ANN ARBOR, MI — The Taste of Ann Arbor food and music festival is scheduled to return next month.
City Council voted Monday night, Aug. 2, to OK street closures for the Sept. 19 event on Main and Liberty streets downtown, but not without some hesitation due to COVID-19.
The annual event, typically held in June each year, was canceled last year due to the pandemic.
Before council OK’d the plans for its September return, Council Member Elizabeth Nelson, D-4th Ward, wanted assurances the city could revoke the permit if public health conditions change to avoid large crowds of maskless people gathering.
It was noted during the discussion COVID-19 cases in Washtenaw County are trending upward again and University of Michigan students are returning to town in the coming days.
City Attorney Stephen Postema said he thinks council could revoke the Taste of Ann Arbor permit in the interest of public health, safety and welfare if desired, and council also could reconsider approval at its next meeting. A representative for the Main Street Area Association, sponsor of the event, said health guidelines in place at the time of the event will be followed.
With those assurances, council OK’d the plan, which calls for closing Main Street from Washington to William streets, and Liberty Street from Ashley Street to Fourth Avenue.
The event is scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring a mix of local food vendors and a music stage.
Chirp, Dani Darling, and Matthew Milia of Frontier Ruckus are among the acts on the music lineup.
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