Uptown Art Fair

My personal opinion of the annual Uptown Art Fair is kind of biased by the fact that I live in Uptown, right along the mall that's pictured in that photograph. The fair is literally spread out all around my apartment building, so for me it isn't fun, it isn't charming, and it isn't anything special. It's a nuisance. It's just three days where I can't find anywhere to park, can't sit in my apartment without hearing crowds of people walking by or live music blaring away in the distance, or do something as simple as walk to the grocery store to buy some milk without navigating through crowds a thousand people deep.

But if you don't live right in the middle of the fair, I guess I could see how it might be kind of neat.

And just for the record, free parking is provided for uptown residents whose roads are closed for the fair, but it's such a pain in the ass it's not even worth the trouble. A week or so before the fair, some office in the basement of some building in Uptown is open for, I think, three odd hours for only two days where you can pick up a parking pass on a first come, first serve basis. I didn't bother with it this year because the past two times I did it the parking lot provided was so far away and so awkward to get to that it was actually less convenient that just parking a mile or so away away from the fair. Last year the "parking lot" was in an abandoned lot with no signs or markings designating it as any kind of parking lot, on the end of a dead-end street that didn't even have a street sign posted. And I'm not making this up.

But enough about me and my troubles: How is the fair?

The fair is... ok, if you're into that sort of thing. To be honest, even if I didn't live here, I wouldn't really be into that sort of thing. It's fun to walk around and check out the booths, if it's not too excruciatingly humid (which would be a rare thing indeed for Minneapolis in the middle of August), since much of the art is quite spectacular. If you love local art -- or any art, for that matter -- there is a lot of really cool, really well done stuff to be seen and purchased. I've certainly never been at a loss for things to admire and wish I could purchase, but I never do because it's all so damned expensive. I understand that artists have to make a living, and that their supplies are very costly, but a few thousand dollars for a painting is a luxory I've never been able -- or willing -- to afford. So only come if you are very, very rich, or just looking at the fair as an extended, outdoor museum as I do.

And then there's the food, which is just as overpriced but also mediocre. If you love the similarly overpriced, medicure food from the State Fair, I guess you'd like the food here too, although even you would have to admit the varriety is limited. Personally, I don't want to pay 6 bucks for warm, flat beer or similarly exhorbitant fees for a crummy hot dog or a tiny falafel. Although to be fair, considering how quickly restaurants have been closing lately in Uptown, it is nice to finally be able to get some decent, fast grub without having to go to either McDonald's or Jimmy Johns.

So... the Uptown Art Fair. It's worth checking out if you are willing to drive around for an hour looking for a parking space in order to look at art you won't buy and eat food you won't like. If you decide to come by, be sure to knock on my window and say hi.