University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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Art fairs = delightful distraction Students often complain that it ' s impossible to get to classes on time when they live as far away as the Hill or it ' s snowing in mid January. But if you think that ' s a challenge, try maintaining a steady pace toward East Engineering or the UGLi while passing some of the best art and music Ann Arbor and the country has to offer. By Adam Hundley The annual Ann Arbor Art Fair was too much. Too tempting for most students to concentrate on summer courses, that is. They put classes and studying on hold and wandered through street after street of exhibits featuring the best of American art and culture. But for those hardy few who could think only of impending exams and sliding GPAs, the long trip across campus proved a veritable odyssey of temptations, obstacles, and distractions. As these academic warriors set off for morning classes, they were first greeted by thousands of automobiles parked on all manner of yards, driveways, and street curbs. With thousands of visitors arriving in Ann Arbor every hour, many fraternities and sororities, businesses, and private houses provided parking facilities for a modest fee. The Triangle fraternity on Washtenaw made almost $1,500 charging $5 for unlimited parking each of the four days. Students who managed to successfully navigate these automotive labyrinths next confronted the fairs on South University, State Street, East Liberty, and several side streets. Time was of the essence here, as over 400,000 shoppers crowded the streets and made progress slow and difficult. And the distractions were many. Over five hundred art booths displayed such treasures as African finger pianos, porce- lain tropical fish, and Japanese waterfalls. Musicians staked their claims to vacant street corners, playing everything from kettle drums to electric violins and singing everything from French ballads to classic rock. And dozens of vendors sold old favorites like cotton candy and rare treats like Caribbean fruits along the sidewalks. It was simply no use for students to tell themselves the art and music didn ' t appeal to them; scarcely a single taste went unrepresented during the four day extravaganza. Finally fighting their way through the crowds and reaching central campus, students still found formidable obstacles in their paths. Near the libraries and business school over 60 non- profit organizations distributed information and enlisted support. Their banners and posters proclaimed their convictions: ERA won ' t go away, Feed the people, not the pentagon, Abort the supreme court. And dozens of local artists took advantage of the passing crowds to sell T-shirts or to demonstrate their musical, juggling, and dramatic skills. It ' s like a circus, said Detroit resident Ann Lashway as she passed a man riding a unicycle under the West Engineering Arch. Those brave few who finally made it to their calculus lectures, philosophy discussions, and library carols did their best to forget the many distractions. They shut the windows to drown out the music on State Street and South University. They bought sodas and candy to make up for the exotic foods they passed by. And most of all, they thought over their busy Monday to Friday schedules and grateful that the Fair remained open through Saturday afternoon. This jewelry artist admires her work on a prospective cus tamer ' s hands . ]ewlery , especially silver goods , were more abundantly displayed than in past years. 14 Michigan Life

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The crowd has receeded to allow these streakers some room. It was a lot of people, and about 95% guys, packed together like sardines, said participant Randy Logan. Thousands of spectators push forward to gape at the brash racers. Many people held cameras above their heads to snap what pictures they could over the crowd. Crew team members hold oars above their heads just as the Naked Mile founders did over a decade before. These nameless, naked students are just a few of the estimated 750 that particiapted. Their course began at the comer of South University and Washtenaw and concluded at the steps of the Art Museum . Michigan Life 13

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V I ' When the crowds were light, the artists found diversions such as this sketch artist who played the banjo. Wandering minstrels were a popular attraction in addition to the booths. Thursday brought rain that hindered the crowds. However, many people merely donned rain coats and headed out, like this woman and her husband, taking advantage of the crowdless streets to marvel at the colorful paintings by L. Geyer. Parking is never easy in Ann Arbor and during the Art Fair, spots were even ewer and farther between. Fraternities, schools, and churchs, such as the First Presbyterian Church, converted their properties into parking lots, using the fair as a fundraiser. Michigan Life 1 5