Resources:
Rylee Barnsdale's Feature Article: FestiFools-style puppet parade coming to downtown Ypsi
University Musical Society (UMS)
Downtown Ypsi Processional & Community Party
Transcription:
Rylee Barnsdale: You're listening to 89.1 WEMU. I'm Rylee Barnsdale, and this is On the Ground Ypsi. This April, the University of Michigan's University Musical Society is back in Ypsi for its fifth Freighthouse residency with an exciting lineup of concerts and events all throughout the month. The residency this spring will culminate in a community party and puppet processional with UMS partnering with Ann Arbor's Festifools team, as well as Ypsi's own Riverside Arts Center. Today, I'm here with UMS Community and Audience Programs Manager, Justine Sedky, to learn more about this particular event and the partnerships making it possible. Thanks so much for being here today, Justine!
Justine Sedky: Thanks, Rylee! Happy to be here!
Rylee Barnsdale: So, the schedule over at the Freighthouse this spring, I mean, it's packed as usual! There are returning events like the open mic night coming up and of course all kinds of musical performances. And now, folks can also look forward to a puppet parade to wrap things up. What made UMS want to cap off the residency with an event like this?
Justine Sedky: You know, I would say it's like a perfect melding of minds happened. So, we've worked with Riverside Arts Center for years in various capacities, but we've actually never really produced an event together in collaboration. Mark Tucker from Festifools kind of pitched this idea of like, "Hey, maybe we could do a puppet thing, and we could promenade through Ypsilanti!" And we were like, "That's actually a fabulous idea!" He threw it out kind of like that. And then we decided that it would be great to sort of, at the last event of the April residency, create it as sort of a closing party, a springtime party, and really a celebration of the city and the artists and the arts' place in Ypsilanti.
Rylee Barnsdale: And, of course, it wouldn't be a UMS event without some great music, of course. Folks will be able to march alongside the Detroit Party Marching Band throughout the processional and then get treated to a live performance at the Freighthouse from local jazz band Djangophonique. Is there a kind of maybe emotional journey you're hoping folks kind of go through throughout the whole event with everything being so upbeat and high-energy?
Justine Sedky: I really hope that.... well, the Detroit Party Marching Band, if you haven't had the pleasure of seeing them in person or sort of on social media, it's like, I didn't grow up with marching band, but if I had, I would have hoped it would have been like Detroit Party Marching Band.
Rylee Barnsdale: Sure.
Justine Sedky: They're like this sort of punk, pop, fun, inclusive, like it really is a party band. So, what I'm really hoping for, at least during the processional part, is that people are feeling that sense of like celebration, energy and, arriving at the Freighthouse, feeling like a big sort of like culminating moment. The band will sort of lead us into the Freighthouse. And then, Djangophonique has this really great sort of upbeat, fun, bouncy vibe, but it's also very cool. And I think it'll just be a perfect mix of jazz vibes.
Rylee Barnsdale: So, for anyone who is unfamiliar with FestiFools, which actually just took place back on April 6th in downtown Ann Arbor, what can folks expect from the processional and from the puppets as well?
Justine Sedky: Yeah, that's such a great question! I know that Mark and Julie are going to be bussing in some, a few like large scale, I forget what they called them, but like centerpiece puppets.
Rylee Barnsdale: Okay.
Justine Sedky: And then, smaller ones that people can kind of work on assembling at Riverside Arts Center. So, what folks can expect is you come to Riverside Arts Center and you're gonna be greeted by their staff, some UMS staff, and then some friends from Festifools. You're going to grab maybe a big head puppet and put it on a stick and add some streamers or sort of customize the puppets that they're gonna be bringing in with some other arts and crafts aspects. And everyone will be able to sort of get theirs and make it their own and really adopt a puppet, if you will, before taking it out to the streets.
Rylee Barnsdale: And then, the partnership with Riverside, the Riverside side of things, how are they kind of contributing? I'm assuming maybe some of the art supplies for that puppet customization.
Justine Sedky: Yes, definitely in materials and in space. And we're also at the Freighthouse to keep this sort of arts and community activity alive. Riverside Arts Center is really leading. There's going to be a community art project to do at the Freighthouse, along with food and music and dancing and whatnot. There's also going to be this sort of large art project for everyone to add their hands to. So, they're really leading that effort as well. And it's something that we'll be able to keep, and it'll be presented in Ypsi for as long as we can. And it's a nice way, again, to just get everyone's hands on the same thing. And it hopefully intergenerational--new neighbors, old neighbors, new friends, etc.
Rylee Barnsdale: All this joy and excitement, I think, I feel like, is coming at a pretty crucial time for the community here. There's so much going on politically, socially, and out there in the country and the world. Why is an event like this important to bring to Ypsi right now?
Justine Sedky: Yeah. Something that I am really holding onto is that I need to be able to laugh with my friends to be able to keep going. Things can feel really scary, and unknowns are floating around everywhere. And if I'm going to be useful in any capacity, whether if I am able to help my neighbors and help my community, I also have to make some time to laugh with my friends and have some joy.
Rylee Barnsdale: Sure.
Justine Sedky: And I think what I've been feeling in the last couple weeks and months is these events are feeling even more sort of like magical because people are really able to let go for a moment in time and experience a little bit of joy. That really persists through and has persisted through all of history, like using the arts as a gathering space to relieve stress and recommit to your community and staying together is nothing new. And so, I'm really hoping now that, we've been planning this for a really long time, but now we're seeing actually a different way that this could be important, which is reminding people that there is a community around you, that you have access to them, that there's joy in the arts and it's worth keeping that energy going. And it's okay to take some time to experience that. And it's actually beneficial for all of us because we can really be motivated by love.
Rylee Barnsdale: And that's something that we can see in all of the Freighthouse residency events that have happened thus far--this really strong desire to build community and continue to build on that community here.
Justine Sedky: Yeah.
Rylee Barnsdale: This is WEMU's On the Ground Ypsi. I'm talking with UMS Community and Audience Programs Manager Justine Sedky. So, Justine, as we mentioned, this puppet processional is wrapping up UMS's fifth Freighthouse residency here in Ypsi. What has the Ypsi community, the folks that are coming out to these events, telling their friends to come out to these events, what have they meant to UMS since this series first started?
Justine Sedky: Oh my gosh! Truly everything! Like, I don't think that we would be doing a fifth one if Ypsilanti wasn't showing out for the events. I don't think I can really express in words like how fun and cool and inspiring it has been. As someone who lived in Ypsi for a really long time, it feels like I'm getting right to my backyard. It feels like home. And then, to see new people come out, especially like our open mic night, that's like a great community building event. People make friends. They make connections. They network. I've heard of people getting gigs from open mic nights with each other.
Rylee Barnsdale: Oh, wow!
Justine Sedky: And the thing that I love about the Ypsi Freighthouse concerts and events so much is that, unlike a lot of other concert spaces, you can get up and dance in the back if you want. You can go outside. You can grab a drink. It's a place where people seem to feel really comfortable experiencing the arts at their access point. And, yeah, we wouldn't be able to really be successful without Ypsilanti at all. We rely on the members of the city to lead our programming forward. I mean, we are responsive to when someone says like, "We really want salsa night!" And we see that over and over again. We're going to try to make salsa night happen. So, we depend on Ypsi to actually guide us.
Rylee Barnsdale: And the public processional--that's going to be April 19th. You mentioned that this is a free event for folks to attend. For folks that are looking to participate in the parade itself, is there any additional information that they should know? Is there an RSVP? Is there something along those lines that folks should know about?
Justine Sedky: Yes! If you're listening to this and you're like, "OMG! I've gotta go! I gotta bring my friends! I gotta to bring my kids," go to ums.org/freighthouse, and you will find the event. You can RSVP. And if you just want to come to the party, you can just RSVP to the party. If you're gonna participate in the processional, you can also RSVP to both. We would love to see you. The more the merrier! We're gonna hopefully get good weather, walk around downtown Ypsi through the park and back into Depot Town and just celebrate each other!
Rylee Barnsdale: Well, Justine, thank you so much for joining us here today! I know that I am very excited for this event and to see the community come together in this way! I'm sure that you and the rest of the UMS team and Riverside and Festive Fools are as well!
Justine Sedky: Yeah! Thanks so much, Rylee! Thanks for having me!
Rylee Barnsdale: For more information on today's topic and links to the full article, visit our website at wemu.org. On the Ground Ypsi is brought to you in partnership with Concentrate Media. I'm Rylee Barnsdale, and this is your community NPR station, 89.1 WEMU FM Ypsilanti. Celebrating 60 years of broadcasting at Eastern Michigan University!
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