Happy Spring….it’s time for our communities to get BLOOMING along with all the rest of nature, by taking to the streets in our 23rd Annual Grand Traverse Earth Day Parade…but first we will build the parade!

Little Artshram will host a community meeting next Monday, March 26th at 6:00 pm, at Horizon Bookstore, in the lower level.  At that time, Earth Day Parade artists will present their initial ideas for the focus of this years’ Earth Day Parade and celebration. The storytelling theme this year is “The Great Lakes: Our Living Water”

The parade artists rely on feedback of community attendees to help hone and fill out this year’s vision. The more voices, the better—this meeting is free of charge and open to anyone.

ADDITIONALLY, and in preparation for the upcoming Earth Day Parade (Actual parade date is: April 28th) we are planning and offering FREE public puppet and mask-making workshops and looking for venues and organizations to host them.

The masks and costumes are made from recycled and found materials, a technique we call “garbage art”. We also build BIG puppets and help folks create non-motorized floats.

This year we will be hosting Earth Day Parade Building workshops a total of 5 days in mid-April.

The designated workshop days are: Saturdays (2 sessions 9-11, and 1-3 pm)and Tuesdays and Thursdays (7-9 pm) beginning April 12th through parade day April 28th. There may be some extended time needed during parade week to tweak and finish up.

The workshop host space requires: running water, workspace with tables, some storage space for projects in phases of completion, access to a bathroom/sink.

We would like to have the final dates and location of our workshops set for our “Blooming Community Calendar” for the planning meeting next Monday.  Contact us at the number/email address listed below to inquire about becoming a host of the 2012 parade workshops.

Little Artshram has worked diligently for the past 12 years in partnership with many artists, musicians, drummers, and newly trained puppeteers. We have also worked with and been sponsored by TCAPS, the Neahtawanta Center, the Art Center of Traverse City, the Minnervini Group, Oryana Natural Food Co-operative, and TCLP.

Additionally hundreds of families in Traverse City, and some long distance parade fans and puppeteers show up to organize and present the Earth Day Parade.

It is a much loved tradition and we are excited to extend this invitation to you.

MORE 2012 EARTH DAY PARADE INFORMATION:

The public workshops are open to the public, but we require children under the age of 9 be accompanied by their parents or an adult helper/friend.

The Earth Day Parade is funded entirely by donations and sponsorships. We do not charge a fee to folks attending workshops, asking only for donations to offset costs of materials and supplies we are unable to scavenge, for artists stipends for their design contributions, leadership and supervision of the workshops, and for the very
expensive liability insurance that allows us to be in the streets on foot.

The Grand Traverse Earth Day Parade is storytelling parade, telling the story of the chosen theme: “The Great Lakes: Our Living Water”. We then sub-divide the “story” into 4 or 5 elemental sections: Earth, Water, Fire, Air and a center section.

Drummers and musicians are invited and NEEDED to work with the Earth Day Parade artists creating sectional bands to keep the parade moving along. There is also an opportunity for acoustic music and performing to take place at Hannah Park after the parade during the community picnic.

There are three rules to our Earth Day Parade, to ensure safety and simplicity as we take to the streets:
No Words (as in signs advertising or protesting),
No Motors (except for wheelchairs),
No Pets (BIG puppets frighten real animals)

The Earth Day Parade LINE-up begins at Central Grade School, in the front yard at the corner of 7th and Pine Streets @ 12 Noon.

The parade will begin it’s procession @ 1:00 pm, at Central Grade, ending up at Hannah Park.

PARADE ROUTE: Central Grade school, Pine Street to 8th Street, to Union, to State, to Park, to Front, to Union, to Hannah Park

For additional information:

info@littleartshram.org
231-510-3491
www.littleartshram.org