Why you should come to the Grand Porch Party

What happens when music meets environment? The Grand Porch Party in Waterloo, Ontario!

Alternatives Journal is launching its first Rocking the Environment issue this Sunday with a unique community event to celebrate art, environment and the Grand River watershed. With 24 bands and musicians playing on the front porches of 20 homes, plus a children's music garden of home-made instruments, there's plenty of reasons to come explore the space where music and environment meet.

The magazine and event will be launched at 2:55 p.m. with a special performance by Toronto soprano Brooke Dufton, singing Ariadne's aria from R. Murray Schafer's Patria series - profiled in Alternatives Journal: Rocking the Environment by long-time Patria performer Rae Crossman.

Need more incentive? Here's our top 10 reasons to come to the Grand Porch Party:

10. If it’s sunny: To kick-start the summer with a beautiful afternoon walk through a leafy downtown neighbourhood.

9. If it’s raining: To thumb your nose at those sun-worshipers and prove that it is possible to get outside and enjoy the day no matter the weather, as long as you have gumboots and a grin.

8. Make the day a voyage of discovery and seek out a new local musician or act. With everything from steel drums to gospel to folk to rock to opera to Celtic to pop, surely there’s something you haven’t come across before!

7. Learn about the Grand River Watershed thanks to our sidewalk chalk crew, who will be decorating the sidewalks and sharing lots of interesting facts about Southern Ontario’s largest watershed.

6. To stop mid-street, hear three different bands playing at once, be momentarily paralyzed by indecision, and then be instantly delighted at the realization that any place can be a space for art. And then smile.

5. So you can bust out a picnic snack on a complete stranger’s front lawn, and then go bang around on the home-made instruments at the Roslin Ave Children’s Music Garden.

4. To get your hot little hands on the new issue of Alternatives Journal: Rocking The Environment, which explores the space where music and environment meet and features Sarah Harmer, Bjork, Danny Michel, Les Cowboys Fringants, Bruce Cockburn and many, many more.

3. To pick up your FREE one-year membership to the Swim Drink Fish Music Club, where you will find a wealth of tunes, podcasts and info to fuel your summer.

2. To support local arts and community. The musicians are all performing for free because they want to connect with you. Don’t let ‘em down! Powered by The Princess Cafe.

1. To have a wicked awesome time!

The issue will be for sale on the day - hot off the press! - and will be available on national newsstands by July 1. Look for it in Chapters and Indigo stores, or your local independent bookstore.