UMS at the Ypsilanti Freighthouse
UMS returns to the Freighthouse this September!
UMS will launch a new season of events the Ypsilanti Freighthouse, with four weeks of programming for all ages from Sep 12 – Oct 7! Explore events
Our two-year partnership results in arts programming for Ypsilanti residents, families, and schoolchildren. A community-informed programming process is the catalyst for these dynamic residencies, activating the unique and historic civic space for performances, arts learning and participation, and creative exploration.
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Upcoming Events
On sale now! All events are free or Pay-What-You-Wish.
Ypsi Freighthouse Residency
Sonic Contributions:
Honoring the Past, Present, and Future of the African American Community in Ypsilanti, MI
Detroit-based saxophonist Marcus Elliot leads a seven-piece band of musicians and artists in this special collaboration with the African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County that celebrates the history of Ypsilanti as a refuge for Black Americans dating back to the 1830s.
Ypsi Freighthouse Residency
Square Dance at the Freighthouse
Tuesday, September 26Join us for an evening of Square Dancing with the Detroit Square Dance Society. We’ll start with light refreshments before heading to the dance floor as we bring the Southern Square Dancing tradition to the Ypsilanti Freighthouse, with live music, non-gender calling, and line dances for anyone and everyone to enjoy.
Ypsi Freighthouse Residency
LIGHTNING:
A One-of-a-Kind Drag Show Extravaganza
UMS is delighted to collaborate with Heads Over Heels Productions and Chroma Productions for two different sets in this drag show extravaganza.
Ypsi Freighthouse Residency
West African Dance at the Freighthouse
Saturday, September 30Originating from the Malinke people of West Africa, Moribayassa is a traditional practice in which participants are invited to relieve their burdens through movement and music.
FREE EVENTS
For Families
Moving to the Beat:
West African Dance and Visual Art
Created especially for families, participants in this workshop will experience traditional West African Dance as well as contemporary AfroBeat dance moves! Afterward, families will participate in an art-making workshop that connects movement to visual art.
Ypsi Freighthouse Residency
Manual Cinema presents
Leonardo!
A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster
Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About A Terrible Monster uses hundreds of illustrated puppets, book pages, two-dimensional props, furry monster puppets, live music, and the wonder of real-time filming to bring Mo Willems’ books to life.
Freighthouse FAQ
By serving as Resident Arts Partner for the Ypsilanti Freighthouse and in partnership with the City, UMS seeks to share its programming, producing, and educational resources with the broader Ypsilanti community, and to use our platform to spotlight Ypsilanti’s vibrant and creative cultural scene.
- Free: just show up! (Open Mic Night)
- Free Family events: register to hold your spot, no tickets required (slapslap and Moving to the Beat workshops)
- Pay-What-You-Wish events: you can decide how much you wish to pay for tickets to these events