KILL BUCK — The second annual Kill Buck Community Picnic is set for this Sunday, Aug. 4 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Kill Buck Memorial Pavilion off of School Street in the hamlet.
After several months of preparations, the organizers are hoping to make this year’s picnic bigger and better than the inaugural event, but just like last year, the event is free and open to all who wish to attend.
“This year we got a much earlier start on it… We got about eight good people who are really helping,” said Bob Patterson, chair of the committee who organizes the event. “We’re always looking for volunteers to help with parking, cooking, handing out prizes or something else.”
In conjunction with the town of Great Valley, the picnic’s committee has plenty planned for the day, including food, games, live entertainment and plenty of chances to win a prize.
Attendees have opportunities to win a grill as a door prize, 40-plus Chinese auction items, various gift certificates and one of the event’s biggest fundraisers, the 50/50 drawing.
“We’d like to beat last year, which was about $1,530,” Patterson said of the 50/50 expectation.
The big project the committee is hoping to get a start on this fall is renovating and reviving the old baseball field near the pavilion.
“There’s a need in the area for more ballfields. I’d like to get a ballfield going there again — a nice one,” he said. “It’s all through the town of Great Valley. They’ll have the final say-so about what’s going on.”
Although the field and backstop are there, Patterson said they hope to finalize plans and get a base for the infield ready this fall. Meanwhile, the committee is asking for help finding photos of the old stadium and of games played there from when the nearby school was still open.
“Somebody had to have been taking pictures of it back then,” Patterson said.
Today, the pavilion and park are in great shape, Patterson added, and the town has been helpful in preparing the site for the event as well as supporting it financially and with volunteers from the board, two of whom are on the committee.
The day’s picnic lunch will include hot dogs, corn on the cob, sides and bottled water. Patterson said attendees are welcome to bring their own non-alcoholic beverages. Treats include cotton candy, popcorn, suckers and freeze pops.
“There’s going to be a water fight with the barrel on the cable between the two fire districts in the town of Great Valley,” Patterson said. District No. 1 is Kill Buck and District No. 2 is from the hamlet of Great Valley. “There will be demonstrations and kids will be able to sit in the fire trucks and take pictures.”
Sally Marsh will be back with her sound system, providing live entertainment and singalongs, as well as some contests for the kids, Patterson said.
“She’s very good with the kids,” he said. “We’ll probably have stuff like a twist contest and a limbo contest and we’ll have prizes for them.” Other things returning from last year for the kids are the bounce house and an 18-foot water slide.
Last year, the inaugural event, which was part of the Great Valley Bicentennial celebrations, had between 200 and 250 attendees, Patterson said. This year, he’s hoping to surpass 250 and get close to 300 people stopping by to visit with friends and neighbors, new and old alike.
To help support the event or to volunteer the day of, call Patterson at 727-742-0546, or the Great Valley Town Hall at 945-4200.
