The 127th Annual Italian Picnic Celebration was another huge success last weekend, culminating with a parade through Sutter Creek. Close to 100 floats of all shapes and sizes, cheerleaders, bands, antique vehicles and costumed historic players made their way through Sutter Creek’s historic downtown Sunday morning. Local residents and curious visitors from miles around lined the packed street. TSPN was on hand to record the festivities, including our very own TSPN float. The TSPN float was actually an old mining truck used to perform maintenance underground equipment. TSPN transformed the truck with streamers, banners, and our complete on air cast sitting in the back bed. Others in the parade included cheerleaders and bands from local high schools, antique car associations, the Sutter Gold Mine and local political candidates. After the parade, many attendees made their way over to the Italian Picnic ground for the final day of the picnic. Picnic activities included food and craft booths, bingo, a beer and wine pavilion, live music and bocce ball. The organization behind this 3-day event is the Italian Benevolent Society, formed in 1881 with 33 charter members, all of Italian ancestry, and originally stationed in Amador City. The original purpose of the society was to provide aid to sick Italian-Americans who could not work, and to provide proper burials for deceased members when their families could not. That year, a private picnic was held by the society, and the annual Italian Picnic was born. The Society is believed to be the oldest continually operational Italian fraternal club in the United States.
Tuesday, 03 June 2008 02:08
Italian Picnic Celebration Huge Success
The 127th Annual Italian Picnic Celebration was another huge success last weekend, culminating with a parade through Sutter Creek. Close to 100 floats of all shapes and sizes, cheerleaders, bands, antique vehicles and costumed historic players made their way through Sutter Creek’s historic downtown Sunday morning. Local residents and curious visitors from miles around lined the packed street. TSPN was on hand to record the festivities, including our very own TSPN float. The TSPN float was actually an old mining truck used to perform maintenance underground equipment. TSPN transformed the truck with streamers, banners, and our complete on air cast sitting in the back bed. Others in the parade included cheerleaders and bands from local high schools, antique car associations, the Sutter Gold Mine and local political candidates. After the parade, many attendees made their way over to the Italian Picnic ground for the final day of the picnic. Picnic activities included food and craft booths, bingo, a beer and wine pavilion, live music and bocce ball. The organization behind this 3-day event is the Italian Benevolent Society, formed in 1881 with 33 charter members, all of Italian ancestry, and originally stationed in Amador City. The original purpose of the society was to provide aid to sick Italian-Americans who could not work, and to provide proper burials for deceased members when their families could not. That year, a private picnic was held by the society, and the annual Italian Picnic was born. The Society is believed to be the oldest continually operational Italian fraternal club in the United States.
