The Picnic
Picnic or BBQ Food Preparation
In most cases, family members provide, prepare and cook their own food for a family reunion. Make sure this is organized. Do you want to make each immediate family responsible for their own food? Or should a few of the “cooks” in the family at large be contacted to cook all the food for the reunion. Whatever you do, make sure someone organizes the food preparation in such a way that you have enough of all the essentials–meats like hamburgers, hotdogs, sausage, brats, ribs, chicken, etc. and sides like beans, potato salad, cole slaw, greens, etc. and drinks like sodas, beer, wine, etc. What kind of cookout would it be if everyone just brought potato salad?
If you’re reunion is big enough and you have the finances available, you may want to consider having the event catered either at the picnic or perhaps in a banquet hall or hotel facility.
Event Location
BBQ: If you have a smaller family, sometimes, the best location for a reunion is a family member’s home and backyard. This scenario makes things simpler than planning a barbecue or picnic in a park.
Picnic: If you are selecting a picnic site at a public park, picnic ground or forest preserve, you will probably need a permit for a particular spot and date. Make sure you have your permit before you finalize the reunion date.
When selecting a picnic site, look for the following amenities:
Picnic Tables
Covered area in case of rain
Parking
Public toilets
Grills
Playgrounds for the kids
Recreational facilities (basketball courts, softball fields, volleyball, etc.)
Easy to find location