The All County Picnic is hosted by The Production Alliance

Gathering together to get better has been going on for 10 years at the annual All County Picnic, and yet again all of Jefferson County is invited to celebrate community resilience on Saturday, Aug.  20 and Sunday, Aug. 21 at HJ Carrol Park.

Attendees will have the opportunity to take part in conversation with civic and community leaders from Jefferson County public health and safety professionals. A series of preparedness, response, and recovery presentations will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at HJ Carroll Park’s Rotary Pavilion including talks with East Jefferson Fire Rescue, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, PUD, and a conversation on neighborhood preparedness with Local 2020.

Picnickers will also have the opportunity to participate in a Community Points of Distribution Training intended to show the sites where, following a disaster, the public could pick up life-sustaining emergency relief supplies and serve as a communication hubs.

To simulate those “emergency rations,” organizers will be distributing free corn on the cob along with Go Bags with real emergency supplies.

Pre-registered neighborhoods can pick up their “ration” of corn on the cob along with Go Bags with a limited number of supplies also available to walk-up attendees.

Due to ongoing construction at the park, this year’s event will be limited to presentations, about 10-15 information booths, and Go Bag distribution. While the park still has much to offer children and youth, the All County Picnic will not include kids activities or live music this year. Carpooling is highly encouraged.

For those who can’t make this particular picnic, organizers recommend trying a “Picnic in Place” neighborhood gathering. These have caught on during the pandemic years and on Sunday, Aug. 21 there will be a multitude of such events county-wide.

“Summertime is a perfect time to revisit time-honored traditions that bring together all-ages, encourage relationship building, and create joy,” said Megan Claflin, co-founder of The Production Alliance and picnic coordinator.

Neighborhood gatherings are easy opportunities to review the skills and resources that individuals and households have to share should the worst come about. The more known about a neighborhood’s abilities and needs beforehand, the better they are able to respond and recover.

Picnic ideas and information available online at allcountypicnic.org.