Happy Thursday Friends!

I’ve got two new local businesses to share, tons of fun events, and plenty of live music as usual!

Let’s jump right into what’s happening throughout Washtenaw County this next week…

📰  What’s New?

🥐 Q Bakehouse & Market recently opened in Ann Arbor

Located at 1608 Jackson Ave, this female-owned Asian American bakery and market offers small batch pastries and cakes as well as prepared foods like frozen dumplings and other pantry staples. They also offer a full coffee and tea menu through the Strider Coffee shop.

Q Bakehouse also donates 10% of their profits to charities, so you can feel good about eating all those delicious pastries knowing you’re supporting local AND supporting others 🙂 

🧋 Bobalee Co. is open for business in Ypsilanti

Located at 1286 Anna J Stepp Rd, this family-run business aims to bring people together over bubble teas and treats.

You’ll find a variety of fruit teas, milk teas, smoothies, and slushies on their menu as well as a rotating selection of pastries and other sweets.

🧐  What’s Happening?

🎟️ Brick Bash 2024 · February 24th & 25th

Brick Bash is a massive LEGO-building show & event happening this Saturday & Sunday to fundraise for the Skyline Band Program. LEGO-lovers can explore more than 50+ exhibits, various hands-on activities, a free-build area & more. ($5 admission)

🎤 The Ark’s 37th Annual Storytelling Festival · February 23rd-25th

With 3 events over 3 days, this year’s festival kicks off with a “Liar’s Contest” on Friday night, a variety of locally based (but nationally known) performers of the spoken word on Saturday night, and a family friendly show on Sunday to conclude the weekend. (tickets available online)

❄️ Washtenaw County Ice Carving Festival · February 24th

Another ice festival is upon us and this one’s at Farm County Park! From 12-4pm, you can check out live ice carving demonstrations, a petting farm, local craft vendors and food trucks, a scavenger hunt, and more. (free)

💃 More Fun Events

🎵 Love vinyls? Love vino? Browse some great records (and wine) at York’s Vino & Vinyl event this Sunday from 12pm-5pm (no cover)

🐸 Check out the animals (turtles, frogs, snakes & other native species) at the Leslie Science & Nature Center this Sunday from 12-3pm. (free, but donations welcomed)

🤲 Take your toddler (or child of any age) to this hands-on clay class this Friday at 10am at Maker Works! ($25 includes one child and their guardian)

⛸️ Watch ice skaters of all levels show off their skills at the Annual “Adults Skate Too Exhibition” at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube this Sunday from 11:45am-1:35pm (free)

🛠️ Need something fixed? Last week I shared a repair event from Maker Works, but All Hands Active offers a similar “Repairsday Thursday” from 6-8pm to try fixing your household items before they go in the trash! (free)

🧶 Learn how to crochet this Saturday from 1-4pm with this beginners class at the AADL (Traverwood) (free)

🧚‍♀️ Make a fairy door using scrap materials this Saturday from 2-4pm at this Fairy Door themed “crafternoon” at Scrap A2. ($5)

♟️ Play board games at Bløm Meadworks every Wednesday from 5-10pm. Play the games provided or bring your own! (free, but purchase of food/drink encouraged)

💡 Want more ideas? Make sure you join our AA Insider Facebook group to get more local recommendations & connect with others in the community!

🎵  Live Music Lowdown

(All events are in Ann Arbor/Ypsi unless otherwise noted & those marked with ($) charge a cover or require a ticket to the best of my knowledge)

Thursday, February 22nd:
Dave & Kristi @ Erratic Ale (Dexter) at 6:30pm (no cover) 
Jake Reichbart @ The Earle from 7-9pm (no cover)
Kevin Royer and Josef Deas @ Weber’s from  6-9pm (no cover)
Darrin James Band @ The Ark at 8pm ($25)
Luther S. Allison Quartet @ Blue Llama Jazz Club from 6:30-9:45pm ($) 
Jim Smith and MIlan Seth @ Ypsi Alehouse at 7pm (no cover)
Loose Chords @ Unity Vibration Triple Goddess Tasting Room (Ypsi) from 7-9pm (no cover)
The Silent Echo, Toroidal Vortices, DJ Super Will @ 734 Brewing Co (Ypsi) from 7:30pm-midnight ($5 suggested donation) 
Liars + Thieves, EKG, Lava, Corporate Casualties @ Ziggy’s at 8pm ($5) 
Sometimes Pretty, Seventh, Absolute, Flowers On The Grave @ The Blind Pig at 8pm ($) 
U of M Jazz Ensemble @ Rackham Auditorium at 8pm (free) 
Outbound Packard @ Zal Gaz Grotto from 8-11pm ($) 
House Music For All with DJ Batz, Pardo, Waylau & Tony Nova @ Elks Lodge AA from 8pm-midnight ($5 cover) 
The Pherotones @ Last Word from 9pm-midnight (no cover)

Friday, February 23rd:
Strings Showcase @ McIntosh Theatre at 11am (free) 
Jackson Horigan @ Ypsi Alehouse at 4:30pm (no cover)
DJ Batz @ York from 5-9pm (no cover) 
The Liam Charron Trio @ North Star Lounge from 5:30-6:30pm (no cover) 
Sean Dobbins @ Riverside Arts Center (Ypsi) at 6pm (free) 
Karl Sikkenga @ Argus Farm Stop (Packard location) from 6-7:30pm (free) 
Streetfiction @ Sweetwaters Kerrytown from 6:30-8:30pm (no cover)
King Alexander @ Blue Llama Jazz Club from 6:30-8:15pm and 9-10:45pm ($) 
Rick Burgess Trio and others @ The Earle from 7-9pm (no cover)
Pontiac Trailblazers ft. Rollie Tussing from 7-10pm ($10 cover) 
Ronald Shelton @ Ypsi Alehouse at 7pm (no cover)
Kazimierz Brzozowski @ Kerrytown Concert House at 7:30pm ($) 
DMA Piano Concerto @ Hill Auditorium at 7:30pm (free) 
Cat Lung @ Unity Vibration Triple Goddess Tasting Room (Ypsi) from 8-10pm (no cover)
Vishnu Srinivas Piano Recital @ Britton Recital Hall at 8pm (free)
Medicine Men @ Zal Gaz Grotto from 8-11pm ($) 
Rob Crozier Ensemble @ The Habitat Lounge from 9-11pm (no cover)
Social Meteor, Fake Baseball, Delos Prismatic @ Ziggy’s at 8pm ($5)
Human Skull, Mazinga, Cyrano Jones @ The Blind Pig at 8pm ($)
DJ Dubyah, ThrillKill and Danny Fantom @ LoFi from 10pm-2am (no cover)
Harmolodics @ Blue Llama Jazz Club from 10:45-11:55pm (no cover)

Saturday, February 24th:
Fishkind, Tytschkowski, Weld, Martin @ Ypsi Alehouse at 4:30pm (no cover)
Demetrius Nabors Band @ Blue Llama Jazz Club from 6-8pm and 8:30-10:30pm ($)
Annie Erlewine and Monte Pride @ North Star Lounge from 6:30-7:45pm ($)
Lakeside F.O.G. @ Ypsi Alehouse at 7pm (no cover) 
Robert Warren and others @ The Earle from 7-9pm (no cover)
Pat Prouty @ Venue 4M from 7-9:30pm (no cover)
DMA Piano Concerto @ Hill Auditorium at 7:30pm (free) 
Gerry O’Connor and Don Penzien @ Stony Lake Brewing (Saline) at 8pm ($) 
Pajamas @ Ziggy’s at 8pm ($) 
Otter River @ Unity Vibration Triple Goddess Tasting Room (Ypsi) from 8-10pm (no cover)
Flaming Iguanas @ Zal Gaz Grotto from 8-11pm ($)
Our Chemical Romance, Restaurant Life, France’s Ford @ The Blind Pig at 8pm ($)
Anne Erlewine and Chris Bathgate @ North Star Lounge from 9-10:15pm ($) 
Rob Crozier Ensemble @ The Habitat Lounge from 9-11pm (no cover)
Latin Night @ Club Above from 9pm-2am ($)
Joshua Watkins @ Ascension @ Blue Llama Jazz Club from 10:30-11:55pm (no cover)

Sunday, February 25th:
William Marshall Bennett Jazz Brunch @ The Habitat Lounge from 10am-1pm (no cover)
Jazz Brunch with Olivia Van Goor with Sam Harris and Max Bowen @ 4M Venue from 11am-2pm (included with brunch) 
Steve Somers and Friends @ Ypsi Alehouse at 2pm (no cover)
Dexter Community Band Winter Concert @ Dexter Center for the Performing Arts at 3pm (free) 
Ypsi Symphony Orchestra @ Lincoln HIgh School Performing Arts Center from 3:30-5:30pm ($) 
LIN D @ George Gervin GameAbove Center (Ypsi) at 4pm ($) 
Celebrating Wendell Harrison @ Kerrytown Concert House at 4pm ($) 
II V I Orchestra @ Zal Gaz Grotto Club from 6-9pm ($)
Richard Shindell @ The Ark at 7:30pm ($30)

Monday, February 26th:
Kevin Royer and Josef Deas @ Weber’s from  6-9pm (no cover)
Paul Keller Orchestra @ Zal Gaz Grotto Club from 7-10pm ($) 
DJ OMO @ The Last Word from 10pm-midnight (no cover)

Tuesday, February 27th:
Rob Crozier Trio @ The Common Grill (Chelsea) from 5-8pm (no cover)
Kevin Royer and Josef Deas @ Weber’s from  6-9pm (no cover)
John Remmers, Ragtime Piano by Scott Joplin & others @ Ypsi Alehouse at 6pm (no cover)
Easy Street Jazz Band @ Zal Gaz Grotto Club from 5-7pm ($) 
Barbara Ware Quartet @ The Plymouth-Ann Arbor Elks Lodge from 7-9:30pm ($10 cover) 
Jake Reichbart @ The Earle from 7-9pm (no cover) 
Rachael Kilgour @ The Ark at 8pm (free, but donations accepted for Food Gatherers)
Pink Marlena Group @ Ziggy’s at 8pm (no cover)

Wednesday, February 28th: 
Kevin Royer and Josef Deas @ Weber’s from  6-9pm (no cover)
Jake Reichbart @ The Earle from 7-9pm (no cover) 
Pat Clinton and Marty Kohn @ Ypsi Alehouse at 7pm (no cover)
Open Stage @ The Ark at 8pm ($3)
Aguankó @ Blue Llama Jazz Club from 6:30-9:45pm ($) 
After Midnight, Luna Pier, Horror Movies In The Morning, Gender Fuck @ The Blind Pig at 8pm ($)

And if you haven’t already… make sure you follow me on Instagram to get more updates & ideas of things to do and see in the area! 

👋🏻 Who Am I?

💙 THANK YOU!

Thanks for reading the AA Insider this week!

I always love hearing from you guys & you can reach out to me anytime by replying to this email.

And if you enjoyed it enough to share it with someone else, that would make me super happy too 🙂 

See you next week!

-Bailey