LITCHFIELD – The 2022 Old Settlers Picnic pops up in Litchfield starting Friday, July 8. The festival spans the entire weekend and guarantees something for everyone, from those with a sweet tooth to those with a hankering for the taste of victory.
The picnic officially begins Friday at 4 p.m. with a deadline for the Dessert Contest; aspiring pastry chefs must drop off their entries at the Winters Building no later than that hour if they wish to be included in the contest. Desserts will be served at the Fireman’s BBQ, and firemen themselves will be judging the caliber of each dessert. The contest is divided into two categories: 16 and under and 17 and over.
Firemen won’t be the only ones treated to the sweets of Litchfield, though; picnic organizer Andrew Reynolds promises a local ice cream maestro will be on hand to keep everyone cool and happy.
“We’ve got a guy in town here with an ice cream maker, and he’s the go-to guy that everybody looks for ice cream from, and he does a fantastic job of it. He’ll be making the ice cream for Friday’s bake sale and on Saturday, too.”
Saturday begins with a 10:30 a.m. parade for spectators, but at 9:45 for those who wish to participate. Registration and check-in will be at the Litchfield Public School, and the parade will go down Main Street, heading east to go around the park. The theme this year is “Small Town Summer Fun.”
The day’s other activities center on the park and include a pizza lunch sponsored by the community club from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., a vendor show, a tractor pedal pull, a horseshoe tournament, and turtle races. Turtle race organizer Matt Drew assures potential participants that this year’s contest will offer a bit more substance than last year.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to put a little money on them for fun and fundraising. We want to make sure everyone has fun. This year, we have it way better organized.”
Saturday night offers a community BBQ on Main Street, a beer garden, and street dance, while Sunday promises a church service in the park, a sand volleyball tournament, and a family trap shoot at 1:30 p.m.; all of these events, Matt Drew boasts, cost nothing, and are open to all.
“The main goal is to have many events for free for all ages. You can let the kids go play on the water slides and let the adults go play some horse shoes.”
A detailed schedule of events is listed below.
