Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Arnold will offer some new free events at its parish picnic, set for 5-11 p.m. Friday, May 20, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 21, at the church, 2300 Church Road.
While the picnic grounds open at 10 a.m. Saturday, food vendors and games do not open until noon and the rides begin at 1 p.m. and stop operating at 10 p.m.
The picnic is open to the public.
In addition to the traditional carnival rides, food and games offered for a cost, the picnic will include plenty of free activities, like Knocker Ball, which has participants get into oversize inflated balls and compete in a soccer match. A soccer kick inflatable also will be offered for free.
The free Knocker Ball will be from 6-8 p.m. Friday and 1-4 p.m. Saturday, and the soccer kick inflatable will be free from 6-8 p.m. Friday and 6-8 p.m. Saturday.
Other free events on Saturday include a balloon artist from noon to 2 p.m., a petting zoo from 2-4 p.m. and pony rides, which have not yet been scheduled.
“I like being able to offer free things,” said Wendy Haglin, one of the picnic’s organizers. “These (parish picnics) can cost so much money when you have two or three kids that you end up spending as much as going to Six Flags. Our focus has always been to try to make it as affordable as possible.”
Friday night will feature a performance by the Exit 180 band from 7-11 p.m.
Another new feature will be karaoke from 7-11 p.m. Saturday, following a performance by an Elvis impersonator from 6:30-7 p.m.
“We have tried other musical performances that have not been great fits, so we decided to try karaoke,” Haglin said. “I’m sure some people will love it.”
Saturday also features two of the picnic’s more anticipated events, the parade and fireworks show.
The parade will kick off at 11 a.m. beginning at the nearby Walmart parking lot, 2201 Michigan Ave.
“The kids come up with great things to have in the parade,” Haglin said.
The fireworks show is expected to start at about 9 p.m. Saturday.
“It is really cool,” Haglin said. “It is about 20 minutes’ worth of fireworks, and it is really nice.”
Haglin said the picnic generates about $12,000 for the parish, and the money goes into Immaculate Conception’s general operating funds. She also said it takes about 75 volunteers to run the picnic, and anyone interested in volunteering may sign up at the parish’s website, icarnold.com.
Haglin said one of most important parts of the picnic is the social interaction among parish members and community members who do not attend the church.
“Any time you can get people on your campus, whether they are from your church or not, the connections they may make with people is important,” she said. “If they like the people they meet, they may show up to church on Sunday. If they have kids, they may want to send their kids to the school or join the athletic association.”