Break out your picnic basket

Picnic-ton is back, baby! Following a pilot project last year that encouraged people to order take-out from pandemic-pinched local restaurants and eat in local parks, the municipality is changing the format a bit for Year 2.

Pop-up picnic events are now planned for two days in June at temporary outdoor spaces where the public can eat, drink and enjoy live entertainment.

The first session goes Saturday, June 4, noon to 4 p.m., on Winnipeg Street at Estabrook Avenue. The second session goes Saturday, June 18, noon to 4 p.m., on the 500 block of Main Street.

Last year, more than 40 businesses registered to take part in Picnic-ton. This year, all local businesses that sell takeout food and drink will be automatically enrolled.

Businesses will be plotted on an interactive map, which can be viewed at: penticton.ca/picnic. If your business would like to alter your description on the map, please email 35 words or less to economic.development@penticton.ca.

Business owners/operators are being offered Picnic-ton-branded items to hand out free to customers, while supplies last, along with notices to display in their front windows to let customers know they’re on board with the program.

“Picnic-ton is a great opportunity to support our local businesses and reconnect with friends and family over a picnic,” said Mayor John Vassilaki in a press release.

“We hope you enjoy this ‘Love Local’ activity and thank you for supporting local.”

Picnic-ton also coincides with the pending May 1 return of a program that permits consumption of alcoholic beverages at designated parks and beaches on Okanagan and Skaha lakes.

The program runs through Oct. 31.