While I have a few problems with Robert Putnam’s methodology, he’s not wrong about the decline of picnics. In his book, Bowling Alone, he writes:
The practice of entertaining friends has not simply moved outside the home, but seems to be vanishing entirely. Informal outings, like picnics, also seem on the path to extinction. The number of picnics per capita was slashed by nearly 60 percent between 1975 and 1999.
Well, here at streets.mn we’re doing our best to reverse this trend. We had a great Writers/Members Picnic last Sunday. Thanks to everyone who made it, and I put up a few photos on the Facebook page. Become a member today, and join in our next event!
The season trends in picnics, via Google Trends.
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I’m really looking forward to throwing block parties once we move into our home. We use to have an annual one on our little alley in San Francisco. You see your neighbors here and there but never stop and meet/greet, get to know them.