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If this very special Canada Day and its commemoration of confederacy reminds us of anything, it’s that our country’s anniversary of a brutal break-up is a mere few days away. (This change in calendar in the dark hours of this morning prompted me to hastily purchase non-ideal flights to bolster “Pure Michigan ^[2]” tourism & not miss an somehow neglected annual family function this weekend.) But for the rest of you who will spend the glorious three-day weekend in Seattle, it’s time to let others wage ridiculous battles over bombs bursting in air [colbertnation ^[3]] and get to the serious business of planning your picnic and barbecue strategies.

Luckily enough for you, Seattle’s most awesome event planners and lifestyle entrepaneurs, the Adventure School ^[4], have you covered for Saturday afternoon. They’ll be staging a spectacular picnic in Cal Anderson park, where Molly Moon’s will be serving up “fireworks in your mouth” sundae-style along with root beer floats, Via Tribunali and Wandering Weiners will be cooking up savory treats, and Caffé Vita will keep you caffeinated. On stage, Recess Monkey, Picoso, Katharine Hepburn’s Voice, and Lady A and the Baby Blues Funk Band will take turns keeping your ears happy. While you’re there, you can join in an All-Park Parade, visit a root beer tasting garden, try your hand at the Spin Art Bike, make yourself something patriotic with tie-dye, demonstrate your pie-eating skills, have an Urban Family Portrait made, and prove that you and your pet were separated at birth.

It sounds like a true extravaganza and more than worth the free cost of admission. (Please don’t tell my family that I’m a bit sad to be missing it on their account.) If you’re intrigued and want to get even more involved, they’re looking for a few good volunteers to make sure that everything runs extra smoothly.

// 7th Annual Capitol Hill Independence Day Community Picnic at Cal Anderson runs from noon to 5 pm on Saturday 4 July. Contact aviva @ theadventureschool.com if you can lend a hand.