What is a ‘Great Community Picnic,’ and what makes it great?
On Thursday, August 3, the Mattapoisett Historical Society and the Mattapoisett Land Trust hosted its second annual Great Community Picnic at the Munro Preserve, and by the looks of it, it was indeed pretty great.
A Great Community Picnic “is an occasion where people, especially patrons of the Mattapoisett Land Trust and the Historical Society, come together to enjoy a picnic together,” said Kathleen Damaskos, one of the organizers of the event.
Sounds simple enough for a fundraiser, but it’s actually not – there is a lot of planning and preparation for an event of this size. Last year, about 100 people attended the event. This year, attendance tripled to 345.
But what makes a Great Community Picnic great? The people, of course, and the location, the late afternoon sun and sea setting, the hugs, the handshakes, the food, and also the wine.
Jennifer McIntire, president of the Historical Society, said what makes the picnic truly great is all the people from all different neighborhoods of Mattapoisett coming together bringing delicious foods, drink, and sharing an evening of laughter and a general celebratory spirit of community and summer.
Guests could purchase entire tables to host their invited group, and each one brought their own food and drink, sharing amongst themselves and with others as they mingled with the crowd.
Each table also created its own centerpiece and was judged in a friendly competition to win a gift basket.
As for a fundraiser, McIntire says this year the sponsors raised a small amount of money, but breaking even while providing a setting for community interaction is the main goal.
“What I see here is most important,” McIntire said looking around her at her fellow townspeople enjoying themselves and each other’s company. “Multiple generations – this is the draw of our town.”
By Jean Perry
