The Monroe Street Fair is an annual festival on Monroe Street on the same weekend as the Hash Bash.
http://www.monroestreetfair.com
Ann Arbor, MI 1st Saturday of April - April 5, 2014 - noon to 6:00 p.m.
The Monroe Street Fair features FREE live music, dancing in the streets, a variety of vendors and outstanding artworks.
In the 70's, at first on April 1st, then on the 1st Saturday in April, freedom activists would gather at Casa Dominicks, a restaurant adjacent to the Monroe Street Fair. At some point Dominicks began having live music and vending and eventually organizers decided to take the party to Monroe Street.
In 2001, new organizers developed the block party into a special event, and established what is known today as the Monroe Street Fair.
The Monroe Street Fair continues to grow, word continues to spread and the greatest factor determining attendance is the weather.
In 2004 the organizers formed a non profit corporation to handle all of the organizations business and obtain the special event permits required to stage the event. The event is planned and executed by an all volunteer staff.
In past years the fair has featured a variety of musical artists including, John Sinclair with Glowb, GLOWB, The Brothers Groove, Face, RIB, Moon Maddness, Muruga, SOOT, Last Days, Buddha Fulla Rymez, Bowlscraper, Hype Engine, Muruga and the Ceremonial Global Village Band, Troubleman, the Salt Miners, Troubleman, The Ragbirds, Ground Score, and Amy Heard amongst others.
All non-food vendors are welcome and the MSF features handmade arts & crafts vendors and t-shirt retailers.
Some vendors feature pipe and tobacco accessories as featured in Ann Arbors finest local shops.
Michigan NORML is a very successful and longtime supporter of the Monroe Street Fair and offers operational volunteer help the day of the fair.