We've all come to know and love launch parties, but not many magazines hold closing parties. However, a Winnipeg-based publication at the end of its life is doing just that this weekend.

Sandbox, a fashion/lifestyle/entertainment/culture quarterly consumer publication established in Sept. 2009 (it started as an online magazine) is shutting down, but not without a last hurrah. Besides, hosting a closing party isn't really a big surprise from this mag, which apparently held five launch parties during its relatively short life.



It's unclear why the magazine is calling it quits. The magazine's editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Vallis, who co-founded Sandbox with Braden Alexander, could not be reached for comment on Friday. There also isn't anything in the way of an explanation for the closure on the magazine's website, which flashes the message 'We Are The Lucky Ones' and notes the closing party will be at Winnipeg Art Gallery this Saturday, Jan. 28 at 10 p.m. with a $10 cover charge.


The final issue will be released on Jan. 30 exclusively at McNally Robinson Booksellers in Winnipeg's Grant Park Shopping Centre.

The magazine's Facebook page reads: "As we know, all good things come to an end eventually, and for SANDBOX, the end is here ... SANDBOX has given us all an outlet to foster the sentiment that lead us to launch the magazine in the first place: Winnipeg is truly amazing. Thank you to our most faithful readers and fans, and to our incredible, tireless team of contributors."

Last year Sandbox took a Western Magazine Award in the best new magazine category. The magazine had 6,883 'likes' on Facebook as of Jan. 27.