Did you go to the Picnic in the Park in May or August of this year?  Remember how great they were?  Did you miss those and hear about them from other people afterwards?  Remember how everyone said we should do it again?  We are!

Mark your calendars now for Thursday, September 25, from 5 to 7pm.  That's the time to come by Soldiers Memorial Park on North Water Street in Lewisburg.  Pack your picnic blanket and either bring a picnic or purchase one on site from our vendors.  Soccer balls, frisbees, etc. also welcome.

In addition to just enjoying the evening, sharing good food, and making the most of the park, this time we have something specific to celebrate:  Lewisburg's application to become a designated River Town has been approved by the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership.  At 6pm during the Picnic, we will hold a brief ceremony acknowledging our new status and announcing a community planning meeting to take stock and prioritize our River Town efforts moving forward.  So come on out and help us celebrate on Thursday, September 25, from 5 to 7pm, at Soldiers Memorial Park on N Water St in Lewisburg.  Anyone and everyone is invited.  Bring your own blanket and either bring your own picnic or purchase your picnic on site from the food vendors that will be on hand.

VENDOR UPDATE:  That Kitchen Witch will be back with Mexican selections and possibly shepherds pie, depending on the weather.  In addition, the Flying Bison will be on hand with a range of offerings, many of them kid-friendly, including pizza by the slice.  We are keeping an eye on the weather before committing to ice cream, but there will be dessert on offer.  Previous events have included vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan options.

There is on-street parking available along Water Street, Market Street and in the neighborhood.  After hours parking is also available at the Street of Shops.  The crosswalk at St John St is the easiest way to access the park on foot.  There are restrooms available at the First Presbyterian Church, half a block away.  In the event of rain, at least one food truck will still be present, but the public picnic portion will be off.

This event is intended to bring more people to this underutilized space along the Susquehanna in Lewisburg and highlight efforts the LNC is undertaking to enhance the Borough’s connections to the river.  In the months since the first Picnic in the Park (coverage from WNEP here), the Borough Council passed a resolution in support of the River Town Team effort and the LNC applied to the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership for formal River Town designation.  The goal is to improve the physical and cultural connections between the river and the community.  While Lewisburg is clearly a town on a river, that fact is often overlooked and rarely celebrated.  This Picnic in the Park is one piece of bringing people to the river.  The river project was initiated by residents of the North Ward Neighborhood who pointed out the need for better connections to the river and started a conversation about whether a canoe/kayak launch could be put in in the Borough.

For more information about what is being discussed and to get involved, call 570.523.0114 or email elmstreet@dejazzd.com.  Or to be in the know more generally about neighborhood and river events, find us on facebook:  “Lewisburg Neighborhoods” or “On the River – Lewisburg."  Photos from previous picnics have been posted.