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Spanning across 20 closed-off city blocks, the 57th annual Ann Arbor Art Fair<\/a> drew in large crowds of community members and art enthusiasts from Thursday through Saturday. Despite the city\u2019s dangerously high<\/a> air quality index \u2014 exceeding 400 Thursday and approaching 300 Friday due to smoke from ongoing Canadian wildfires \u2014 vendors and patrons alike braved the conditions regardless. As a safety precaution, the fair announced<\/a> that vendors would be allowed to close at 3 p.m. Thursday, and reopen at noon Friday morning.<\/p>\n Showcasing nearly 1,000 independent artists, the nonprofit Ann Arbor Art Fair comprises three independent, synchronous fairs, including The Ann Arbor Street Fair, the Original<\/a>, which was established independently in 1960; the State Street District Art Fair<\/a> \u2014 founded and owned by the State Street District<\/a> \u2014 established seven years later; and The Guild\u2019s Summer Art Fair<\/a>, established by The Guild of Artists and Artisans<\/a>, an association of autonomous artists, in 1970.<\/p>\n In an interview with The Michigan Daily, pottery vendor Kevin Rodrigue<\/a> said his business was noticeably affected by the air quality.<\/p>\n \u201cI definitely think there were less people around yesterday afternoon,\u201d Rodrigue said. \u201cBut that being said, the people that did come out were very talkative, very enjoyable. But I think, according to the people around me, it really did cut down on the amount of sales and the traffic.\u201d<\/p>\n