Organizers of Stoopendous, a celebration of the summer solstice in Park Slope (sponsored by the Park Slope Civic Council) want you to make a ruckus on June 23rd.

Can we do it? Can we make a ruckus as big as the Slope? Here are
ideas for the STOOPendous All-Slope-Solstice-Shout-Out, ringing in our
start to the summer season at 8:31 p.m. on June 23.

Do you know any musicians who can help? We want a few minutes of total
noise, followed by an all-Slope rendition of “You Are My Sunshine,”
First Verse Only.

We’re asking people in the coffee houses, bars, and sidewalk cafes to
do their part….

Here are some more ideas for the the All-Slope-Solstice-Shout-Out
Get ready to get loud!

Create comb-and-waxed-paper noise makers. Get a clean comb. Cut the
waxed paper to the width of the comb and twice its depth, so you can
fold it over and cover both sides. Press your lips against the wax
paper and comb, and vocalize.

Make sunny-bright paper plate shakers. Fold a paper plate in half.
Paint the bottom side with two summer or sun motifs (one on each half)
and let them dry. “Fill” the plate with a handful of uncooked dried
beans, and staple the edges.

Construct a rattle. Place three or four uncooked dried beans or
chickpeas into a plastic egg left over from last Easter’s hunt. But,
remember, this is not for the littlest ones–small parts, potential
choking hazard.

Blow across the top of a glass soda bottle. What a satisfying, deep,
round sound.

Get out the pots and pans. Use pans, lids, and spoons to improvise
percussion sections, including cymbals and gongs. Grab your ridged
broiler pan. Strum it with a stick.

Make drums. Use yoghurt containers, oatmeal boxes, and more. Create
lots bigger drums out of empty cat litter barrels.

Raid the family toy box. Gather up little tambourines, toy xylophones,
even glockenspiels.

“Play” wind chimes. Use a long-handled metal spoon.

Improvise rhythm sticks. Two chunky pieces of a wooden building set
make great rhythm sticks.

Gather whistles, horns, and flutes. Find ones you bought at all those
museum gift shops.

Run the noisiest battery-operated toys in your home. Find the roaring
race cars, toy fire trucks, and yapping toy dogs.

Sing! Summer is a-hummin in.