‘What could be nicer?’: Great Community Picnic draws a loud crowd
Aug 1, 2024
Tickets are exchanged for oysters at the Great Community Picnic on Thursday, Aug. 1. Photos by Brendan Cassidy
Sarah Whinnem serves up some Kentucky Fried Chicken to friends and family.
Seth Asser and Gary Brown provide the tunes.
Attendees brought their own food and decorations.
Centerpieces were plentiful and colorful.
Over 100 people congregated at Munro Preserve
MATTAPOISETT — Mattapoisett residents flocked to the Munro Preserve with flowers, tablecloths and plenty of food in hand on Thursday, Aug. 1 for the annual Great Community Picnic put on by the Mattapoisett Land Trust and Mattapoisett Museum.
Seats were purchased in advance and upon arrival, attendees decorated their tables with whatever they pleased, including a miniature Eiffel Tower, and brought food to enjoy.
Mattapoisett Land Trust Operations Director Colleen Andrews said guests had “free reign” over their style of picnic.
Some groups in attendance designed their tables and outfits under a certain theme such as Western, Olympics and the Kentucky Derby.
Sarah Whinnem, who was seated at the Western-themed table, said her family chooses a different theme each year.
At this particular picnic, Whinnem’s table was covered in buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken and a tablecloth that resembled the bandana of a cowboy in the Wild West.
Despite each group bringing their own food to snack on, local oysters were also available for sale.
The oysters were donated by three Mattapoisett oyster farmers — Bob Field, Mike Ward and Dale Leavitt, according to Andrews.
Chatter and live music could be heard from a distance as a sticky Mattapoisett day slowly turned to night.
“I think this is fabulous,” said Lee Heald, board member of the Mattapoisett Museum. ”It's been a warm steamy day, and we are here on the waterfront with a beautiful view of the sun setting, a gorgeous breeze and all of your friends. What could be nicer?”
The Mattapoisett Museum and Mattapoisett Land Trust split all profits generated by the event.
“The two organizations represent a wide variety of interests in the town so it is kind of natural that we work together,” said Heald. “It's a nice open event that celebrates the wonderful town, the harbor and all of its resources.”
The Great Community Picnic is typically held on the first Thursday of August.
“It’s great to see how many people come out year after year,” said Andrews. “It’s a lot of good community fun.”
