59th Annual Homecoming... (August 4, 2013)
An old friend thought I may be interested in this one. After giving me some interesting background; I had to find out more. Including, why people who grew up with the picnic and moved away still come back for it. He placed me in contact with a volunteer. They requested to remain anonymous. I have no problem with that. I guarantee you it is a reliable source.
A Special Thank You to Jim Kern for allowing the use of his photos for this article! Onto the interview:
The first, obvious, question is answered in the article's title. It has not missed one year? Source: No, not one. How long has St. Peter's Church been around? Source: Since 1927. I was curious if / how the picnic evolved or changed over the years.
My friend told me about something called the "Penny Pitch" which turned into "penny wars" by nightfall. Source: We don't have that anymore. He said if you were inside the stand, you were a target. (This part we were kind of joking around). Source: That's right, when you were working it.
One of the things that really caught my attention (this is also joking, to a point): It's almost like there is a "curse" on it. Almost every year, at some point, it will get rain. Source: We will get rain. How many times has that actually happened? Source: Quite a few times. One time, it rained so hard that we had to go into the church hall. Oh really! Source: Because it was lightning and the rain was pouring down. It was almost like a tropical storm? Source: Exactly. We had to go inside with everything. It was awful. That one was a long time ago. Last year, it rained for 2 hours around dinner time. Everyone went home. Is that usually the busiest time? Source: Yes. There is a way to avoid the food ticket lines... Source: People buy pre-sale tickets. You get $11 in tickets for $10 now.
Another part of the history I was given: the setup time. Source: We start with a meeting in May. We have someone checking out the prices of food. We make our own steak sandwiches, turkey, sausage... Speaking of food. There is one thing I heard, above anything else, is the pierogies. How far ahead are they starting to be made? Source: That is started in the beginning of July. For two weeks. The first week: 684 dozen. The second week we made 700 dozen. We store them in a freezer. 1300 dozen! Source: Yes, 1300 dozen (with emphasis). From the high popularity, I heard they do not last until the picnic's end. Source: No. People buy them frozen or deep fried.
One thing I found out about this area. You can not get pierogies better than a church picnic. Source: Of course! (Justifiably doing a little bragging). You can't get them better than ours (with a smile). Time to find out if the picnic has changed or evolved.
A Special Thank You to Jim Kern for allowing the use of his photos for this article! Onto the interview:
The first, obvious, question is answered in the article's title. It has not missed one year? Source: No, not one. How long has St. Peter's Church been around? Source: Since 1927. I was curious if / how the picnic evolved or changed over the years.
My friend told me about something called the "Penny Pitch" which turned into "penny wars" by nightfall. Source: We don't have that anymore. He said if you were inside the stand, you were a target. (This part we were kind of joking around). Source: That's right, when you were working it.
One of the things that really caught my attention (this is also joking, to a point): It's almost like there is a "curse" on it. Almost every year, at some point, it will get rain. Source: We will get rain. How many times has that actually happened? Source: Quite a few times. One time, it rained so hard that we had to go into the church hall. Oh really! Source: Because it was lightning and the rain was pouring down. It was almost like a tropical storm? Source: Exactly. We had to go inside with everything. It was awful. That one was a long time ago. Last year, it rained for 2 hours around dinner time. Everyone went home. Is that usually the busiest time? Source: Yes. There is a way to avoid the food ticket lines... Source: People buy pre-sale tickets. You get $11 in tickets for $10 now.
Another part of the history I was given: the setup time. Source: We start with a meeting in May. We have someone checking out the prices of food. We make our own steak sandwiches, turkey, sausage... Speaking of food. There is one thing I heard, above anything else, is the pierogies. How far ahead are they starting to be made? Source: That is started in the beginning of July. For two weeks. The first week: 684 dozen. The second week we made 700 dozen. We store them in a freezer. 1300 dozen! Source: Yes, 1300 dozen (with emphasis). From the high popularity, I heard they do not last until the picnic's end. Source: No. People buy them frozen or deep fried.
One thing I found out about this area. You can not get pierogies better than a church picnic. Source: Of course! (Justifiably doing a little bragging). You can't get them better than ours (with a smile). Time to find out if the picnic has changed or evolved.
My friend noticed it changed over the years. He said it used to be just the church's stands. Now, there are a couple "carnival type" vendors. When did that start? Source: Yes. That started 15 - 20 years ago, little by little. There used to be an ice cream truck that made sundaes. We don't have that anymore. They couldn't get insurance. Providing a little clue in the "behind the scenes". Source: Each vendor has to have insurance. Provide proof of insurance. I did not realize that. Back to the food vendors. Source: Ez Concessions comes in. They make funnel cake, lemonade and candy apples. They take 75% and the church gets 25%. They make money. Ez Concessions is also at Musikfest. Time to give you a better of the setup process and what the picnic looks like.
My friend remembers helping with the stands. Source: The stands are old. We get the tents from The American Club. We always have Polka music. Too bad (joking). The bands are all from St. Peter's Church. No Rock, Blues, etc. Nothing to attract the younger crowd? Source: We actually a band called The Main Attraction. They don't always play Polka. The next part is half joking / half serious.
Source: What attracts the younger people (over 21) is the beer. Barrels and barrels of it. They don't care what kind of music is playing; as long as they are drinking (laughing). I wanted to know more about how it rains almost every year.
Source: We pray every time it doesn't rain. That is our downfall. If it rains, the church picnic doesn't make money. People do not come out in the rain for it. There is another type of weather they watch out for. Source: If it is extremely hot, people will not come out for the picnic. People who have the pre-sale tickets will come out. Buy food. Go home. They will not stay for other things like Bingo.
Source: The picnic is strictly run by volunteers! This leads to another, important question:
Is there a problem having people volunteer? Source: It's hard to get volunteers. We have sign up sheets at the church. They are not filled yet. Someone counted, 100 volunteers to put the picnic together. 100 for one day, WOW! (I stopped for a moment). Source: We have a lot of men and students helping now. Time for some of what you can experience other than great food and polka.
Source: There is a train. Jim Kern is in charge of that. The church hall is air conditioned with Bingo. So even in extreme heat, people can duck in and out? Source: Yes. You can win candy and different games for kids. So there is something for everybody? Source: Yeah. I am getting a feel of a typical, small town, picnic or festival. Here is a surprise leading into a major part of the picnic.
Source: People will bring lawn chairs and set them up the day before, all along the grass. The day before!? (Yes, I was very surprised). Source: Yes, the day before (with a little pride, well earned). Or, early morning the day of the picnic. The picnic grounds is a big area. (Check photos). The church rectory gets calls: "When is the picnic?" People who do not belong to the church do not know when it is. Now, for the part that impressed me the most!
People who grew up here, even if they have moved out of state, come back for St. Peter's Church Picnic. It's that popular? Source: Yes, that's right. It's called the "The Parish Picnic and Homecoming". If they went to school there, they come back. See old friends. There is something I was curious about with the date of the picnic.
The picnic happens during Musikfest (one of the biggest events in the Lehigh Valley). Does that affect the picnic's attendance? Source: One time, we did change to the second week (of August) because of Musikfest. We thought "We're not going to change it. We are going to do the first Sunday all the time." And you still get the crowd? Source: Yes, we still get the crowd. That makes sense. You can stop by the picnic and go to Musikfest or vice-versa. Source: Or, Musikfest is all week. The church picnic is one day.
Final question (or so I thought): What is the overall feel / atmosphere? Is it like a small town, relax, have fun, forget about life for awhile? Source: Yes. Doing a great job promoting here! Source: Good food! That's what the picnic is all about. Pierogies and good food. The prices are reasonable: $4 for a steak sandwich. $3 for a ham or turkey sandwich. We make our own food. A week before, the male volunteers go into the kitchen and make the food. Another hot item is Halushkis. Having no idea, I had to ask: What is a Halushki? Source: Fried cabbage and dough. We make about 30 big pans (picture large baking / cooking pans, rectangle shaped). We sell it all! WOW!!!! Source: Yeah, the large roasting pans. If it's a nice day, all the food will be sold.
From what you and my friend have told me; when someone goes to the church picnic, it's like the way things used to be (a few decades ago)? Source: You can bring a family and afford it. A new addition is added to the picnic this year, actually a few hours before it starts.
Source: This year we are going to have a Polka mass. Ok... That is different... Source: It's spiritual. The Shanta and Joe Weber Band's will be performing this year.
Anything you would like to add? Source: (laughing): Come to our picnic, you will have fun!!!!
Source: What attracts the younger people (over 21) is the beer. Barrels and barrels of it. They don't care what kind of music is playing; as long as they are drinking (laughing). I wanted to know more about how it rains almost every year.
Source: We pray every time it doesn't rain. That is our downfall. If it rains, the church picnic doesn't make money. People do not come out in the rain for it. There is another type of weather they watch out for. Source: If it is extremely hot, people will not come out for the picnic. People who have the pre-sale tickets will come out. Buy food. Go home. They will not stay for other things like Bingo.
Source: The picnic is strictly run by volunteers! This leads to another, important question:
Is there a problem having people volunteer? Source: It's hard to get volunteers. We have sign up sheets at the church. They are not filled yet. Someone counted, 100 volunteers to put the picnic together. 100 for one day, WOW! (I stopped for a moment). Source: We have a lot of men and students helping now. Time for some of what you can experience other than great food and polka.
Source: There is a train. Jim Kern is in charge of that. The church hall is air conditioned with Bingo. So even in extreme heat, people can duck in and out? Source: Yes. You can win candy and different games for kids. So there is something for everybody? Source: Yeah. I am getting a feel of a typical, small town, picnic or festival. Here is a surprise leading into a major part of the picnic.
Source: People will bring lawn chairs and set them up the day before, all along the grass. The day before!? (Yes, I was very surprised). Source: Yes, the day before (with a little pride, well earned). Or, early morning the day of the picnic. The picnic grounds is a big area. (Check photos). The church rectory gets calls: "When is the picnic?" People who do not belong to the church do not know when it is. Now, for the part that impressed me the most!
People who grew up here, even if they have moved out of state, come back for St. Peter's Church Picnic. It's that popular? Source: Yes, that's right. It's called the "The Parish Picnic and Homecoming". If they went to school there, they come back. See old friends. There is something I was curious about with the date of the picnic.
The picnic happens during Musikfest (one of the biggest events in the Lehigh Valley). Does that affect the picnic's attendance? Source: One time, we did change to the second week (of August) because of Musikfest. We thought "We're not going to change it. We are going to do the first Sunday all the time." And you still get the crowd? Source: Yes, we still get the crowd. That makes sense. You can stop by the picnic and go to Musikfest or vice-versa. Source: Or, Musikfest is all week. The church picnic is one day.
Final question (or so I thought): What is the overall feel / atmosphere? Is it like a small town, relax, have fun, forget about life for awhile? Source: Yes. Doing a great job promoting here! Source: Good food! That's what the picnic is all about. Pierogies and good food. The prices are reasonable: $4 for a steak sandwich. $3 for a ham or turkey sandwich. We make our own food. A week before, the male volunteers go into the kitchen and make the food. Another hot item is Halushkis. Having no idea, I had to ask: What is a Halushki? Source: Fried cabbage and dough. We make about 30 big pans (picture large baking / cooking pans, rectangle shaped). We sell it all! WOW!!!! Source: Yeah, the large roasting pans. If it's a nice day, all the food will be sold.
From what you and my friend have told me; when someone goes to the church picnic, it's like the way things used to be (a few decades ago)? Source: You can bring a family and afford it. A new addition is added to the picnic this year, actually a few hours before it starts.
Source: This year we are going to have a Polka mass. Ok... That is different... Source: It's spiritual. The Shanta and Joe Weber Band's will be performing this year.
Anything you would like to add? Source: (laughing): Come to our picnic, you will have fun!!!!
I want to give a very special Thank You to my source for taking time for the interview. While I was typing this, the hunger level rose considerably. To Jim Kern for giving us a visual sample of what you will experience when you stop by. If you are in the area on Sunday, August 4; even for Musikfest, take a break. Head over to 5th st. in the town of Coplay. Stop by and experience some great food and fun! Offer up a little prayer for great weather. I can guarantee, it will be appreciated.
