Summer picnics a Kelowna tradition
Okanagan residents look forward with great anticipation to our hot summer weather.
We shed our heavy winter clothing, enjoy the opportunity to putter in our gardens, and re-discover the pleasure of a cool and refreshing dip in one of our beautiful lakes.
Picnics are another important aspect of our Okanagan summers, as locals pack up picnic hampers and head off for that special spot, to enjoy the company of family and friends, soak up our famous Okanagan sunshine, and partake of a tasty meal.
The traditional picnic fare usually includes meat (fried chicken, cold cuts or ham are standard fare), salads (potato salad is always popular), fresh fruit and vegetables and a thirstquenching beverage. Glasses of lemonade or mugs of piping-hot tea dispensed from the Thermos container have long been an integral part of family picnics.
I recall with nostalgic fondness our family picnics, going back to my early childhood in the late 1950s. Mum would prepare us a tasty picnic lunch or supper, carefully pack it in the green and brown metal picnic basket, then add the necessary plastic picnic plates (each plate with its separate sections for the various parts of the meal) and cutlery and a colourful cloth to cover the wooden picnic table in the park.
I remember that we sometimes had a bag of Old Dutch potato chips included in our picnic feast — a real treat in those days.
We had several favourite picnic spots, including a site at the south end of Kelowna’s City Park, just to the north of where the original 1958 bridge was located. Other popular Hayes family picnic sites included Boyce-Gyro Park, our cabin at the south end of Wood Lake and the beautifully-manicured lawns and gardens of the Experimental Station in Summerland. During our visit to the Experimental Farm, we sometimes found the time to look at the cow that had a glass “window” inserted in her side, providing an unobstrcuted view of a bovine’s internal organs. The picnic setting was always perfect, the food was fresh and tasty, the beverages were refreshing and the company pleasant, as we enjoyed our picnic meals together.
Community picnics have long been a popular event, dating back to Kelowna’s earliest days. Church and school groups often held picnics, where people — young and old alike — gathered for fellowship and the opportunity to enjoy a meal together.
My pioneer maternal grandparents, Ernest Leslie Clement and Margaret Annie Whelan, had their first date, accompanied by Margaret’s youngest sister Minnie May Whelan, at the July 19, 1905 Methodist Church and Sunday school picnic.
This first date eventually led to their engagement and finally to their marriage in Ellison district on Dec.22, 1909.
The Kelowna branch of the Okanagan Historical Society is continuing the longstanding tradition of the community picnic.
On Sunday, July 15, between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., the Kelowna Branch and the Central Okanagan Heritage Society are pleased to cohost the 30th annual Family Pioneer Picnic & Social. This year the picnic, formerly held at the Parkinson Recreation Centre, will be located at the historic Benvoulin Heritage Church and beautiful Cottage Garden, at 2279 Benvoulin Rd. This year, 2018, marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, and Kelowna Museums will be providing an interesting display of historic war photographs and artefacts in Reid Hall, adjacent to the church.
Informative tours of the heritage church will be provided by the Central Okanagan Heritage Society.
The picnic will be held in the church gardens. Parking will be provided at the back of the church. Guests are encouraged to pack a tasty lunch and bring it to the picnic. Coffee, juice, cake and ice cream will be provided for all in attendance.
Historical publications, including the current Okanagan Historical Society Report and Kelowna Street Names — Their Origins, will be available for purchase.
Of special note is the release of the 2019 calendar, a recent production of the Okanagan Historical Society. This beautiful calendar features photographs from private collections, reflecting the history of the Central Okanagan.
The colourful photograph on the cover of the calendar features Hot Sands Beach and the original Okanagan Lake Bridge in the late 1950s, guaranteed to evoke memories and stories. Key dates in our local, provincial and national history have been included in the 2019 calendar, the first calendar produced by the Kelowna branch. With a limited run, it promises to sell quickly. Purchase price of the calendar is $20, which includes a suitable mailing envelope. All are welcome to attend the July 15 Family Pioneer Picnic & Social, tour the historic Benvoulin Church and gardens, bring along a picnic lunch and learn about our area’s history and heritage. For further information please call Bob at 250-763-8859.
This article is part of a series, submitted by the Kelowna Branch, Okanagan Historical Society.