The tradition continues

OLPH kicks off 76th annual event with tamale dinner, tailgating trivia

Cars lined up in the parking lot of Our Lady of Perpetual Help for the annual barbecue event -- which was transformed into a drivethru event this year, due to COVID-19-related social gathering restrictions.

This year marks the 76th year of the annual event, which offered drive-thru meals, a tailgating trivia game and a virtual talent show broadcast on Facebook.

“We didn’t want to skip it this year,” said Kevin McCarthy, deacon from the church. “We won’t have the rides or the tents out this year, but we’ll still have the deep-pit barbecue dinner that we’ve had for the last 75 years.”

Along with the tamale dinner, a tailgating trivia

game took place in the parking lot Friday evening. Participants stayed in their cars while answering questions to win prizes.

Meals were preordered through the church’s website, with Friday’s dinner consisting of either pork, chicken or beef tamales. The deep-pit barbecue beef dinner is being offered today.

The barbecue dinner will be made at the church site, just as in other years, according to McCarthy, but dinners will be packed up as togo meals.

“(Today) people will be able to pick up the food and take it home to enjoy while watching our virtual talent show,” said McCarthy. “We’ve organized it so it can be watched through Facebook.”

Those picking up meals will also have an opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win an American Express Card of either $5,000, $3,000 or $1,000.

Proceeds from the barbecue will go towards the church, which is currently closed due to pandemic-related restrictions.

McCarthy said despite the barbecue turning into a drive-thru event, more than 800 plates were pre-ordered the first night and 250 were pre-ordered the second night. He added the church raised nearly $20,000 from the event.

More information about the annual barbecue can be found through the church’s website at http://www.olphscv.org

Dan Watson/The Signal (Above) Church members prepare salsa to go with the tamale dinners during the Our Lady of Perpetual Help tamale drive-thru dinner pick-up at OLPH in Newhall on Friday evening. The dinner is part of the church’s annual barbecue fundraiser. (Below) Father Emmanuel Delfin brings food to one of the dozens of cars that lined up Friday to pick up their tamale dinner orders.

Dan Watson/The Signal (Left) Dozens of cars wait to pick up tamale dinner orders during Our Lady of Perpetual Help’s annual barbecue fundraiser in Newhall Friday. (Right) Church members Horacia Mendez, left, and Javier Reyna deliver some of the 800 pork, cheese and chicken tamales to the church for Friday’s dinner. Next up for the three-day event is today’s deep-pit barbecue beef dinner and virtual talent show.