Heather Lockwood, AnnArbor.com reporter, is exploring the Ann Arbor art fairs today and offering thoughts as she goes:

11 a.m.: Heading out to the Ann Arbor art fairs!

11:22 a.m.: Visitors to the Ann Arbor art fairs pet a greyhound at the Regap booth on Liberty.

11:38 a.m.: People of all ages, families (and pets, too) are out enjoying the art fairs, despite the heat.

12:00 p.m.: Looking for the trolley that's taking people among all four art fairs...

12:45 p.m.: I can tell it's lunch time. Lots of good smelling food at the art fairs and busy restaurants. I need to find a place with air conditioning!

12:56 p.m.: Someone wearing a Buffalo Wild Wings buffalo costume is posing for pictures with people on State and Liberty. That cannot be comfortable right now.

1:10 p.m.: There are so many vendors, each with something different--it would be easy to spend a lot of money very quickly at the art fairs. But I'll stick to window shopping today.

1:24 p.m.: Listening to live music near the U-M Alumni Center.

2:42 p.m.: Found some shade near where a woman is playing a concertina (an instrument I never knew existed till now) on the corner of Liberty and Maynard.

3:03 p.m.: Thirsty? You can refill your water bottle for free at the corner of Liberty and Maynard. The city has set up a watering station there for the public.

3:16 p.m.: Weather.com says it's 86 degrees in Ann Arbor right now. I'm glad there's no rain in the forecast today! Hopefully the weather is nice for the next few days, at least till the end of the art fairs.

3:38 p.m.: Seeing all of this art has made me want to paint. One of my favorite things about today though, besides the art, has been people watching. There are so many people out today, which kind of surprises me since it is a Wednesday afternoon.

4:26 p.m.: I've seen a lot of people today, but I haven't noticed many people carrything things they bought at the art fairs. I wonder how sales have been for most vendors so far. One vendor I talked to who is selling art prints said business has been slow for her today.

4:47 p.m.: Getting ready to call it a day. I think I've seen just about everything.