An Old Fashioned Community Picnic featuring food and fun is set for Depot Park in downtown Clarkston, Sept. 2 after the Labor Day Parade.
Organized by Think Positive Clarkston, the event was created by the group to ‘get the community together,? said Clarkston City Manager Carol Eberhardt.
She estimates the picnic will go on for two or three hours in the park after the parade.
‘People can pack a lunch or buy food in the park for the picnic,? she said. ‘It’s a true old fashioned family picnic.?
Food will be available for sale by Rudy’s Market in downtown Clarkston. Seniors from the Independence Senior Adult Activity Center will give away free popcorn.
‘There’s going to be good old fashioned games, too,? Eberhardt laughed.
Games include a Penny Scramble where city workers will dump two yards of sand in the park and bury $25 worth of pennies for visitors to dig up and find. Other games include a tug-of-war contest, three legged race, suitcase relay race and more.
‘During the suitcase relay race, there will be suitcases full of clothes and people will race to one end, put the clothes on and race to the other end and change clothes again. The suitcase will be filled with skirts, hats and a bunch of clothes and race winners will be awarded a small prize.
The picnic will also include sweet treats and silhouette drawings by Clarkston artist Judith Hoddinott.
‘She usually charges for the art, but she is doing it free for people at the picnic,? said Eberhardt.
Several Clarkston city council members and city attorney Tom Ryan donated money so the city can give away free ice cream from Cook’s Farm Dairy in Ortonville.
‘Not a dime for the ice cream will come from city coffers,? Eberhardt assured.
Several volunteers from adults to kids have helped organize the picnic. ‘Kids who are volunteering are going to help scoop the ice cream,? she said.
Clarkston’s Labor Day Parade will kick-off at 10 a.m. at the Renaissance High School and travel Church Street to Main St., north to Miller Road and ending at Miller and Holcomb Roads.
Sponsored by the Clarkston Rotary Club for the last 71 years, the parade will feature floats from a variety of community organizations, floats, area leaders and much more.