Each September, Ann Arbor’s downtown streets transform into pedestrian zones from Thursday night through Monday morning for A2 Fall Streets. Each weekend, musicians, singing groups, artists and performers perform while patrons eat on the street. Downtown Main, Liberty and Washington Streets are blocked to cars for the occasion, extending the city’s summer outdoor traditions well into autumn.
In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Ashley Schafer, the executive director of Main Street Area Association, said the program began as a COVID-19-era safety measure and has since grown into a seasonal tradition.
“It started during (COVID-19), where everyone needed to have social distancing,” Schafer said. “They liked that it was safe and (they) could bring their kids. This year, we’ve really been focusing on ways that we can kind of enhance that customer experience.”…