The 26th annual A2ZERO Green Fair brings nearly 90 exhibitors to Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor on Friday, Sept. 18.
The free, family-friendly event runs from 5 to 8 p.m. and adds several new features this year, including a Bike Parade for the Planet, electric vehicle test drives and a community clothing and book swap. The fair's solar-powered mobile resilience unit, built by Jackson-based Sesame Solar, will also appear for the first time under its community-chosen name, "The Arbor."
The city's Office of Sustainability and Innovations acquired the trailer in 2025 and invited residents to suggest names. The unit functions as a mobile power source and hands-on classroom for sustainability education, according to the city.
Missy Stults, director of the Office of Sustainability and Innovations, told WEMU on Wednesday, Sept. 9 that the fair reflects the city's broader push toward its 2030 carbon-neutrality goal under the A2ZERO plan. She said greenhouse gas emissions are declining but said the city still has ground to cover.
"The good news is it's tracking down. The bad news is, of course, it's not zero," Stults said. "So, we still have work to do."
The fair is organized into five themed zones: Electric Avenue, Circularity Street, Municipal Mile, Biodiversity Boulevard and Kid's Corner. The Circularity Street zone will host the clothing and book swap, with A Colorful Collection providing free children's and adult books.
The Michigan Electric Vehicle Alliance will offer ride-and-drive sessions at the fair.
The alliance encourages pre-event sign-up at michiganeva.org.
During the WEMU interview, host Rebekah Warren noted that a 2022 voter-approved Climate Millage funds several A2ZERO programs, including residential energy rebates, solar projects and curbside composting. Stults said the city also began sending personalized letters to every new homeowner this year, listing the home's energy score and specific steps to improve it.
The Bike Parade for the Planet kicks off at 4:30 p.m. at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market. The procession will ride to Main Street to mark the fair's official opening.
The Green Fair is a zero-waste event. More information is available at a2gov.org/greenfair.
Upcoming community events:
- Friday, Sept. 18: A2ZERO Green Fair, Main Street, 5–8 p.m. (Bike Parade at 4:30 p.m. from Ann Arbor Farmers Market)
- Friday, Sept. 18: Electric Vehicle Ride & Drive at the Green Fair (pre-register at michiganeva.org)
