Tag Archives: Brandon Zwagerman

Mittenfest X returns to its roots, kicks off in Ypsilanti tonight

Between Christmas and New Year’s Day, Ypsilanti has traditionally played host to the incredible Michigan music festival known as Mittenfest. Last year, unable to find a home in Ypsi, however, the festival wound up in Ann Arbor. Now, though… starting tonight… Mittenfest is back in Ypsi, where God intended it, and things are once again […]

Posted in Art and Culture, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

When police start body slamming Indian grandfathers to the ground for having the audacity to walk slowly down public streets, can we finally agree that enough is enough?

By now, I suspect you’ve seen the video of Sureshbhai Patel, the 57 year old grandfather from India who was left partially paralyzed after being stopped and slammed to the ground by police officers in Madison, Alabama while going for a walk around his son’s suburban neighborhood on the morning of February 6. (Patel had […]

Posted in Civil Liberties, Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Reflecting on the origins, accomplishments and future of Mittenfest

Between Christmas and New Year’s Day, Ypsilanti will, as it’s done for the past seven years, play host to the incredible Michigan music festival known as Mittenfest. Following is a short interview I conducted online with organizers Brandon Zwagerman, Jeremy Peters and Amy Sumerton on how Mittenfest got started, how it’s changed over the years, […]

Posted in Ann Arbor, Art and Culture, Michigan, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Bee Roll reflects on Beezy’s at the five-year mark… “If we want the world to be different, we have to start creating that world.”

As interviewed Bee Roll, the owner of Beezy’s, when she was first opening her restaurant on Washington Street, and again as she celebrated her first anniversary, I felt compelled to check in once again when I was reminded that her five year anniversary was approaching… I hope you enjoy the interview. MARK: So, has it […]

Posted in Food, Local Business, Locally Owned Business, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Anthony Gentile on YpsiFest

I had the occasion a few days ago to chat with Anthony Gentile, the organizer of YpsiFest, which is scheduled to take place at Woodruff’s October 12 – 15. Here’s what he had to say… MARK: When was the first YpsiFest? ANTHONY: Well, YpsiFest started in 2003, back when Leighton Mann was booking at the […]

Posted in Art and Culture, Ypsilanti | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

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