Immaculate Conception Catholic Church has added a new feature to its upcoming parish picnic in hopes of attracting more people.
Wendy Haglin, one of the picnic’s organizers, said the church is working with Daddin & Baggin to hold a cornhole tournament on the second day of the festival, which is scheduled from 5-11 p.m. Friday, May 19, and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 20. Immaculate Conception is at 2300 Church Road in Arnold.
The picnic, which is open to the public, also will include a parade, fireworks, carnival rides, live music, food and games.
Cornhole
The entry fee for the cornhole tournament is $50 per team of two, and the fee includes four free beer tickets. Prize money will be awarded to the top three finishers based on how many teams enter the tournament.
The tournament is scheduled to start at noon May 20 and will be played on the parish’s baseball field or, if it rains, in the parish’s gym.
“It will be professionally run,” Haglin said. “We are hoping for 20 teams or more, and the payouts will be half of the registration fees collected.
“We hope it brings people to the picnic who may not necessarily come otherwise. The best part is the excitement of the kids. Kids love the parish picnic.”
Other festivities
On May 19, there will be carnival rides and other fun activities, including a DJ who will provide free karaoke from 7-11 p.m.
The second day of the picnic, on May 20, will feature a parade, which is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. in the Walmart parking lot, 2201 Michigan Ave., and proceed to the church.
“There will be dozens of floats,” Haglin said.
Also on May 20, inflatables will be open from noon until about 10 p.m. A balloon artist will be on hand from noon to 2 p.m., and a petting zoo will be set up on the front lawn of the rectory from 2-4 p.m.
A bubble cannon will be set up on the festival grounds from 6-7 p.m., and Knocker ball, which has participants get inside oversized inflated balls and compete in a soccer match, will be available from 6-8 p.m.
Carnival rides begin operating at 1 p.m. May 20 and will be open until about 10 p.m. There is a cost for the rides.
The Exit 180 band will perform from 7-11 p.m.
A fireworks display put on by Starfire is scheduled to start at 8:45 p.m. and last about 20 minutes, Haglin said.
“It is delightful,” she said. “It is eye level because we can’t go too high in the sky. The fireworks is the big crescendo of the event.”
Haglin said the picnic typically generates about $12,000 for the parish, and the money goes into Immaculate Conception’s general operating funds. She also said it takes about 100 volunteers to put on the picnic, and anyone interested in volunteering may go to the parish’s website, icarnold.com, to sign up.
For more information, call 314-910-3410 or 314-409-6935.