Can’t wait for GPP? Hit these events first and get into the spirit!

It’s just under three weeks to the Grand Porch Party in Uptown West Waterloo, but there’s a heap of cool stuff to do between now and then to get into the artsy, community spirit.

• We’ve inspired a spin-off! The Hohner Avenue Porch Party will be held this Saturday, May 25, in Kitchener’s Frederick-Lancaster area. It’s a little bit different from the GPP – it’s on one street, so they’re closing it down and turning it into a picnic venue.

• The Arts Awards of Waterloo Region celebrates its 25th anniversary this Sunday, May 26, and the Grand Porch Party is a finalist for best new event! (It’s tough competition, but we’re just glad to be in the mix.) Tickets are a dirt-cheap $10, and include food tasting, entertainment, an art show + sale, and more.

• If you haven’t already checked out The Cord Community Edition’s 10 ideas to change Waterloo, you must do so now. There’s some wicked awesome stuff in this city! AND there’s going to be a party to celebrate ‘em at THEMUSEUM on May 29, from 7 pm to 9pm.

• Asphalt Jungle Shorts IX descends on Uptown Waterloo from June 6 to June 15, performing site-specific theatre in the midst of everyday life. Tickets are $20, and can be bought at the event box office – upstairs at Whole Lot-A Gelata – on performance days.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg, but heck, that’s how we roll in KW. People from away might think of it as a sleepy area, but we locals know better. Looking forward to seeing you at these events, and then on June 9 for the GPP2013!

Have you been checking out our fab 2013 musicians?

What could possibly be better than a sunny long weekend, good friends, and a few awesome tunes.

Got the first two but want something a little different for that third piece of the puzzle? Look no further than the musician line-up for the 2013 GPP! We’ve got everything this year from bluegrass to country, atmospheric pop to danceable children’s tunes, a music school of youngsters to ensembles of the young-at-heart.

So come and discover who’ll be on a porch near you, read musician profiles, and check out links to their music. Maybe you’ll find a new fave in the mix!

Silvia Dee + The Boyfriend will return to GPP 2013

PS: For an early shot of our amazing region’s artistic talent, come join the Arts Awards of Waterloo Region celebrations on Sunday, May 26. The Grand Porch Party is up for Best New Event, and 2013 musicians the Skalywags are also up for Music award! Tickets are a bargain $10 and include an art show + sale, food tastings, performances and more.

 

Neighbourhood Matching Fund supports GPP2013

The Grand Porch Party 2013 is delighted to have received a Neighbourhood Matching Fund from the City of Waterloo! Thanks, hometown!

This fantastic funding scheme helps support grassroots projects. If you have an idea – whether big or small – you should consider applying to make it a reality.

For us, the NMF support will cover insurance, SOCAN registration, poster-making, outreach, and more. Basically, it’ll make sure the GPP can happen, and will sow the seeds for next year too. Yay!

Whether you’re playing the event, hosting a musician, volunteering as part of the awesome event crew, or coming to stroll the streets, please take a moment to appreciate the support for grassroots efforts in our region.

City of Waterloo – the home of awesome. (Photo: Tenille Bonoguore)

One month and counting to GPP2013

There’s sunshine and blossoms and bees, oh my! That must mean it’s almost time for the third installment of the Grand Porch Party!

That’s right – it’s ONE MONTH until more than 20 awesome musicians take to the “stages” in Uptown West Waterloo and regale you with fabulous music. PLUS there’s the Community CarShare porch, where you can check out their electric car, the Uptown West Neighbourhood Association porch and Children’s Music Garden, and the merch tent, where you can pick up some tunes to take home with you.

Musicians are paid thanks to the support of our local financial sponsors, and the GPP’s overheads are covered by a grant…. Which means the event is absolutely FREE for people to attend!

We can’t wait to see you here. 2pm-5pm, Sunday, June 9.

Love the GPP? You can help make it happen!

The Grand Porch Party is looking for awesome, fun, community-and-art-loving people to help make this year’s event even better than last year’s. Yep, we’re looking for volunteers to help with a host of things, from signmaking and postering to chalking up the sidewalks and acting as an event ambassador to help share the GPP love on the day.

The shifts are short, the tasks are fun, and the people are pretty darn delightful (if we do say so ourselves….), AAAAND you get an invite to the GPP After Party!

Below is a quick overview of who we’re after. If you want to be one of ‘em, or would like more information, email our volunteer co-ordinator Rachel Thompson at info [@] grandporchparty.com or come to the volunteer sign-up night – 6:30pm to 7:30pm on Wednesday, May 15, at 62 Roslin Ave S.

• Sign-making team: People with an artistic bent to help make event signs on Sunday afternoon, May 26. Wear painting clothes!

• Postering team: Help us spread the word by putting up 25 posters in the Uptown West neighbourhood. Easy as a walk in the park! (Or on the street, as the case may be…)

• Sign installation and tear-down teams: Two teams, one on Saturday, one on Sunday, to distribute signs to host homes, and to place direction and info signs on the day.

• Chalking team: The GPP keeps litter to a minimum by writing event details (bands, times, sponsors, etc) in chalk on the sidewalks. The chalk team will spend a couple of hours before the event carrying this out. *This is a weather-permitting role.*

• Ambassador team: GPP Ambassadors will spend time on the event day being the ‘info person’ on designated streets. All event information will be provided – just bring walking shoes, a hat or umbrella, and a smile.

• Floaters: You never know what will pop up on the day! Sometimes it helps to just have a couple of people who are at the event and available to help if needed.

• Children’s Music Garden team: Two to four people needed at the UWNA Children’s Music Garden, helping children and families make musical crafts, and generally having fun with people big and small.

Some people might want to do one task – some might want to take on a few. No worries! Please just get in touch and let us know what interests you, and we’ll pull together a great community team.

Our awesome GPP volunteers Neil and Troy prepping the streets for the first GPP.

No more music submissions — for now

Due to the fantastic response from region musicians, we have a great line-up coming together for Sunday, June 9.

The awesome response also means we are no longer accepting submissions from artists. Thanks to everyone who got in touch.

For those on the wait-list, we’ll know how much extra room we have once we finalize our porch venues. If you know someone with a porch in the GPP area, please send them our way!!

We’re particularly after porches on Dunbar, Avondale and Euclid streets. Please pass the word!

A big YAY for our sponsors!

The Grand Porch Party thrives on music, and we also believe that performers should be paid for their talents, time and spirit. But money, sadly, doesn’t grow on trees (at least, not any that we’ve been able to find).

That’s why our event sponsors are so very important. The money donated by our financial sponsors – Insight Eye Care, Folkway Music, The Tamarack Institute for Community Engagement, and Words Worth Books – goes directly to the musicians.

The delicious lunches donated by The Princess Cafe also go to the musicians (finally! a free lunch!).

And the advertising support from the Princess Cinemas and logistical support from Words Worth Books help us promote the event, and to run the merch table on the day.

So we’d like to give a massive shout-out to our sponsors, and to thank you for your pledges of support. Without you, our musicians would starve, go broke, and have nowhere to sell their songs. And that would make us all sad.

** PS: We have room for ONE MORE financial sponsor. If your business or organization would like to join this esteemed and, frankly, awesome group, please email Tenille, Troy or Neil at info [at] grandporchparty.com. **

** UPDATE: We have now reached our sponsorship goal! Thanks to everyone for your support. The day couldn’t happen without you.**

The Princess Cafe