While Eastern Michigan University certainly is a commuter school, many students still remain in the Ypsilanti area during the summer months. For those students, Ypsilanti may seem like a ghost town, but there are many events happening in two of the parks nearest campus.
One of the closest parks to campus, in historic Depot Town, is Frog Island Park. Frog Island is a five-acre park on the Huron River, between Cross Street and Forest Avenue. It is truly a hidden gem in Ypsilanti.
The name is rumored to stem from the urban legend species of Arctic frogs which supposedly live in and around the river, called “Smeets.” The Smeet Frog was allegedly a flying, furry frog that rested at the Huron River in Ypsilanti during its annual migration.
The Smeet was most likely intended to be a prank adults would play on children, akin to a snipe hunt or perhaps the infamous submarine races of Belle Isle.
“I remember my grandpa telling me all about the Smeetys. He told us to be real quiet, usually while he fished, and stare at the rocks,” Steve King, a 52-year-old EMU graduate and resident of Ypsilanti. “He told us that if we was still and quiet we’d see the moss on the rocks move, because they were really fur-frogs. We never saw those dumb frogs, but grandpa caught a lot of fish.”
Frog Island offers a large soccer field and a 1/4-mile gravel running track. There is a small amphitheater at the southern end and a community garden maintained by the adjacent neighborhoods at the north end.
While Frog Island is a great place that usually does not have large crowds, one of the best nearby parks is Riverside Park. Frog Island is connected to Riverside Park via the “tridge”, a three-pointed bridge at the south end of the park.
An area first settled by the Huron Native Americans because of the flat area along side the Huron River, Riverside Park is now the place to be during Ypsilanti summers.
Riverside has an amphitheater, bike and walk paths, grills and picnic shelters with tables which may be reserved through the park’s website or simply obtained by early birds with table cover, as one will see most weekends.
“We’ve had birthday parties, graduation parties, wedding receptions, and family get-togethers here for years. We love this park,” said Kristen Garcia, 29, a stay-at-home mother of two, from Ypsilanti Township.
This summer, there will be a number of fun and interesting events happening in both parks. There will be car and motorcycle shows in June and early July, but perhaps one of the most interesting events will be the 11th Annual Michigan ElvisFest, being held July 9th and 10th, in Riverside Park.
ElvisFest is not an Elvis look-alike contest but a two-day concert with professional Elvis tribute artists. Thousands of Elvis fans gather in the park to honor the King of Rock and Roll. However, in order to see all of the lip-sneers you can thrust your pelvis at, you must pay. The tickets are not necessarily cheap for college students, but they may be found through the festival’s website, www.mielvisfest.org.
Two weeks after ElvisFest, beer connoisseurs can head to Frog Island Park to check out the 13th Michigan Brewers Association Beer Fest. The festival will feature more than 300 different beers from more than 50 different Michigan breweries. Food will be available for purchase from independent food vendors, along with live entertainment.
As with ElvisFest, admission is a bit pricey, but includes drink tokens for three-ounce samples inside the venue with additional drink tokens available for purchase at the event. For more information, go to www.michiganbrewersguild.org.
Finally, spread out through both parks and the surrounding area, the Ypsilanti Heritage Festival is in its 31st year and will be Aug. 20-22. The festival features a parade, historic tours through Ypsilanti, Living History activities, arts, crafts, stage entertainment and even a petting farm. The best part? Admission is completely free. For more information, please visit www.ypsilantiheritagefestival.com.
With so much to do at parks within walking distance of EMU, those students who stayed behind this summer are sure to find something to do. Moreover, some of the students who decided to go home for the summer may just find themselves in Ypsilanti sooner than they expected.
