Editorial: Masonic Picnic tradition lives on

Published 10:57 am Tuesday, August 5, 2025

The tradition continues.
It’s a bit different, but it continues just the same.
Saturday is the Masonic Picnic.
It’s seen a lot of changes since that first picnic along the shoals of the South Yadkin River near Cooleemee in 1878. It stayed there for five years; with activities such as fishing, swimming and wading in addition to the food that goes along with a picnic.
Another tradition is the Masonic Home for Children, once the Oxford Orphanage. Children from that group came to Mocksville in 1877 and presented entertainment. It ignited Mocksville Masons into cooperating with Masonic lodges in Farmington, Jerusalem and County Line to establish the first picnic to support the orphanage. Some $35 was collected when the hat was passed around for that first event, according to James Wall’s book “The History of Davie County.”
The picnic moved to its permanent home off Poplar Street in Mocksville in 1883, the Masonic Picnic Grounds. In a 1902 Davie Record newspaper article, the following was printed: “NOTICE: All those who possibly can please spare us all the milk you can for ice cream for the Masonic Picnic.”
Everybody loves ice cream, so they saved the milk.
The picnic has been held there ever since. In the beginning, people came by horseback, by foot, by a train excursion from Winston-Salem, for the festivities that grew from a day of speakers, music and food to a weeklong carnival type event. And until recent years, a highlight was the Thursday mid-day meal, provided by local cooks who brought the filled picnic baskets. Donations were accepted to go through those tables filled with fried chicken and deviled eggs, country ham biscuits and treasured family recipes. And the homemade desserts were always plentiful.
Yes, things change.
Go Saturday, and you won’t find those long tables filled with homemade goodies. But you can get your grub from one of the food trucks on site. Go Saturday, and you won’t hear some politician pontificate for what seems like hours. But you can enjoy a foam party and dinosaur demonstration. Check out several local vendors, as well.
And yes, some things don’t change.
That’s the need at the children’s home. This Masonic-supported venture doesn’t operate as it once did, either, but it does take care of children – children whose parents are unable to take care of them.
It’s a cause that was worthy in 1877, and is still worthy today.
– Mike Barnhardt