A University of Windsor professor hopes to combine arts and science in a performance Saturday that will draw the community into discussions about the local ecology.

During the Art and Ecology Sidewalk Parade, Saturday, September 29, “no one gets to be a viewer,” says Jennifer Willet.

“Everyone gets to be a participant.”

She will assign everyone in attendance a role, whether it’s making music or carrying a sign to represent an organism found in the local ecosystem.

“It might be a fish or a skunk or a pet dog,” Willet says. “It might be native to the area or an introduced species. I want people to think about ecology from a different perspective.”

Willet says the event will be whimsical: “I find that playfulness is a good strategy for accessing ideas.”

The parade will leave from the Arts Council – Windsor and Region, 1942 Wyandotte Street East, at noon, and proceed west along Wyandotte to Marion Avenue, then turn south to Canada South Science City, 930 Marion Ave. Participants are invited to bring a picnic lunch and will enjoy free admission to the science centre.

In the event of rain, the parade will proceed as planned and the concluding picnic will take place indoors.