On Saturday, July 18, from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Ypsilanti’s annual Ypsi Pride returns with 121 local vendors and 50 performances in Depot Town.
Unlike last year, Ypsi Pride will be held on a Saturday, giving attendees more time to celebrate and participate in activities. The event will still follow a similar layout to previous years, so guests will be familiar with the celebration.
At noon, family-focused activities will be located at Riverside Park. Families can expect to see the Ypsilanti District Library, the Neutral Zone, which will be hosting theater workshops, and later, The Corner Health Center, which will lead middle school programming.
Starting at 2 p.m., entertainment begins at both the Freight House Stage and the Main Stage on Cross Street. This year, 50 different performers will take the stage, representing a variety of genres and performances.
Headlining the event is Tonio Adonis, performing covers along with some original music. Other Main Stage performers include Baddie Brooks, who fuses house, pop and R&B, Out Loud Chorus, a mixed chorus group for the LGBTQ+ community, and others.
The event will feature 121 vendors, including food trucks such as The Naughty Waffle, a pop-up food business that caters Pride events throughout Michigan and nearby states, along with mocktails, queer art, media and nonprofit organizations.
Ypsi Pride’s logistics chair, Britt Barron, says one of the nonprofits, The Corner Health Center, will also host a first aid tent.
“Definitely go thank our aid tent that’s provided by The Corner Health. They are great people who are out there, trying to make sure that everyone stays safe and hydrated and have Band-Aids if you fall. Be sure to stop by and give them a high five. I’m sure they’re going to need it,” said Barron.
This year, two drag segments will take place: Drag King/Thing Hour featuring Redniss Everdank, Hardly Quinn, Cita Rhode Caliente and others, followed by Drag Hour with Gilda Lily, Lady Justice, Karmen Khamelon and others.
Later in the evening, a comedy hour and a burlesque show will take place in the Freight House. These events are for ages 18 and up. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.
If you're in the mood for laughs, Comedy Hour will take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., featuring eight queer and trans comedians from southeast Michigan, including Scott Sviland, Kim Turner, Liza Green and others.
Lastly, at 8:30 p.m., the Burlesque Show begins with Faye Vuurette, Adora Belle, Ivey Dripp and seven other performers.
In preparation for the heat, Ypsi Pride will have plenty of hydration stations set up throughout the event to help keep everyone safe, but Barron still encourages attendees to bring water bottles and sunscreen.
In addition to the activities, attendees can purchase Ypsi Pride clack fans, visit a photo booth and explore LGBTQ+ history presented by Many Info in the Cross Street alleyway.
Barron emphasized the importance of community support and encourages anyone interested to get involved by volunteering.
“We can’t make this happen without our community, and we strive to keep it really, really community-based. Most of our performances are very closely tied here in Ypsi and Ann Arbor. All the partner orgs that we work with to provide our different programming are Washtenaw County-based. And so are the food trucks and vendors,” said Barron. “We really, really do our best to keep it as big as it can be, but also very much community-driven. But that means we need help from our community to make sure that it happens, with cleanup and setup and just a day of helping, you know, make sure that our barriers stay safe and that people stay safe.”
To sign up as a volunteer, visit the link in Ypsi Pride's Instagram bio or email the organization ypsipride@riversidearts.org. For more information, visit Ypsi Pride's Facebook page or the Ypsi Real Events page.
