Remember When? St. Anthony’s Picnic — the Tradition Continues

On July 17, St. Anthony’s will once again gather for the annual parish picnic. This picnic has a long and rich history. There are no records of the first picnic, but it is known that one of the early picnics was held on June 15, 1875. In those days, the attendance was limited to parishioners. The annual event continued until 1917 when cash donations substituted for the picnic due to World War I. In 1925, the picnic tradition resumed much to everyone’s delight. Thanks to hard work and generous donations, the annual affair has survived with the exception of last year, 2020, due to the pandemic.

For some time, raffles have been a part of the picnic festivities. Whether a cash raffle, grocery baskets, quilts, needlework, country store prizes, or a variety of filled baskets, parishioners have graciously donated both treasure and talent.

Take a look at the raffle ticket prizes from 1933. Notice that many of the donors of that time are ancestors of our current parishioners. Yes, the same spirit of hard work and generosity is alive today as the great picnic tradition continues.

"Yes, the same spirit of hard work and generosity is alive today as the great picnic tradition continues!"