By Ashley Macik / Staff writer

Today, Monday, at 5 p.m., the field behind Millstein Library will set the stage for Peace-a-Palooza III and its four local bands – Black Market Theater, The Sun Kings, Euphonic Brew and Bojibian. The event, now in its third semester, will be held outside for the first time. Last year, it took place inside Ferguson Theater.

“It’s a good time,” Allison Checkeye, vice-president of Students for Peace and Justice, said. “We don’t think we should sit down for concerts.”

The event is being sponsored by Students for Peace and Justice primarily to bring more notoriety to the club, since it may not return next year.

“Involvement is waning,” Checkeye said.

That’s because Checkeye and the club’s president, Ian Perrotta, will be leaving after this semester.

“We really need involvement for next year,” Checkeye added. “Unless they want peace and justice to die a short life.”

While the organization is declining in membership, Peace-a-Palooza has grown in popularity. Last semester, about 200 students attended the event.

It might also help that this concert is outside.

“I definitely expect a lot more people,” Perrotta said.

The event is aiming to offer students more activities to coincide with Senior Week, which also begins today.

Aside from the concert, Perrotta came up with the idea to get a version of the Aggro Crag, the foam mountain from the ’90s Nickelodeon game show “GUTS.”

The top three students to win various “GUTS”-style competitions will ultimately get to challenge the mountain.

Perrotta also wants Peace-a-Palooza to benefit his non-profit organization, Habitat for Hamtramck( see related story here), which was initiated to rehabilitate houses in Hamtramck, Mich., and give them to families who can continue redeveloping the area.

The concert will be held in the gym if inclement weather should occur. It is free and open to all students.

“It’ll be the biggest and best one ever,” Perrotta said.