Some downtowns are facing a reckoning – remote work, the pandemic, increasing wealth inequality and online retail are putting some city centers on the brink of irrelevance and a poverty and abandonment-certain downward spiral – but downtown Ann Arbor is still vibrant. It’s not just the university or the vibrant, joyfully competitive restaurant scene that keeps the area dynamic — it’s also the eclectic mix of shops, continually refreshed and made appealing to visitors from across the country by events like Bloom Fest.
Main Street Ann Arbor is behind this particular venture. During Bloom Fest they have a map of participating businesses scattered around downtown. Through the participating businesses they arrange a scavenger hunt where if you can correctly answer eight of the riddles displayed by the cash registers of the businesses. You could also be in the running if you could document patronizing three of the participating stores or restaurants.
Martez Cleybren, an Ypsilanti resident who has been working and around downtown for years, said, “I think that’s a really cool way to get people involved into the community, and the various businesses that are participating. …. I think it gives families and people who are a little bit more reclusive to engage in a way that they may not necessarily engage usually.”
This year’s festival took place May 9-11. In 2025, 30 of the 200 or so member businesses participated. The winner got a gift basket made up mostly of gift cards to local businesses, totaling $1,000.
“I think just bringing people out [for] Mother’s Day weekend is just a fun, different event, this year with the riddle scavenger hunt idea gives you something to do. Every age can participate,” Laura Horwath, the owner of Ferne Boutique said. She has participated in Bloom Fest every year since it started.
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“This Bloom Fest we’ve updated the event a little bit. In the past it’s been focused on shopping, coming out and taking advantage of deals – but this is different,” Ashley Schafer, the Executive Director at MSAA, explained. “You can come out and scavenger hunt at no cost. As you’re going through the different businesses, looking for riddles, there are pop ups happening – the Arts Center is doing paper flowers with a paper artists, and the Guild is also doing classes and different exhibits – so even if you’re just looking to do something for free, there are all of these things happening in tandem.”
MSAA always produces a list and map of participating businesses. They are are mostly cafes and restaurants, but downtown is also home several retail shops such as Rock, Paper, Scissors.
“Every year we have an event it gets better. Bloom Fest has been a fun way to celebrate spring and it happens to fall on Mother’s Day, which is an even more wonderful way to celebrate the wonderful women in our lives,” Rock, Paper, Scissors owner Lisa Roberts said.
When asked how the yearly event impacts her locally owned, 14 year old business, Roberts answered: “I think the thing that matters to us the most is to get people downtown and through our doors. [Bloom Fest] continues to get people in, to see what we do, and see what our neighboring businesses do, and that’s so important that the community knows what we offer as a whole – not just Rock, Paper, Scissors but Main Street in general.”
Drew Saunders is a freelance business and environmental journalist who grew up just outside of Ann Arbor. He covers local business developments, embraces his foodie side with reviews restaurants, obsesses over Michigan's environmental state, loves movies, and feels spoiled by the music he gets to review for Ann Arbor!
