Michigan & NE Ohio Dopers: Art Fair! And More!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Okay, folks, time to talk Turkey.

The planets have aligned so that two exciting events happen at the same time. EnderW25 is passing through Ann Arbor at about the same time as the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fairs.

The Art Fairs, for those of you who don’t know, are four combined fairs that are known nationwide as one of the biggest juried art fairs in the U.S. They take up 24 city blocks, involve over 1000 artists, and draw 500,000 people. They run from Wednesday, July 17th, through Saturday, July 20th. Last year, a bunch of us Dopers met on the Saturday of Art Fair and spent a marvelous day browsing, chatting, eating, and spending money. The crowds can be a hassle, but one nice thing is that my office is in the thick of the whole mess, which means clean, air-conditioned bathrooms and fresh water are readily available.

EnderW25 , for those of you who don’t know, is a dashing, witty Doper who is making a trek across the country for god knows what reason. Since he’s usually in Kansas, this is a rare chance to spend time with him.

Now, Ender isn’t sure he’ll still be around for Saturday, but what the hell. Just put it on your calendars and note that we may be having DINNER on one of the weekdays that week, and that a bunch of us will probably also be doing ART FAIR on Saturday. Come to one or come to both. Since I live here and will be sleeping with Ender (um, so to speak) I’m planning on doing both.

I simply must ALSO throw out there that not 20 miles from here, on Thursday, July 18th, they will be having the 48th annual Manchester Chicken Broil, the world’s largest single-day outdoor chicken broil on the planet. I am beginning to think you all should come and stay for four days so we can hit it all.

More details as the dates draw near.

2

What the hey, maybe I’ll conveniently roll into A2 that weekend…not like I don’t have a place to stay. :slight_smile:

3

Cool! But since you’re Catholic, I’ll have to ask you to stay AWAY from my little boy. (ducks and runs)

4

At this point it looks as if I’ll be in town on Wednesday July the um…wow. Way to go calendarless boy wonder. let’s say the 14th? That sounds good.
But I may (and may is being stressed here) be able to push that over to Friday.

So anyway I suppose I’ll see all of you and your artsy fartsy car sketches. That is what you passes for art that close to Detroit, right?

5

Oh no, luckily we manage to get artists from all over the country so we’re not stuck looking at paintings of camaros.

Wednesday is the 17th. If you think you’ll be in by dinnertime, we could recruit some area Dopers to join us for dinner. Then anyone who wants to can cruise the art fair (it’s open until 9 pm). Or, if you think you may be in late, we’ll opt for Thursday dinner. The Second Annual Dopefest Day At the Fair will still be Saturday, at which point I guess you’ll be driving off down the highway.

6

Actually the Art Fair specializes in “things-on-a-stick.” I absolutely cannot stand the Art Fair (it’s a Craft Fair, dammit!) and would probably be cranky and surly (unlike Cranky, who will surely be delightful). (I got my lifetime fill of tourist activities living in Williamsburg, Va in college). However, if there are any non-Art Fair activities, such as going out for dinner or some such, count me in.

Also, I practically live for the Manchester Chicken Broil, I’m certainly in for that one. It’s the bomb, yo.

7

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…in case you’re wondering, that’s the pie I just threw at Cranky. :smiley:

Things on a stick? Shoot, now I’m more tempted to drive back for that weekend. Consider me a “maybe” at this point.

8

Hello Again, come over here so I can smack you one. I’ve gone to Art Scare for years (as you know, I’m trapped by it at work) and I aver that it is not a “craft fair.” Maybe that Michigan Guild one, that is on State street, veers towards the crafty side. And I’ll confess that a lot of the vendors who come and sell stuff outside the confines of the Art Fairs (such as the “King’s Chosen” thing in that alleyway off Liberty) and the sidewalk vendors sell Crap On A Stick. But there’s legitimate art here, and a hell of a lot of shit I can’t afford (which, by the way, is the definition of art: If I can buy it, it’s a craft. If I can’t, it’s art.)

For the rest of you, you should know that loathing art fair is the Ann Arbor summer pastime. We all bitch, but it does bring in a buncha money for the town. I like going during the week. Weekends can be scarier, but with other Dopers it’s pretty fun.

I can’t believe I’ve found someone else passionate about the Manchester Chicken Broil. We are sisters at heart.

9

keep me on the short list - can’t do $$ for the art fair, but could be persuaded to come on down. WE up here in Spartan Country would call it slumming, but, I’ll manage. :smiley:

10

I could go for the Art Fair again. This time, I promise to bring a better pair of shoes (last year, I wore shoes that gave me some really nasty blisters). Dinner could be doable too, depending on the money situation. I’ve never eaten at the Manchester before, but I’ve heard a lot of good things about the place.

11

Keep your eyes out for airfare, too. USAirways is forever running a $129 Philly-to-Detroit Roundtrip internet special.

12

What’s this northeast Ohio shit all about? Fuck Cleveland.

13

not to hijack or anything, but IMHO the question of “art” vs. “craft” is one of utility. The major function of Art is an aesthetic one, while a Craft has some utility apart from looking pretty.

For example, a hard-carved wooden box has a purpose, which is Holding Things, in addition to being beautiful to look upon. A photograph, however, exists for the sole purpose of being seen. We may like it or hate it but its main purpose is to interact with our aesthetic sensibilities.

By the above criteria, the vast majority of what is sold at the Art Fair (pottery, furniture, textiles/clothes, candles, glassware) is Craft. A much smaller segment (painting, photography, sculpture) is Art. A third fraction (Things on a Stick, scrying globes, birdhouses made of old license plates) is neither Art nor Craft, but fals into a third category, Kitsch.

14

You tryin’ to get this moved to Great Debates, young missy?

See, when I hear “craft fair” I think of holiday ornaments made out of painted bread dough and tea cozies crocheted out of variegated yarn.

Which reminds me, guess what I’m getting you for Chanukah next year.

15

Hmmmm…flying would be more efficient, but driving would be cheaper.

Also, if I fly out to A2, you’re going to have to be my transportation, Crankmeister. My preference would be one of those cool Chinese pull-carts…maybe Hello Again and I can sit in the back while you drive. :smiley: :::d&r::::