Pioneer Picnic returns for 136th edition

PIERPONT TOWNSHIP – In recent years, there was a little anxiety and maybe even a little doubt over what the future held for Pioneer Picnic.
If the 136th edition of Pioneer Picnic, hosted the weekend of Aug. 28-30, is any indication, those storm clouds have lifted.
“It’s been amazing,” Pioneer Picnic President Tim Greer said. “We’re all tired, but it’s been so much fun.”
Attendance was high heading into the evening festivities on Saturday.
“I think we’re pushing in 1,500 to 1,800 so far, and they’re still coming,” Greer said. “The tractor pulls really pulled people in. We’ve got a band tonight. We’ve got fireworks after the band. It’s going to be a big night.”
“If it wasn’t for this wonderful community, we wouldn’t have an event,” Greer continued. “As you can see, they’re here, they’re supporting us and they’re having fun. I can’t say enough great stuff about that.”
Many of those who attended have attended in the past, many of them for decades.
“The repeat people came back,” Greer said. “A lot of the people are very impressed with what our team has done. (We’ve gotten) lots of comments, lots of positive comments, which is kind of nice. We were getting some negative press for a while because we tore down the old, and we built some new things. They’re starting to see the end vision now.”
Pioneer Picnic featured lawn tractor pulls, kids’ pedal pulls, pageants, a power wheels race, a live auction, camping, cornhole tournament, 50/50 drawings, a flea market, a frog-jumping contest, a hot dog-eating contest, a pie-baking contest, a watermelon-eating contest, a power wheels demolition derby, cross-cut saw competition, a Chinese auction, pony rides, bull rides, a blindfolded golf cart obstacle race, bingo and a host of children’s activities.
“I don’t think there’s any one thing (people were attracted to),” Greer said. “They love all the different events. We’ve had so many. We brought the horseshoes back. We’re doing cornhole. We’re doing the old frog jumping contest. We’re doing the power wheels demolition derby and power wheels drag racing. There’s such a mix. There’s just something to do all day long. They’re definitely not bored.”
Many of the events were hosted in an effort to appeal to the kids in the community.
“That was the hope, bringing in the younger children,” Greer said. “And, the Amish community have showed up and brought their children, so it’s just been amazing.”
“They’re the future generation,” Greer continued. “We want them to come out and love it like we did as kids so they’ll want to take over and continue what we’ve got going on.”
A community of people made Pioneer Picnic possible.
“Of course, I want to thank all of our volunteers, and there’s a bunch of them,” Greer said. “We have a sponsor board. We have some great sponsors that came out and sponsored a lot of the events. The volunteers, they’re the ones who made this happen. Passmore Construction, they built the cabin and the different stuff. They’re out here all the time. There’s just so many. As soon as I sit here and try to name them all, I’m going to miss somebody. Monroe Fire Hall is here. Pierpont Fire Hall is out here now. We started building a relationship with them, as well.”
“The other day I was talking about the Amish community and how they don’t even know each other, but they’re like, ‘Hey, we’re going to build a house,’ and it’s done in two days,” Greer continued. “That’s kind of what I’m trying to do here at Pioneer Picnic. I want to work with Monroe. I want to work with Pierpont. I want to work with the Grange. I want to work so that we have that network of, ‘Hey, we’re going to do this,’ and we all show up there.”