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How My Neighborhood Has A Picnic
Family Picnics Are Great, So Why Not Invite The Whole Neighborhood?
One of the things I love about the neighborhood where I live is that we go all out for social events. And that includes picnics!
The community looks forward to this event in late spring every year and turns out in droves to relax, socialize, and listen to great music in the cool spring air.
After spending more time indoors than we prefer over the winter months, this shindig gives us an excuse (as if we needed one) to stretch out and have a party!
Beautiful Surroundings
Part of a planned community, the picnic is held in a jewel of a park which features a huge pond which is well stocked with fish (and a couple alligators), walking trails with plaques describing the details of life in the area from days gone by, spectacular live oak trees and still occasionally blooming azaleas, and a super cool playground with a pirate theme.
We can't help but celebrate the arrival of warmer weather in a setting like this!
Concert Music
This is always billed as a Concert in the Park, so no concert is complete without a great band. Prior years' acts include the local city symphony orchestra and more local bands with more of an orchestral feel.
I remember the first year we lived here, laying back on the simple blanket spread out on the newly awakening grass, gazing up as the stars came out and listening to classical music. There were even fireworks that first year and they were timed to match the last song! Have you ever seen anything like that just a short bike ride from your house?
Everyone should have the opportunity to experience an event like this!
Unique And Creative Spreads
As part of the Concert In The Park, area residents are encouraged to design a spread that combines a theme with the food that they bring. This is where I see how innovative my neighbors can be. Really elaborate settings are created to represent themes such as Main Street USA, a ping pong league, and even a Duck Dynasty motif this year complete with facial hair!
The preparation for these can take hours, and some people start getting ready the night before! Several families will pool their resources to really take these spreads to the next level. Have you ever done something like this at one of your family picnics?
Judging for these sets is held with prizes being awarded in several categories, but I think the real reward is the right to brag among the community through all the other events for the coming year!
The Loch Ness Monster?
No, this is one of the residents of the lake, an alligator. I have seen as many as 4 in this particular lake on any single visit. But don't worry, they don't like attention and didn't make an appearance at the picnic. I took this picture on an earlier date when there weren't nearly as many people around.
Vendors Are Welcome Too!
Local vendors support the event as well. The kids particularly like the ice cream, italian ice, and kettle corn vendors.
Among others, I also spotted this Rewined display this year. These are really cool and a popular local vendor. Not to mention handy at the picnic once the sun goes down!
After The Sun Goes Down
Another Well Known Concert In The Park
Picnic Links
- Picnic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Picnic From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For other uses, see Picnic (disambiguation). For the Wikipedia picnic event, see Wikipedia:Wiknic. The artist Thomas Cole depicted "The Picnic" prior to 1860 Friends and family - Rewined Candles - Home
Rewined hand made soy wax candles. Made from recycled and repurposed wine bottles, these are the greenest candles on the market. Our custom candle fragrances have been inspired by the tasting notes and aromas found in eight different wine varietals.
What's Your Favorite Picnic Food?
Sounds like a fun place to live. It's so great to have a get together for the neighbors.
Everything works for me, if the company is right:)
Family picnics truly bring about bonding or warm relationships! (I love burgers and potato chips!)
Family picnics truly bring about bonding or warm relationships! (I love burgers and potato chips!)
Very nice lens. The neighborhood gets together once a year during the summer and you have some nice ideas here for a better get together time...
I like seafood - crab boils, crawfish, corn on the cob, key lime pie...could go on forever here! Good article. Haven't had a neighborhood party in years. Sounds like its time to start planning.
What a great idea to organize a picnic for the entire neighborhood, it sure looks like a lot of fun. I loved your Lens, great job! Happy writings!
A really great pasta salad
Corn on the cob! Yes i'm pretty simple.
spring rolls .yum
I love picnics as most of the people I guess. Very nice lens!
I always look to see if someone made a Devils Food layer cake with chocolate icing. Yummy. I do love a picnic and your neighborhood picnic sounds wonderful. We always enjoy visiting in Charleston. My hometown of Pendleton is in the upstate and is sometimes referred to the "Charleston of the Upstate" or "Little Charleston" because in the early 1800s Charleston plantation owners would move to Pendleton in the summer to get away from the malaria. Did you know that? It is always great to see another South Carolinian on Squidoo.
I definitively would love to check out that picnic - my sister raves about Charleston, South Carolina. Pinned to my new "community" board. My favorite picnic food is guacamole and chips. I also like iced tea - with Stevia these days.
I definitively would love to check out that picnic - my sister raves about Charleston, South Carolina. Pinned to my new "community" board. My favorite picnic food is guacamole and chips. I also like iced tea - with Stevia these days.
My favorite picnic food has to be fried chicken. My husband is from South Carolina too - I bet you had some wonderful food!
Looks like it would be a pretty neat event to attend. Fun neighborhood you live in.
A burger cooked just right.
I actually make a big pasta salad with lots of vegies in it, some hard boiled eggs, and other finger foods for picnics.
hot dogs and maybe hamburgers.
Hot dogs! Nice work. I enjoyed reading your lens
Unfortunately, I haven't been on a picnic in ages, but I'd have to say potato salad is my favorite picnic food. Sounds like you live in a great community. I enjoyed my visit here today.
Family picnic is great always. I enjoy it very much, actually last couple months ago we had one :)
We used to have occasional neighborhood picnics with standard hamburgers and hot dogs. Can't go wrong with that!
A picnic is nice after those cold months. It's a change indeed to be up and about outdoors without feeling too cold for once!
Potato salad! Nice work. I loved reading your story.
Fruit and salads!
cheese, bread, fruit, and a big container of iced tea! No - seriously, I like wine too, and I love your candles. It's a great idea.
@Lensmaster...What an enjoyable way to make a neighborhood special! Love those brownies, and never pass up the main entrée of fried chicken!
Chicken salad on croissants!
Too hard to decide! Probably a variety of baked goods, sweet and savoury.
Watermelon it is... :-) Thanks a lot for sharing another wonderful lens!!! Keep the good work coming... ;-)
Sounds like a fun event, I like community activities
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@hovirag: sorry to hear it rained but interested to know what gulyas are!
today I went to a community gardening picnic - but the weather wasn't great - even rained so it didn't go as planned but that's life - we love to prepare gulyas outside over a fire - enough for 20-30 people :)
What a great idea!
Looks like you have a great time at your picnic, it takes a lot of planning to pull something like that off.
I love corn on the cob and watermelon at a picnic!
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