By Brett Nolan
The Mandarin Community Club is inviting the community to come together in celebration of a historic milestone as it hosts a Patriotic Picnic in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. The event will take place on Flag Day, Sunday, June 14, from 12:30 to 3 p.m., offering an afternoon of food, music and family-friendly activities in a uniquely historic setting.
Held beneath the shade of the club’s iconic oak trees, some estimated to be nearly as old as the nation itself, the picnic will take place at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Pavilion, a covered venue inspired by the architectural style of the famed author’s former Mandarin home. The historic setting provides a rare opportunity to celebrate American history in a place that feels connected to it.
The event will feature a variety of classic picnic fare, including fried chicken and biscuits, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, and savory barbecue pulled pork and pasta salad, along with hot dogs and other all-American favorites. An additional highlight of the menu will be a special patriotic edition of award-winning mandarin orange cake, prepared by head chef Dennis Chan, adding a festive touch to the celebration.
Entertainment throughout the afternoon will include live patriotic music performed by local Theater Troupe 1776, along with a color guard presentation by the Jacksonville Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, Florida’s oldest SAR chapter. These elements are intended to both honor the nation’s history and engage attendees of all ages.
Interactive activities will also play a central role in the event. Guests will have the opportunity to sign a replica of the Declaration of Independence as a symbolic gesture of civic pride and participate in a lively, crowd-engaged reading of the historic document. A pie contest will invite club members to showcase their baking skills, with attendees sampling entries and voting for their favorites.
Tickets for the event are priced at just $17.76 per person — a playful nod to the year of America’s founding. Children 5 and under are admitted free. Advance online ticket purchases and RSVPs are strongly encouraged to help plan for the crowd, though tickets will also be available at the door, where space is limited.
Each ticket includes entry into a prize drawing featuring special commemorative items tied to America’s 250th anniversary, including an official Betsy Ross America 250 flag. Mandarin Community Club members will receive additional drawing tickets as well as tokens for voting in the pie contest. Individuals who bring a worn and tattered U.S. flag to properly dispose of will receive an additional prize drawing ticket.
The picnic also serves as an opportunity to support one of Jacksonville’s longest-standing civic organizations. The Mandarin Community Club, which has served the area for more than a century, continues to host events aimed at strengthening community ties while preserving local history.
As a membership drive, attendees are encouraged to bring friends and family, enjoy the celebration and consider becoming members of the Mandarin Community Club to support and take part in future events like this one that bring the community together in meaningful ways.
With its combination of tradition, entertainment and community engagement, the Patriotic Picnic offers a meaningful way to reflect on the nation’s history while looking ahead to its future.
Brett Nolan is the vice president of the board of directors for the Mandarin Community Club.
