Each year, residents in and around the city of Ypsilanti carry on a tradition started by a group of community members enrolled in a city leadership program, a sort...read more
The weather has turned, the trees are budding and the flowers are popping out of the ground; time for a cruise through town. But don’t be so quick to hop in the...read more
About 50 Ypsilanti Township residents gave the Washtenaw County Sheriff Office their input about law enforcement in the community Tuesday evening.
The information...read more
Ypsilanti has many faces, and Erica Hampton wants to share a few of them with you.
Over the past year, Hampton created the The Ypsi Project, a series of portraits...read more
Ypsilanti's newest concert venue is preparing for its grand opening weekend April 23, more than a month after its soft opening March 13.
Formerly Club Divine,...read more
Think you’ve experienced the Wurst of Ypsilanti? Think again, it might be tastier than you’d expect.
The Rutherford Municipal Pool is hosting the third annual “Wurst of Ypsilanti” June 13, from 4-10 p.m. on Washington Street between Pearl Street and Michigan Avenue. The fundraiser benefits the operation and offerings in Ypsilanti’s Recreational Park.
Visitors can expect to inhale as many bratwurst and bun favorites as their belly’s can hold, as this “sausage festival” is an all you can eat event. They also have tofu and side dishes that vegetarians can enjoy.
Cathy Thorburn, event coordinator for the Rutherford Municipal Pool says this year’s event will have new entertainment for crowd.
“Our main pool band is Hullabaloo,” Thorburn said. “They’ve supported us for many years, but since they’re playing at “Top of the Park” they have a contract that prevents them for playing 2 weeks before or after locally so they weren’t able to play for us this year.”
There are no worries because this year the crowd will experience new bands for listening pleasure. Ypsilanti’s own “Martindales” and The “Ypsitucky Colonels” will perform live while the WCC Neighborhood Community Center will put on an act all ages can enjoy.
Thorburn also say there will be new entertainment for children to keep them out of their parents hair while they try to enjoy good eats from local restaurant offerings.
“We're going to try and have something to occupy the kids time a little bit, Thorborn said. “Whether its sidewalk chalk or bubbles or something. While parents are listening, they’ll still have a little controlled chaos,” Thorborn said.
The Rutherford Municipal Pool started the event three years ago as a means to provide funding for the outdoor pool that was in jeopardy of closing due to city recreation program budget cuts. A group of parents and community supporters banded together to organize a series of fund raising events that included candle light dinners and silent auctions at the pool to make sure it remained open and available for lessons and recreational swimming.
The idea for a sausage festival came from Mark Swanson, the owner of Terry’s Bakery and frequent swimmer at the pool. Thorburn said Swanson had high hopes for the event.
“He has always wanted to have a sausage festival in Ypsilanti and he liked to grow it as big as the Elvis Festival,” Thorburn said. “He thought that would be a good way to do a fundraising event for the pool.”
The first Wurst event raised $3,000, which allowed the pool to remain open and continue swimming lessons, but the yearly cost to keep the pool operating is $80,000.
“The pool is not directly tax supported, Thorborn said. “It is somewhat supported by the city. They help out with the utility bills a little bit. But for the most part is it funded by the fundraisings and daily entry fees that we charge.”
If you would like to experience the Wurst of Ypsilanti, tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate for adults; children 12 and under admitted for $5. Tickets can be purchased at Bombadill’s Café, Pub 13 or at Rutherford Pool.
If you would like to get a swim in before the event, be aware that the pool will close at 5 P.M. that night. For more information, please call 734.485.9457.