On Sunday morning my parents and I rode from the Prospect Park Neighborhood to Rec Park to join the bike-ypsi folks for the community ride and BBQ. There were 3 rides taking place; a long 30 mile ride, a medium 15 mile ride and the short 3 mile community ride. I would guess there were 70 or more people taking part in the community ride. The ride circled through downtown, depot-town, and then back up Forest and Pearl to the park. The ride ended with a BBQ and community gathering. Many of our community groups were represented with tables and volunteers. The bike-Ypsi folks were also making sure every child in attendance had a bike helmet which were fitted and given to the kids to take home. The Organizers did a fantastic job with this event and it would be great if they were able to organize a summer and fall event as well.
After parking my bike at home I walked through Riverside Park and the Ypsi-Street Rod car show on my way to the Crossroads Festival. The car show was pretty packed but sadly it doesn’t expand into Depot-Town or downtown like I’d hope an event like this would.
I arrived at the Crossroads Festival in just enough time to catch the Horse Cave Trio beginning their set. As you can see from the picture below there was no trouble finding a seat at the festival. The concept of this festival is great but I don’t think anyone knew it was going on. As far as I know the only advertising came from me when I asked AM1600 WAAM to write and read a news release about the event. (FYI WAAM AM1600 still cares about local events and seem to be willing to help support them so contact them if you have an event). At the time I was there most of the people had come at the invite of the Horse Cave Trio. I stayed through the Horse Cave Trio set and then wandered to the Tap Room which seemed to be where most of the festival goers were gathering. It’s really too bad that there isn’t more support for this festival because it could be a great thing but it needs more atmosphere.
I’m not certain how I would have tied all three of these events together but I’m sure it could have been done. It is a shame that with a few hundred people in Riverside Park, a hundred or so people at rec park and free music on Washington Street Down-Town and Depot-Town didn’t appear any busier than on a normal day. I hope next year the three groups coordinate and make this an Ypsi happening rather than three events in Ypsi.
