11th Annual Canada Day Picnic

Snapshot:

Where: Moir Park, 104th Street at Morgan Avenue South, Bloomington, MN.  Click HERE for a map image, or here for a MAPQUEST link.
 Directions via I-35W (about 2 miles south of I-494):
  • Take the W 106th St Exit traveling either north or southbound on I-35W. 
  • Head west on W 106th St.
  • Drive 4 blocks WEST to Morgan Ave.  Head North for two blocks
  • At 104th St W, head WEST for 1/2 a block.  Picnic grounds, and parking lot will be on the north side of 104th St. W
  • Look for that Maple Leaf signs on major roads
When: Thursday, July 1 from 4-9pm RAIN OR SHINE!  Room for everyone in shelter!
 
Tentative Schedule:
Registration Opens:      4:00pm
Grills Ready:            4:30pm
Water Balloon Toss:      6:00pm
Singing Oh Canada:       6:45pm
Canada Day Cake:         7:00pm
Picnic Over:             9:00pm
 
What:   To Bring - Your own food (burgers, dogs, buns, other meats if desired, or sandwiches), drinks (pop, beer, etc).  2 grills will be hot and ready by 5pm.  Also, bring bug spray, softball glove, and Canadian T-Shirts and Flags!  Bloomington Parks rules only permit 3.2% beer, and are known to CHECK this.  In CANS only!
What: NOT to Bring - You don't need to bring a BBQ - we will have two large grills hot and ready.  You DON'T need to bring ANY condiments. (ketchup, relish, mustard, plastic utensils  napkins, and paper plates will ALL be available).  We are even roasting up some fresh cut onions on the grill!  Cake will be served later.
Costs:  When registering at our picnic site, $2.00 per adult, and $1.00 per child to cover shelter and BBQ costs.  The shelter can accommodate two hundred people!
Help: At the picnic site: 
Patrick Holt - 612-388-0505 Cell
Before the Picnic Date
Daytime Questions: 952-486-8736 - Ask for Neil
Evening Questions: 952-975-2940 - Ask for Neil

Picnic Time!
 Well, I figure we are going to have about between 150-200 people show up at the picnic, which I really hope will be a day where we can meet other Canadians, enjoy a beer on a nice sunny day.

This year, as Canada Day falls on a Thursday, I am HOPING that many of you will decide to stay in the Twin Cities and come to the picnic.  And you do not HAVE to be Canadian to attend. But you will have to wave our flag during Oh Canada, and pretend to be one just for the day!  Oh, and just to make sure, Heritage Canada hopefully will ship me 200 miniature Canada Flags, and 200 4 x 2 Maple Leaf window stickers! 

I will be sending out press-releases to a variety of community newspapers - I will know when the Eden Prairie paper posts the info, but would like to hear from others if other papers post the information. Look in the "Community Calendar" sections if applicable.

So, what to expect
The intended time for the picnic is from 4pm to 9pm, however you are welcome to show up when the park actually opens - which I believe is 9am. (The park closes at 10:00pm incidentally). Most people will probably start heading home around 8pm. The die-hards will probably stick around until the mosquitoes really get bad (or they run out of beer, or the park police escort them out!).

This is a RAIN or SHINE picnic. There is a HUGE shelter that can accommodate all of us should mother nature decide NOT to cooperate. We have decided to change the site after having the past 5 picnics to this site.  There is a softball diamond right next to the shelter, and ample kids

Information on Park

 There will be 1 outdoor charcoal (briquette) grills hot by about 4:30pm. BBQ your burgers or dogs. Guy will be bringing steaks though, but only for his family.

Remember, YOU have to bring your own food - but there will be paper plates, knives, forks, condiments (Ketchup, Mustard, Relish), and cooking utensils. This year, we are electing NOT to sell pop, so make sure you bring you beverages too! Beer IN CANS ONLY is allowed at the picnic site. It also must be that lousy 3.2% stuff you get at the gas station.  The police will be called for anyone who becomes drunk and disorderly.

After dinner/BBQ'ing, we are going to have kids games (balloon toss, etc), and softball.

Oh yeah, before I forget - someone brought softball bases and equipment last year for the softball - can anyone bring stuff this year?  Send me an e-mail if you have!

One last thing. Running this picnic is going to cost  US as follows:

Shelter Rental $208.00
Canada Day Cakes 60.00
Special Event Fee 25.00
Condiments etc 30.00
Name Tags 10.00
Briquettes 20.00
Misc 10.00
When you FIRST get to the picnic grounds, you will be ask to kindly register - this means paying as follows:

 $2.00 adult EACH, $1.00 kids EACH.

Last year, we broke even or gained a little bit. That's all we want to do this year - break even. When you have registered, you will get a name tag. Please write out your name and your CANADIAN home town, and wear the tag.  If you are NOT wearing your tag, the tag police (Guy) will ask you to please register.   I am going to feel uncomfortable walking around asking people to register (ie pay), so PLEASE, help out but doing this as soon as you arrive. Thanks, and see you there!

Thanks!  See you there!