Two that stand out for me as a child and they were both church picnics.

Some summer Sundays after church, everyone would to go the Coosa River park, nearby and have a picnic.

Long tables filled with fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans. That was way back then before pasta salads became ever so popular, but still not popular with me.

Desserts were basically homemade ice cream, that was hand churned during the picnic, usually lots of pound cake.

And the big concrete tables with newspaper spread for eating watermelon.

Lake Rhea was the other popular place for our church picnic and they were held on a week night, with the same as the above.

Lake Rhea had a sandy beach and fresh water lake with a wooden island in the deep, with a ladder that you climbed up and dove or jumped into the water.

These commenced when rough people took over Coosa River park and Lake Rhea :o(

We still have picnics in the park!

My son takes me every Mother's Day. Sandwiches, side dishes, etc.

When I was growing up, my favorite thing was when we went camping, and my mom would make pancakes! OMG...nothing smells as good as pancakes and coffee outside. I don't know why that is, but they just don't smell the same cooked inside.

Remembering church picnics: when I travel the backroads to neighboring town where GS lives, I am always reminded of church picnics when I pass this small white church, by the side of the road, with 4 or 5 concrete tables, for watermelon cutting/ picnics!

Our elementary school ended the year with a big picnic. Dad would come out early from work and join mom and us 4 kids. Each family packed their own picnic meal, but I think there were ice cream bars for everyone. Then we had the 3 legged sack races, and all sorts of activities. It was a fitting end to a busy year in our lovely, wooded park.

Back in Illnois, where I grew up, we had an annual picnic called a thrasher's bee - a really big deal for a town of 300 - everyone would be there!

The 1st time I can remember going to a park for a picnic was way back when, I must have been about 8 or 9. As I remember it, the park had heavy duty charcoal grills cemented in, much as some parks have today. My aunt and uncle joined out family. I suppose no one had ever used charcoal before because the men got frustrated when they couldn't get the charcoal started. They were trying to light it with just a match. They didn't know that charcoal starter was needed. It was not the modern kind that we have today that you can start that way. I don't remember what we did for meat that day. We probably filled up on potato salad and watermelon.

I never had any picnics as a child, but after I married, Hubby and I would pack a lunch along with some loaves of bread and go to a nearby lake that had picnic tables. The bread was for feeding the ducks and fish, which we really enjoyed doing. Sometimes we would get a pizza and go there to eat in the evenings.

Growing up my paren'ts backyard was the neighborhood gathering place for us kids, front yard as well.

Had in the back, a three sided brick fire place "can't think what you called it back then", with a heavy duty grill that fit inside.

Used to have the best weiner roast out there, then toasted marshmallows afterwards.

Buried my pet box turtle in a box, by the side of it. Even had a funeral for it , with the neighborhood kids.

This is a timely post as I was just telling a friend about the picnics I remember. The city that I lived in had a wonderful huge park with three large lakes, goldfish pond, multiple playgrounds and ball fields. We picnicked a lot! Sometimes it was just Mom, Dad, brother, sister and me and other times others would join us. Picnic food was baked rigatoni with little meatballs, fried chicken, eggplant parm, and if we were there the whole day we'd grill hot dogs for dinner. For large family picnics we would usually go to the park early and fix breakfast-homefries, bacon and eggs and "hold" enough tables for the rest of the crew who came at lunchtime. Those were absolutely idyllic times that I will always remember. Satine

As a child, I recall picnics. Times were different then than now. A community picnic was a chance for all to get together and catch up on news. If there were a field nearby, an impromptu ball game might happen. Most of these were family reunions and all the neighbors were invited to participate whether related or not.

Occassionally, a country church held a picnic in the summer. It might include a song fest and solos by the more talented singers.

The other memorable picnic, usually sponsored by a church, was a "chowder". A chowder can be a simple gathering by a small group where everyone brings a can of something to throw in the chowder pot. This pot was a big iron kettle set over a fire. Other food stuffs found on the table would be cakes, pies, puddings, and cookies.

The other type of chowder is a fund raiser. The organizers charge a fee for you to fill your bowl with chowder and then pass along a table filled with other goodies to complete your meal. I know of one that is still held annually by a small town. A "Chowder Master" controls the make-up in the chowder (soup) pot. The collected money goes for community projects such as play equipment in the park or park upkeep.

At home, we had 'picnic' lunches many a day in the summer. We'd go into the garden and take what we wanted for vetables. Carrots, radishes, celery, lettuce, cabbage, etc. were available. If the strawberries were in season, we'd be allowed to pick a couple of bowls. Cream from our dairy cows could be added. Sandwiches would be made of left over fried chicken or slices of pot roast.

We rarely ate a lunch when fishing. There was a fishing stream 1/4 mile from our house. We used simple poles, bobbers, and garden worms. The main reason we did not bother with food was the our hands got very soiled and smelly when the fish were biting. We might take a fruit such as an apple to eat before our hands got too dirty. At 4 o'-clock, we'd quit fishing and hike home with the catch of the day. The fish would be cleaned and prepared for frying and without any delay, these would go into the frying pan. if our schedule worked out right, a fish dinner would be ready by 6 pm. Admist this activity, the evening chores had to be done including milking the cows and running milk through a hand cranked cream separator.

I went to a 1 room country school and at the end of the year all the parents and students (about 30 of us from K throught 8th grade) had a picnic in the pasture of a neighboring farmer. It was a beautiful location in a grove of trees with a creek and large hill to climb and scratch our names in a huge bolder at the top of the hill. We played games after we ate, usually softball kids against the parents. You had to watch out for "cow pies" when running the bases. I can't remember if there were tables or if we just sat on blankets. I drove past Loch's Grove a few years ago, the pasture area is now farm land and the huge hill didn't seem to large. Most of the parents are gone now and a few of the students too but it's always on the "remember when" list when reminiscing with my sisters.

A couple of times every summer, we'd all get in the car and my folks would drive to a local state park. It had a lake, lots of hiking trails, public bathrooms and a small stand that sold hamburgers hotdogs and sodapop. But Mom always packed a complete lunch- sandwiches, cold fried chicken, a thermos of lemonade. I loved this ritual.

I don't recall any family picnics growing up, we just did not do things like that.

Sue

Funny so many of you remember church picnics.

When I was a child I spent several summers with my grandparents in a VERY rural PA community. They had a one room church. Bible school and Sunday school lessons were taught in the 4 corners and 1 in the middle...outside under the trees if it was hot. (no AC, of course)

Every summer they held a strawberry festival. I have such good memories of eating gobs and gobs of strawberry icecream, shortcake, pies, you name it.
There was always some kind of games...for kids and adults. Grandparents would get out their lawn chairs and sit and watch over pie and coffee.

The festival is still held, at the same church with many of the same familes....just new generations.
The strawberry festival is tomorrow. How I wish I could be there!
It is a 4 hour drive and I just cant make it.
My 75 year old aunt still bakes everyday. She has been taking tasty goods to this picnic for probably 60 years! (It was her childhood church as well)
Those Ladies Aid women sure know how to cook!
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.This picture is the church as it stands today

not many places to picnic in downtown Hollywood, sigh...we did go out the "valley", where dear friend lived and would have bbq...actually did have a picnic with school friends in Griffith park and hiked (in school shoes) all the way up to the observatory!! craziest thing ever!

when my kids were little, we'd go have a picnic on pt loma (san diego) with the "seals"... I think they were specially trained by the navy for under water detection?? but there weren't any restrictions...those were pbj and fruit...and the view was tremendous! open sea on one side and the city, Coronado island on the other...if we were lucky, sailboats or navy ships would be going in and out...

I remember picnics in Youngstown, Ohio at what used to be a nice place back then, Mill Creek park. We'd plan to go on Saturday but there was always a chance of rain to ruin it. When we moved to California we could actually go to any picnic planned...If we visited relatives in Missouri they would fry up fish and/or chicken. It was delicious!

Salgal, thanks for the memory. I'd forgotten about the strawberry festival. The church my grandparents attended held theirs at my grandparent's house every year. It was in the country and they had a big, beautiful backyard.

I remember all those desserts and shortcakes, but especially my grandpa making tons of homemade ice cream and freezing it for the big day. What fun that was!

Picnics were a frequent treat in my family. We'd pack up our meal and drive off to a roadside picnic area that Dad had discovered. I remember one next to the proverbial babbling brook where we four kids splashed, looked for crawdads and pretty stones while our parents got supper ready. Sometimes, these roadside pulloffs even had grills.

We also had a big picnic table in the backyard near the stone fireplace that Dad made. Lovely memories! I remember our ice cream maker in constant use! Peach was a favorite! Dad would make vanilla, chocolate, and a fruit flavor. Seems like we made hot fudge sundaes with spanish peanuts!

For years, my favorite wedding gift to young couples was a picnic basket or cooler packed with special napkins, tablecloth, and other pieces. Today, I make an effort for us to eat outside whenever possible. No TV! Just the sounds of the birds and other critters....and our conversation.

Oh my! When I was a kid we used to go on wonderful, exciting picnics to my childish mind. I remeber we always spread a quilt on the ground to sit on to eat. We went to a park which was out in the country; the park had swings, merry-go-rounds, slides - I don't recall any other playground type equipment. The park also had a very small zoo which included a buffalo. Sometimes we had sandwiches and watermelon, sometimes we had fried chicken and potato salad, and watermelon again. Seems that our picnics always included watermelon. I honestly don't remember what beverage(s) we had. I just know my sister and I would be so excited we could hardly stand to wait.

Patti this brings back good remeember.The church that father;s family belonged too they would have lunch on a the ground and I can remeber mom cooking for it and we get under a shade tree and all share and mom had old picnic basket.If I could I Post a pic of the church.Those are good momeries,Mom would take tea on a large fruit jar.The had a out good baitroom,the church was a one room church.I miss mom and was tellling greg I need my mom.I am sick and Sorry I added more information than asked but you asked.Hugs judy.I want a new computer and scanner.

Catlady, I wish I had my mother's big old picnic basket. It's okay--I miss my mother every day for one reason or another.

Why is it that food seems to taste so much better eaten outside in a park or by a creek or in any pretty spot, including the backyard?