BIG BIG THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HEADED UP THINGS,

VOLUNTEERED FOR THINGS, EXHIBITED THINGS, PLAYED AND SANG,

CAME TO THE PICNIC, AND THOSE WHO DANCED.

IT WAS A LOVELY DAY!

When: September 4th, 2008 from 1 pm to 8 pm

Where: Harriet Island, just across the muddy Mississippi from where the RNC will be held in St. Paul, MN

What: A non-partisan family-oriented event. Following four days of marches, art and dramatic presentations and other “UnConventional” expressions throughout the Twin Cities when national attention is on the Republican National Convention, We the People CELEBRATE PEACE. We also eat! Free Picnic!

We celebrate ordinary peace in extraordinary times.
Musicians, artists and WE THE PEOPLE
bring us back to sanity and good neighborliness –
at home and in the world.

Download and print a flyer.

VOLUNTEER ALERT!! We need a lot of volunteers to manage the food, kite building and clean up at the end. We’d love your help! For details click “Get Involved” above and check out the Peace Island Picnic info. Or contact us at rossrowley@hotmail.com or call 952-465-2866 and mention volunteering.

Practicalities–parking, best way to get there, what to bring

Who: Musicians, artists and We The People! committed to the cause of peace in the broadest sense, with civil, social and environmental justice.

MUSIC ALL DAY:
Tao Rodriquez-Seeger folksinger and grandson of American Folk icon Pete Seeger. See Tao sing “Waist Deep in the Big Muddy.”
Emma’s Revolution “The powers-that-be can control the media but it’s hard to stop a good song… Pat and Sandy’s songs will be sung well into the 22nd century.” Pete Seeger Click to hear them on “Roots, Rock and Revolution.
Palbasha Siddique this Minneapolis high school senior is the haunting voice of the youtube video sensation “Dancing” by Matt Harding
David Rovics “The musical version of Democracy Now!” –Amy Goodman David sings “The Commons.”
Michael Brandmeier the Los Angeles Music Awards Male Singer-Songwriter of the Year (2006 Pop category)–an authentic, acoustic pop/rock artist whose music is being heard around the globe. Click to hear Michael at his myspace page.
Robayat the music of Persia, Turkey and Central Asia. Go to Robayat’s website for song samples.
Mitch Walking Elk on the front lines of the Native and environmental struggle for over thirty years, much of the time having to work from within the system itself.  The “Indians” recording reveals many aspects of that very struggle.
Tuesdays Robot “local favorites, whose acoustic folk is sincere, melodic and socially aware” –The Pulse. Go to Tuesdays Robot’s myspace page for song samples.
Sara Thomsen “[this Duluth artist’s] soulful voice, poetic lyrics and unforgettable melodies cut through to the heart and the soul of human experience.” –MN Women’s Press. Sara sings her “Is It For Freedom?” in a Code Pink video.
Larry Long nationally known Minnesota troubadour, Smithsonian Folkways recording artist and composer for the play WELLSTONE See Larry sing “Agent Orange: My Country Tis Of Thee.”
Batucada do Norte an all percussion samba band that is open to the community to join. It is led by brothers Tim and Pat O’Keefe who are passionate about this Brazilian style of music. Hear samples at their myspace page.

and more local musicians! Music all day!

What else:
Here are just some of the creative expressions and artistic activities that will be available for picnic goers to participate in countering any messages of fear, hate, greed and (false) pride that may be emanating from the Republican National Convention over across the river:

• PEACE KITE FLYING! Huge beautiful peace kites light up the sky, perhaps even RNC delegates will take notice!
• PEACE KITE MAKING! Professional kiteman and peace kite flyer, Tim Hansen, will help kids of all ages make their own peace kites.
• And Still Counting Iraq War Memorial Quilt
  Fiber artist Caron Lage of St. Cloud who began work on the “And Still Counting” Iraq War Memorial Quilt almost two years ago hopes to display between 1000 and 2000 of the quilt blocks thus far completed in her tribute to American and Iraqi lives lost in this war. The blocks are being made for every American Soldier who has died in the Iraq war. 212 knots/beads/stitches are added to each block to represent the Iraqis who have perished. In addition to displaying the Iraq War Memorial quilt, the fiber artist will be offering her tutorial on exactly how it’s done so as to enlist more help in completing this massive project.
• COSTS OF WAR display of The American Friends Service Committee
• FREE CHAIR MASSAGE by Fannie Livaditis (Go to her website.). She will accept donations to benefit Peace Island Picnic.
• HORNS FOR HEALING (Conch intonation)
  
• Youth Against War and Racism (www.YAWR.org) will end their Student Strike, Street Theater and March from the State Capitol at the Picnic, where they will present their final street theater event for us between 3-4pm
  
• HUMAN PEACE SIGN–Join us at 6pm as we attempt the world record!
  
• PEACE SONG SING-ALONG at 6:30pm
• PEACE ISLAND DRUM JAM with Batucada do Norte Brazilian drum band
• Since everyone participating in the If I Had a Banner Project is invited to the picnic on Thursday, Sept. 4th, a showing of such creative messages is also planned:
  
  Father’s Day 2008 banner vigil in Saint Paul, Minnesota- - -Music by David Rovics from Thomas Dickinson on Vimeo.

AND OF COURSE….THE PICNIC!! ALL FREE!!

(And now a word from the Picnic Committee)

DEAR PEACE ISLAND PICNICKERS!

THANK YOU for your interest.  We also want to thank the many singers, musicians and artists who have been so generous with their gifts.  And thanks to you for your flexibility and generosity and caring.  A pie in the sky idea is now going to be a wonderful get-together, a great foil for the goings-on at the Xcel Center!

SCHEDULED EVENTS

(Subject to change–we keep getting more and more artists wanting to join in!!)

12:00 sound check (if you are there musicians, come up and check your gear through the PA)
1:00-1:30–OPENING CEREMONY: Honoring the Mississippi and Her Waters with Dorene Day, Clyde Bellecourt and Larry Long
1:30 Tuesdays Robot
2:00 David Rovics
2:30 Horns For Healing (Blues/New Orleans band with horns, percussion and a singalong, starting with a conch shell invocation)
3:00 Tao Rodriguez-Seeger
3:30 Youth Against War and Racism
4:00 Song Circle with Larry Long, Tao Rodriguez-Seeger, Sara Thomsen, Emma’s Revolution, Michael Brandmeier, Mitch Walking Elk
5:30 Start massing for the HUMAN PEACE SIGN accompanied by Robayat “Persian Prayer,” Palbasha Siddique “Dancing” (”Stream of Life” by Tagore), Batucada do Norte (their drumming gets us moving into the PEACE SIGN)
6:00 HUMAN PEACE SIGN PHOTO with “Peace, Salaam, Shalom” and other songs by Emma’s Revolution
6:30 PEACE SONG SINGALONG with Tao Rodriguez-Seeger, Sara Thomsen, Emma’s Revolution, Palbasha Siddique, Maryam, Michael Brandmeier, Mitch Walking Elk, Batucada Do Norte, The Peace Island Picnic Committee, and you!

Here’s a tentative song list for prepping in the shower: Down By The Riverside, Guantanamera, This Land Is Your Land, I Don’t Want Your Millions, Where Have All The Flowers Gone?, This Little Light Of Mine, Sowin’ On The Mountain, Reapin’ In The Valley, If I Had a Banner, Blowin’ In The Wind, Give Peace a Chance, Imagine, Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream, With God On Our Side, Masters Of War, Bring Them Home, When The Ship Comes In, Well May The World Go, Hold On Just A Little While Longer, Turning Of The World, Come And Go with Me, Woke Up This Morning, We Shall Not Be Moved, Somewhere To Begin, Star Spangled Banner, God Bless America, America The Beautiful, Peace Salaam Shalom, Keep On Movin’ Forward, When The Saints Go Marching In

7:40–PEACE ISLAND DRUM JAM! DRUM JAM! with Batucada do Norte Brazilian drum band
More information can be found here.

Picnic Contacts: tgd108@usiwireless.com, rossrowley@hotmail.com

IN ADDITION: COME BANNERING WITH US, SEPT 1 - 4. Click here for more information.