This year’s A2 Fall Streets program came to a close Sept. 27 — one month earlier than in 2024 — after organizers shortened the schedule in response to traffic and accessibility concerns, prompting mixed reactions from businesses and community members.
The Main Street Area Association’s annual event closes sections of Main, Liberty and Washington streets to vehicle traffic over four weekends in September. This year featured live performances from 17 bands and artists while patrons ate on the street. As an extension of the A2 Summer Streets tradition, which started in 2020, the program aimed to encourage outdoor dining and pedestrian activity downtown.
In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Ashley Schafer, executive director of MSAA, said the closures presented logistical challenges, specifically the availability of parking for customers of downtown businesses…