With works-in-progress from RAISIN artists!

This annual event started in 2013 when we gathered a group of volunteer neighbors to see how we could bring neighbors together by creating a community picnic in the middle of the street. If we had art, music, games, magic, and food, could we would gather everyone together at one table?

With a donation of 25 tables from the Broadway Armory and Edgewater Arts Festival we place them in the middle of the street. Weeks before, neighborhood kids, who wait all year for the event, put up signs to advertise the event and to inform drivers to move their cars. Once the cars are gone, we sweep the street, bring out the chairs and tables and place a long white paper roll across the 25 tables joining them together.. We cut flowers, place them in vases, gather food from local restaurants, we all bring food, and Otis gets the barbecue going which sends smoke signals to the adjoining streets. The artists and kids set up the booths for face painting, finger nail painting, and dream making. The kids fill up the water balloons, bring out the napkins, silverware, soda, watermelon, and popsicles. We set up the game stations and once the bouncy house arrives, the kids with their parents arrive. The neighbor brings his accordion and we all start dancing, the poets recite poetry, the fire truck arrives and the kids can sit in the truck. The magician and his bunny arrive, and we end the day with the water balloon toss!