Street Closing Authorizations: Upcoming Events

The closing of Ann Arbor streets for special events requires approval from the city council. So city council action on street closings can provide a window into upcoming special events in Ann Arbor. They’re grouped together on the council’s consent agenda, so they are not mentioned explicitly at council meetings unless a councilmember pulls out an event for separate consideration.

At its March 17, 2014 meeting, the council approved street closings for seven different events that will take place over the next three months.

• Saturday, March 29, 2014: Sixth Annual Box Cart Race/Soap Box Derby. The event is sponsored by Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and Ann Arbor Active Against ALS to honor the legacy of their fraternity brother, Lou Gehrig, and to raise money for ALS research. All proceeds from the event will be donated to ALS research. Streets to be closed: South University from Oxford to Walnut; Linden from South University to Geddes.
  

  Map of street closings for Sixth Annual Soap Box Derby.

• Thursday, April 10, 2014: SpringFest. The sponsor, the University of Michigan-MUSIC Matters organization, is presenting a day of festivities to be capped off with a MUSIC Matters concert. The festivities will feature an assortment of student groups from the innovation, arts, sustainability, music and social justice communities on campus. Speakers will begin the program at 1 p.m. with live music featuring students and other local Ann Arbor talent to begin at 2:30 p.m. Streets to be closed: North University Street between Thayer and Fletcher Streets.
  

  Map of street closings for SpringFest.

• Sunday, May 4, 2014: Burns Park Run. Streets to be closed: Several streets in the Burns Park neighborhood.
  

  Map of street closures associated with the Burns Park Run.

• Monday, May 5, 2014: Ann Arbor Cinco de Mayo Party. The event is sponsored by Tios Restaurant to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Streets to be closed: Liberty Street between Thompson and Division.
  

  Map of street closures associated with Cinco de Mayo.

• Saturday, June 1, 2014: Live on Washington. This is a youth-curated outdoor arts festival, featuring performances on a stage as well as more “interactive street art” like break dancing, puppetry, and mural art. It’s sponsored by the Neutral Zone. Streets to be closed: Washington Street between Fifth Avenue and Division.
  

  Map of street closures associated with Live on Washington.

• Sunday, June 1, 2014: Dexter-Ann Arbor Run. The Dexter-Ann Arbor race is sponsored by the Ann Arbor Track Club. Streets to be closed: Several downtown streets and surface parking lots.
  

  Map of downtown street closings for Dexter-Ann Arbor Run.

• Friday, June 14, 2014: Mayor’s Green Fair.
  

  Map of street closings for Mayor’s Green Fair.

This brief was filed from the city council’s chambers on the second floor of city hall located at 301 E. Huron.