The Peace Island Picnic will be on Harriet Island, a St Paul city park just across Mississippi from where the Republican National Convention (RNC). Officially the picnic times are 1-8 PM, with the early hours used for setup. So coming in after work with your picnic setup would be ideal. No vendors are allowed in the permit, so people are fundraising to provide some basic food and drinks, to add to what people bring on their own. Activities include performance by some well known artists, sing-a-longs, artistic displays, kite flying, checking out the Trueblue massive TV screen and making a giant peace sign with people. This will be a pleasant event to end preceding days of marches, parades, bannering, Peace Island Conference and other artistic “UnConvention” expression planned for when the national focus is on the Republican National Convention.
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“We’re hoping to form maybe the largest human peace sign, which would be really cool,” said Coleen Rowley, a former FBI whistle blower and real life 9-11 hero. I like the idea that symbollically we are “standing up for peace”. One person alone does not form a pattern, yet many people together can make a peace sign, just like many people together can create peace.
Make and fly your own peace kite! If the wind cooperates and we get enough colorful kites like this up in the sky, perhaps even RNC goers will take notice!
Coleen Rowley has been on a huge theme of peace sing-a-longs. A number of well known musicans are also coming to perform:
* Tao Rodriguez-Seeger folksinger and grandson of American-folk icon Pete Seeger
* Larry Long, nationally known Minnesota troubadour, a Smithsonian Folkways recording artist and composer for the play WELLSTONE!
* David Rovics, singer-songwriter know for work on political activist themes
* Tuesday’s Robot, Minneapolis alt-folk band with a social conscience
* Sara Thomsen, Duluth songwriter and singer known for a soulful voice, poetic lyrics and unforgettable melodies
* Palbasha Siddique known for singing on Matt Harding’s Dancing video With 7 million hits and still climbing
Later in the day will be a “Sunset Peace Drum Jam” will be available to all drummers. Planning is still happening, so the list of performers and musical activities is still growing and changing.
Minnesota True Blue plans to have a “jumbo-trons” massive TV screen, stationed on Harriet Island during the entire four days of the RNC, which will be there to check out. There is a good chance they will be broadcasting activities at the Peace Island Picnic.
Artists will also be setting up. Displays include:
* American Friends Service Committee’s “Cost of War” display
* Banners from the “If I Had a Banner” Project displayed over bridges
* And Still Counting” Memorial Quilt, Caron Lage of St. Cloud is leading the project to keep adding blocks for every American Soldier who has died in the Iraq war. She will be offering her tutorial on exactly how it’s done so as to enlist more help in completing this massive project.
Strange as it may seem, there are no tents allowed under the permit and no stakes allowed in the ground. So the weather will determine how many artists come out with displays.
Two big factors are important to helping make this Peace Island Picnic on September 4th a success: Fundraising and Volunteering. You can help and make the difference
Fundraising
Attend and voluntarily contribute $10 for a great documentary,“War Made Easy”, at 10:30 AM at the Riverview Theatre in Minneapolis on Saturday, August 9th. The documentary, “War Made Easy”, compares current and previous goverment and media actions from Vietnam War and the war in Iraq, showing virtually identical patterns! We are not in a one time situation, we are in a constantly repeating pattern that has to be changed.
Direct charitable donation checks can be made payable to “Intermedia Arts” and mailed to Peace Island Picnic, 193 Beaumont Ct., Apple Valley, MN 55124
Volunteering
To help with artistic events, music or food, contact rossrowley at hotmail dot com or call 952 465 2866.
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