It’s A Gift to hold "Save Our Store" Fundraiser during Somerville Open Studios

We have much cause for celebration these days: it’s almost May, spring is in the air, the Celtics are winning, the Red Sox are…playing, and this weekend, May 1 and 2, Somerville is holding its annual Open Studios, a great chance to connect with the local arts community.

Between studio hopping, you can support a great arts-related cause while rocking out to the sounds of more than 20 local bands. It’s A Gift, a gallery in Union Square which sells the work of artists with disabilities, in partnership with the similarly focused Outside the Lines Studio in Medford, is throwing out an S.O.S.—a “Save Our Store” fundraiser.

Held at It’s A Gift’s 29A Union Square locale from 1pm on Saturday through 8pm on Sunday, the event will include balloon twisting, puppetry and silk-screening—you can bring in a design and an item of clothing and It’s A Gift’s staff will print it up for you, or you can buy a piece of vintage clothing at the store and they will customize it with your design.

Browse through the the art in the gallery, and you’ll hear acoustic sets by these bands:

Saturday: 1:00, Jaime Farnan. 1:30, Josh Rosato/Jaxon Boom. 2:00, Michael Bernier/ The Evolvement. 2:45, Danielle Doyle. 3:30, Christoph Krey/McAlister Drive. 4:30, Brad Shur, Puppetmaster. 4:45, Black Rose. 5:30, Jason Scolnick/Shakyfoot. 6:30, Factory Sounds. 6:45, Yoni Gordon.

Sunday: 1:00, Mary Casiello. 1:45, Brendan Hogan. 2:30, Axiom. 3:00, Ghost Quartet. 3:45, Justin Emile/Big East. 4:30, Fully Powered Halo. 5:15, Peter Bertrand/Stop Gravity. 6:00, Sarah Privlar. 6:15, Stephie Coplan. 6:45, OTP. 7:15, Slow Loris.

(Full disclosure, yours truly will be blowing some blues harp with Slow Loris to close out the acts, which were organized in part by my favorite employee of Outside the Lines—my girlfriend. Regardless of my bias, I promise a good time!)

A $5 donation to help save It’s A Gift is requested.

This weekend, come for the bands, stay for the art and save the store!