Art Activities, Music, and more!
Jump to:
- Summer Sounds – Stage on Main
- Chalk the Walk with David Zinn
- Kid Collectors Club: Growing Tomorrow’s Art Appreciators
- Creative Art Project with T’onna Clemons
- Paint the Town – July 14, 2026 | 5-9PM
Summer Sounds – Stage on Main
Featuring
The Stage on Main features one of the top music clubs in the world, The Ark – a non-profit organization presenting the best of traditional and contemporary live music in downtown Ann Arbor over 300 nights each year – presenting acts starting at 6PM each day of the fair.
Additionally, we’re excited to bring live music and entertainment each day of the fair to the Stage on Main found at the corner of Main and William in the Palio lot. Performances and entertainment during the day will be handled by Neutral Zone as they take over the stage each day 10am-5pm! Stop by and join us for some Summer Sounds for one of the best street parties of the year!
LOCATION: Corner of Main & William in the parking lot next to Palio Restaurant
[left to right]: Schmaltz, Jill Jack Band, The Rupple Brothers, Bobby Alu, and Brain Plasticity Ukulele Collective & BLUESHOUSE
2026 Performance Schedule:
Thursday, July 16
10am-5pm – Neutral Zone Stage Takeover
6-7pm – Schmaltz 
7:30-8:30pm – Jill Jack Band
Schmaltz is a modern klezmer band based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. With a unique sound that hinges on craftily blended genres, their music provides a refreshing perspective on klezmer music, infusing traditional Jewish music with contemporary flavor by mixing in elements of jazz, balkan, funk, latin, and polka. Schmaltz’s debut album, “The Seltzer Man”, highlights what fans love: creative compositions, incredible improvisation, and the undeniable energy of a roaring
horn section. With deep roots at the University of Michigan, Schmaltz features numerous graduates of the School of Music, Theater & Dance, including bandleader and primary composer Ryan Schildcrout (saxophone), Michael Gerace (trombone), Jacob Warren (bass), and current SMTD protégé Christopher Gerace (trumpet). Rounding out the ensemble, the rhythm section includes Ann Arbor native Jack Harris (drums), and award winning pianist, arranger, and composer Seulah Noh (piano).
Jill Jack’s decades-spanning career has carried her across the globe, captivating audiences both as a solo artist and with her band. She has shared stages with iconic performers like Bob Seger and Loretta Lynn, cementing her place in the Americana music scene. Blending folk, rock, country, and blues, her sound is as dynamic as it is authentic—driven by vivid storytelling, quick-witted humor, and deeply heartfelt performances. With an impressive catalog of 12 albums and 51 Detroit Music Awards, Jack’s artistry extends beyond the stage. She has composed music for documentaries and national advertising campaigns, showcasing her versatility as a creator. Beyond her musical achievements, Jack is deeply committed to giving back—engaging in missionary work, supporting nonprofit initiatives, and mentoring artists of all ages. Her career reflects not only artistic excellence but a lasting dedication to community and connection.
Friday, July 17
10am-5pm – Neutral Zone Stage Takeover
6-7pm – The Rupple Brothers
7:30-8:50pm – Bobby Alu
The Rupple Brothers are a psychedelic folk ensemble who combine a love for family, music, life, and improvisation to create a musical space unlike any other. Born unto song, brothers Evan and Cole, and an ever expanding cast of soul brothers, traverse the entire spectrum of sound and space; each being proficient in multiple ways of musical strangeness, while bringing a positive and powerful family message with their brand of wild folk. They have carved themselves out a respected place amongst the Michigan music scene, throwing their own annual grassroots festival Handmade Music Festival in their home of Chesaning, opening for bands like The Way Down Wanderers, Chirp, The Mallett Brothers Band, Tejon Street Corner Thieves, Good Old War, opening up for White Denim at Ann Arbor’s Sonic Lunch, winning the Review Award for “Best Duo”, and playing top tier venues and festivals across the state. They plan to carry their stories of song to the furthest reaches of the universe.
https://www.facebook.com/TheRuppleBrothers/
If you ask Byron Bay’s Bobby Alu what his music sounds like, he’ll tell you how he hopes it makes you feel: like you have your favourite drink in hand, sipping as the sun sets on a balmy evening that’s laden with the promise of adventure. In an ideal world, he’d follow summer around the earth, in his endless quest to nail that feeling in his songs.
For Bobby it’s all about letting the music decide where it takes you – creatively and physically – and following the threads of curiosity large, small and often strange. It’s playing ukulele with old friends at the local market in exchange for a box of vegetables, because how weird is it to improvise along to people buying bananas at 7am on a Tuesday? It’s going to Ghana with just a hunch and a WhatsApp number to track down the rhythms that lit up his heart. It’s touring the world for five years as Xavier Rudd’s percussionist, learning how to be in service to the vibe of a room, and how to make the jump to being an international performer in his own right. It’s honouring his Samoan heritage through sharing the stage and releasing an EP with his mother to connect with the language of her homeland. Always, it’s about being open to discovery: if you
choose music, you choose it all.
Saturday, July 18
10am-5pm – Neutral Zone Stage Takeover
6-8pm – Brain Plasticity Ukulele Collective and Blueshouse
Brain Plasticity Ukulele Collective is an open community of musicians playing at all levels and
abilities. Ukes? Well, it’s more like 30 different instruments. Plasticity? Yes! The Brain Plasticity
Ukulele Collective believes that by sharing music and learning how to play a new instrument,
you can: “Drop a brain bomb. Fire up the synapses. Rewire some neural pathways.” And
BLUESHOUSE!, led by veteran English bluesman Mike Brooks, has enlivened countless stages and street parties around southeast Michigan over the last decade. Join us for a combination that will stretch your brain!
Mike Brooks, veteran blues guitar player/singer/songwriter from the UK has been playing guitar since the age of 10, and professionally since the age of 16. His musical career and accolades are many and varied, but include hitting the UK charts in 1979 (#28 on “the New Wave of British Heavy Metal” despite being a blues band), getting a cease and desist order from Walt Disney Corp for using a band name too close to that of a cartoon mouse, opening for bands such as the
Yardbirds, the Animals, Wishbone Ash and Nine Below Zero, and playing in some of the most famous venues anywhere such as London’s Marquee, and, well, The Ark! In addition to leading BLUESHOUSE and fronting the Brain Plasticity Ukulele Collective, he also works with Ann Arbor’s youth at the Neutral Zone, a continuation of a youth music project begun in the UK called Electric896, which taught disengaged youth how to rock the blues.
https://www.facebook.com/brainplasticityukulelecollective/
Chalk the Walk with David Zinn
Chalk the Walk, supported by WJR & WDVD, features Ann Arbor’s own world-renowned Artist David Zinn. Recognized globally for his clever and improvised chalk street art, Zinn will be creating his original temporary chalk work live during the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair event in two locations and be onsite each day of the fair. Sidewalk chalk will be available during all fair hours so that fairgoers can join in on the creativity and add their own mark on this year’s Ann Arbor Art Fair.
HOURS & LOCATIONS:
(LOCATION 1) Liberty + Fifth Ave.: 1-3PM Thursday (July 16), & Saturday (July 18)
(LOCATION 2) Church Street near South U: 4-6PM Friday (July 17)
Kid Collectors Club: Growing Tomorrow’s Art Appreciators
The Guild of Artists and Artisans is excited to bring back The Kid Collectors Club which is a program to inspire the next generation of art collectors. Artwork donated by various artists participating in this year’s Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair, will be exhibited in the Kid Collectors tent where kids 17 and under can come and select a piece of artwork priced just $10.
Kids will be inspired to learn more about the artists work they selected by receiving a card with information about the artist, the art, and the booth number. Likewise, kids will be encouraged to write a thank you card to the artist telling them why they selected the piece. This connection between the artist and the buyer is one of the unique aspects of buying art at art fairs and hopefully this exchange of information will provide a similar impactful connection.
LOCATION: On South U between East U and Church: 10-6PM Everyday
Creative Art Project with T’onna Clemons
This creative art project will be led by local artist, T’onna Clemons. Fairgoers will have the opportunity to paint with bubbles using watercolors and bubbles to create masterpieces.
T’onna Clemons is dedicated to empowering and showcasing the creativity of upcoming artists and youth in Ann Arbor and Detroit. With an aim to foster community-led initiatives that nurture local talent and promote innovation, representation, and opportunity for minority artists, Clemons is committed to building connections, evoking emotions through painting, and giving back to the community by supporting youth and aspiring Black artists in realizing their dreams.
LOCATION: Details coming soon
Paint the Town – July 14, 2026 | 5-9PM
Presented by
Come out and Paint the Town to be a part of this year’s Block pARTy – A community event preluding the Ann Arbor Art Fair:
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Downtown Ann Arbor, on Liberty and Main Streets
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Free Entry
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LIVE David Zinn Chalk Art at 5 PM and 7 PM
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LIVE Music and Silent Disco
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Street Activities & Local Partners featuring Wolverine Pickleball, Hands On Museum & more! See full list on map below.
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Great food and drinks!
Coincides with Dart for Art run and pARTy and City pARTy!
