My friend and I broke out the poncho and umbrella and kept walking around.  It was really nice because there were hardly any people on the streets so we had the vendor tents to ourselves, SWEET!  We got done walking around about 7:00 and caught the shuttle back to the hotel to rest up for the major shopping on Friday.

On Friday morning we got onto campus about 9:00 and ate breakfast and started walking around.  We looked at more vendors until lunch time when we went to the most awesome Thai restaurant.  It was amazing and I am very picky on my Chicken Pad Thai.  It was a good thing we decided to go to lunch because as we were eating another downpour started.  We sat inside watching people running around in the rain before we decided to take the trolley to the other side of the fair.  When we got to our stop, of course it started pouring again.  So, my friend and decided to get a henna tattoo.

My Friend and her henna tattoo

My Henna tattoo

After we got our tattoos the sun came out again, and then the heat hit.  OMG was it hot!!!!  My friend and I looked pathetic, our hair was straggling all over the place and sweat was just pouring off your body.  I don't think I have been that hot since being in the field in the Mojave desert.

When the sun was out

 Around 5:00pm I think my friend and I were done and ready to call it a day.  We decided to walk over to the other side of the fair to go and eat at a Southwestern Restaurant.  The restaurant was small and cozy, but the food was to die for.  Again it was a good thing we decided to go and eat because another down pour came through the fair.  When we left to catch the trolley again of course it started to rain like cats and dogs.  We sat waiting for the trolley for about 15 minutes and my friend was soaked, even with the umbrella.  We heard, when we were on the trolley, that the fair was shut down for the evening.  I could understand that because the wind was brutal and tornado sirens were going off.

Rainbow as we waited for the shuttle

Sun coming through a church

Overall it was a great trip.  I bought two ceramic pieces for myself and a ceramic vase for mom.  My friend bought some plants, a ceramic nail file, and a copper piece.  There was sooo much more I wanted to buy but was just way outside my set budget (you do need a budget when you go to one of these things).  My friends and I have already blocked out our calendar for next years fair and we are counting down the days.  If you haven't gone to this fair I highly recommend going at least once.

Here are some pics of buildings from the University of Michigan campus.

First pic I took of the day of a church

Loved the patina of the dome

Loved the roses in the windows