Ypsilanti’s got some good things going on right now, and I think it’s worth talking about.
There’s been a lot of buzz around the city’s new social district in Depot Town. The city council approved it back in December, and it’s still working through the state licensing process before it officially launches. The concept is simple: participating bars and restaurants will be able to serve drinks in a designated cup that you can take outside and enjoy as you walk through the area. Once it’s live, it’s going to add a real energy to an already great part of the city.
But you don’t have to wait for the social district to find something worth doing in Ypsilanti this spring.
The Sammie Slam is still going on this April. It’s put on by the Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority, and the concept is fun: visit participating restaurants, order at least two sandwiches, and you’re entered to win a $20, $50, or $100 gift card from the spot of your choice. It’s a low-key way to explore local food and support the businesses that make this community worth living in.
If you’re up for something a little more entertaining, the Dinner Detective True Crime Murder Mystery Dinner Show hosts monthly events at the Ann Arbor Marriott at Eagle Crest Resort on S. Huron St. in Ypsilanti. The next two shows are April 25 and May 23, both running from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. If you’ve never been, it’s a full interactive dinner experience. Actors are scattered throughout the crowd, no costumes, no stage. Just a room full of people trying to figure out who did it.
Looking further into summer, there’s the Summer Beer Festival, a chance to sample hundreds of local pints from Michigan breweries, open to guests 21 and older with tickets ranging from $60 to $90 depending on admission type. And if wine is more your speed, the Michigan Wine Festival offers tastings from local wineries and distilleries, with 10 samples included and additional pours available for $3 each.
These kinds of events matter more than people give them credit for. They bring people together, keep dollars in the local economy, and make a place feel like home. That’s not a small thing, and it’s one of the reasons the Ypsilanti area continues to attract people who want to actually live in their community, not just near it.
If you’ve been curious about what life actually looks like here, I’m happy to walk you through it.
[image: James Morgan]
Your Insider, James
Text or Call Me Anytime! 734-286-2645
Leave a Reply