GREENE – As one of the town’s longest running annual events, the Greene Labor Day Picnic has taken on a life of its own over the past 92 years. What began in 1919 as a community picnic where participants rode ferries across the Chenango River for the festivities, now routinely draws upwards of 10,000 people to the Greene Ball Flats.
According to the Greene Labor Day Picnic Association’s president and long-time contributor Byron Miller, it’s a perfect opportunity to celebrate community, family, friends and the end of another summer.
“It’s just a big part of the community and it always has been,” said Miller, who’s been involved with the town picnic for over four decades now. “It’s one of those events where you’ll see people you might only see once or twice a year, or you might run into someone you graduated with and haven’t seen for ten years. It’s all about people and community.”
The family friendly event will kick-off at 8 a.m. Monday in downtown Greene with the ever-popular hose fights, “always a big draw,” according to Miller, followed by the Labor Day Parade at 10 a.m. This year’s parade will feature the usual mix of local fire departments, tractors, antique cars and hot rods and a number of local scouting and community groups, all led by the Greene High School Marching Band.
Carnival rides will once again be provided by 3-D Amusements, and will be open from 1 to 8 p.m. on Sunday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Monday, reported Miller. Other activities will include an antique and hot rod car show, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., antique tractor pulls at 11 a.m., the 7th annual Lions Club Duck Race, a 5K run, 50/50 raffle, bingo, an Elvis impersonator, children’s games and more. Chicken barbecue will be provided by the Greene Council of Churches, added Miller, and all proceeds from the event go to support local organizations within the community.
Last year, the annual picnic brought in “a little over $11,000,” said Miller.
“We like to aim for $10,000, and if we can do a little better than that, so be it,” he added. “We’ve grown every year. We’ve brought in the tractor pull, the antique car show and the 5K run, and we’re always trying to bring in something new. The more money we can raise, the more we can donate. This event is for the enjoyment of the community, but it’s also for the benefit of the community.”
The picnic will feature live entertainment throughout the day, with performances by Gary Jennings, Party of Two, Gravity Pine with Gary Parker and Split Rail, with sound provided by Sunshower Product Sound. The Step Up & Dance recital will kick things off at 11 a.m. and – if that weren’t enough – there’s always the annual fireworks, said Miller, scheduled for 8:45 p.m.
“If you have a family and you’re looking to have a really enjoyable day, we have everything,” said Miller. “There will be lots of attractions for the kids, chicken barbecue and great fireworks, as well. We try to keep the prices as reasonable as possible so families can afford to come down and enjoy. It’s all about community, that’s what it boils down to.”
Organizers for the event are also encouraging people to bring non-perishable food items for the Greene Food Pantry, which can also be dropped off at the Stuff-a-Bus as well, said Miller.
There is no cost for admission to the Greene Labor Day Picnic and parking at the Ball Flats is reserved for handicap-parking only. Free parking will be available at the South Chenango Street Great American and a free shuttle will run from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. to and from the Ball Flats. Additional parking will be available in the village’s municipal parking areas.