Pioneer Picnic planned for August

The annual Pioneer Picnic in La Conner, a summer tradition here for more than a century, was among the casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

There is optimism that will not be the case this August.

Buoyed by the prospect of increased vaccinations between now and the traditional first Thursday in August date for the picnic – members of the Skagit County Pioneer Association board of directors are confident this year’s event will occur, though in a modified format.

“With the number of people who are going to be vaccinated we should be in good shape in August to have a picnic,” said Liza Peth Bott, who chaired the board’s 30-minute Zoom meeting Friday. “But we’ll have to see what actual phase we’re in.”

“All our plans,” Pioneer Association President John Kamb, Jr., a Mount Vernon attorney, told the Weekly News, “are to hold the picnic on the first Thursday in August if allowed by the Skagit County Health Department and the Governor’s Office. We really want to do the picnic this year and I’m very optimistic we’ll have a picnic.”

That is a major step forward.

“At our meeting last month,” noted Kamb, “there was a feeling that it might be iffy having the picnic this year.”

Gov. Jay Inslee’s May 13 announcement targeting a June 30 statewide reopening is good news, if it comes to pass.

Skagit County Commissioner Ron Wesen, an association board member, echoed Kamb and Bott, preferring a glass half-filled approach.

“The number of new (COVID-19) cases seems to have plateaued and we’re getting more vaccinations,” he said. “But as far as the transition goes, we don’t exactly know at this point.”

The layout for the picnic would need to allow for social distancing, Kamb and Bott said.

“There will be people who want to maintain distancing,” said Bott, “and we need to be respectful of that.”

If able to host 200 people, there would be ample room to social distance at Pioneer Park picnic site, where the roof of the community kitchen has been replaced and the grounds cleared of fallen trees downed by last winter’s windstorms.

“We’re in a new era and reinventing ourselves,” Bott said, “and we need to keep putting thought into the process.”

As an example, the La Conner Civic Garden Club, which serves the picnic’s salmon luncheon, is prepared to provide to-go trays for the meal and has discussed cooking the salmon a day in advance and serving a cold lunch if necessary.

Much planning at this point remains tentative, said Kamb and Bott, though some agenda items are confirmed.

The 2021 Pioneer Picnic program would formally honor the Good family, selected as the 2020 Pioneer Association Family of the Year. A Pioneer Spirit Award is also presented each year at the picnic.

In 2020 the plan was to use the Spirit Award to honor the legacy of Skagit County women’s service organizations, coinciding with the centennial anniversary of passage of the constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote.

Board members will meet June 4 at the Skagit County Historical Museum to finalize plans for the Picnic.