This Saturday, April 19, is Record Store Day across the country and like every holiday worth its time, a big celebration is called for.

Independent record stores across the country are offering discounts and bringing in rock stars to celebrate the first of hopefully many, many more Record Store Days.

Here in Seattle, Easy Street Records in Queen Anne is hosting an in-store performance from Mark Pickerel and Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter at 5pm. Read more about it in this blog post from Easy Street's own JFlores.

Sonic Boom has a full day of events planned (from their website):

Please join us for the first annual national record store day. We will have in-store performances/DJ's at both stores and will be selling cupcakes ($3), donated by our friends at Cupcake Royale, and new Sonic Boom record slip mats ($8) with all proceeds going to support the Vera Project. In addition, 10% of all sales on Saturday will go to Music4life, helping music programs is Seattle City Schools! http://www.rotarymusic4life.org/

Schedule of Events:

Capitol Hill:
1:00 Vinnie Blackshadow (http://www.myspace.com/braimesworld)
3:00 John Roderick (Long Winters) DJ Set
5:00 The Dutchess and The Duke (http://www.myspace.com/thedutchessandtheduke)

Ballard:
3:00 Vinnie Blackshadow (http://www.myspace.com/braimesworld)
4:00 Aqueduct (http://www.myspace.com/aqueduct)
5:30 Mono in VCF (http://www.myspace.com/monoinvcf)
7:00 The Moondoggies (http://www.myspace.com/thefamilyliars)

We are getting a ton of exclusive vinyl pieces from record labels including a Stephen Malkmus 10", 7"s from Built to Spill, Death Cab, Black Keys, Jason Mraz, REM, as well as CD and LP samplers (free with purchase) and much much more. There will also be a ton of sidewalk sale with some items starting at $1! CD's, LP's, rock books, posters, CD players etc.

In Brooklyn, Regina Spektor will be stopping by Sound Fix in Brooklyn to play a few songs and sign copies of her album, The Dresden Dolls will be hanging out at Newbury Comics in Cambridge, MA working the cash register and spinning records, Menomena will play some foosball with you at Jackpot Records in Portland.

Here's a video from Ms. Spektor explaining why she loves independent record stores and one more (of about a million) reason for why I love her so much:

More info (and a complete list of what's going on) is available at RecordStoreDay.com.