How a Utah group aims to make picnics cool again — with a blanket, food and friends

Sheltered underneath a tree in Salt Lake Metropolis’s Heat Springs Park on a scorching June day, McKenzie Wallace and Griffen Nebeker laid a red-checkered blanket down on the bottom.

Then they set out a easy however picturesque unfold: Pears, grapes, cheese, bread, tins of sardines, shiny pink radishes pickled in Nebeker’s personal kitchen, and a strawberry rhubarb pie with pansies baked into the criss-cross of the crust.

Each of them are an outdated hand at placing collectively picnics. Since 2017, they’ve been a part of the Salt Lake Picnic Society, which they began together with Kendra Pugh (who helped open Custom and was as soon as the co-owner of the pantry staple firm The Bearded Girl).

The founders stated the society started as a gaggle of associates within the meals business, who held picnics on Mondays and Tuesdays — which, for individuals who work in bars and eating places, is the weekend.

“Largely I began it to get my service business associates outdoors on our days off to share good food and drinks, since that’s what all of us do,” stated Pugh, who relocated to Texas final yr. “I used to be pleased we did it — we had numerous enjoyable, and wonderful spreads. I simply actually need to get individuals enthusiastic about sharing good meals, particularly in Utah’s attractive areas.”

The society’s final picnic, in Jordan Park, occurred within the fall of 2019. After Pugh moved to Texas and every part shut down throughout the pandemic, the society went dormant, however its first public occasion in two years will occur in late June. (The date will probably be introduced on the Salt Lake Picnic Society’s Instagram web page, @slcpicnicsociety.)

Wallace stated that earlier than the pandemic, the picnics had organically expanded to incorporate individuals who have been extra peripheral to the meals business, in addition to like-minded associates.

“We simply began throwing these picnics,” Wallace stated, “and we have been all food-obsessed, so they’d be possibly a bit of extra over-the-top than the common picnic. Which was all the time actually enjoyable. After which we began getting extra individuals and concerned. Kendra began casually posting photos of our picnics on social media, and other people have been like, ‘What’s the deal? I need to come to this!’”

Wallace and Nebeker stated they need the society to proceed to maneuver in that course. “Griffen and I have been speaking, and we have been like, we should always make the Picnic Society a factor. We should always do it, and have it’s a giant neighborhood gathering — centered round meals individuals and business staff, however open to anybody,” she stated. “It’s not unique. We wish anybody and everybody to come back.”

Nebeker, who’s a chef on the Submit Workplace Place Downtown, stated he additionally sees the society as a lure to get individuals into a few of Salt Lake Metropolis’s underappreciated and less-used inexperienced areas — like Heat Springs Park, Kay Rees Park and Faultline Gardens Park — in addition to quirkier spots, like Gilgal Gardens. “All of the native curiosities are form of enjoyable, in my view,” he stated.

They are saying additionally they need to maintain their occasions low-key and spontaneous, so bulletins of picnics will occur through Instagram a day or two earlier than gatherings. Partly that’s a solution to maintain occasions from getting too crowded, Wallace stated. “However we additionally need to keep the spontaneity, and have individuals be like, ‘When’s the following picnic?’”

“We don’t need to lose the informality, ever,” Nebeker stated, including that the enjoyable factor about picnics is you may put as a lot or as little effort into as you want — and that folks shouldn’t really feel embarrassed about bringing easy or non-extravagant issues, or simply displaying up empty-handed. Wallace stated they’re nonetheless guided by Pugh’s philosophy, which was to maintain issues easy, however high-quality.

“It doesn’t have to be fussy,” she stated. “It doesn’t have to be extravagant. The most effective meals you’ll ever eat simply makes use of actually good elements, carried out very well, with out being excessive.”

Nebeker and Wallace’s go-to picnic meals place is the Downtown Farmers Market, the place they purchase loaves from Bread Riot Bakehouse or pies made by their good friend, Cori Norton of Pie Celebration (who baked the pansy-topped pie).

“Caputo’s is sort of a one-stop store for a picnic, other than the produce,” Wallace stated. Along with the Farmers Market, for fruit and veggies she likes Harmons, Liberty Heights Contemporary and SLC High Crops, a farmlet in Rose Park that takes orders on-line on Tuesdays for Wednesday pick-up.

Wallace stated she needs to assist native companies and native meals methods, and sees the picnic society as a approach to try this. Not solely are picnic individuals shopping for meals from these native companies, however they’re experiencing the fun of a regionally grown tomato or a home made strawberry-rhubarb pie.

One other profit the picnics provide is an opportunity for individuals to decelerate and join with individuals over meals, Wallace stated. “It seemed like issues have been going to decelerate throughout the pandemic,” she stated, “after which they didn’t.” Picnics are a approach of tapping the brakes, whilst life goes again to its traditional hyperactive pace.

“It’s nearly a form of ritual,” Nebeker added. “Like a time passed by. … Simply consuming tasty stuff within the park with your mates. It’s one of the best.”

The right way to take pleasure in a curated picnic

The Salt Lake Metropolis space has a number of firms specializing in picnics, from one-person outfits that e book through Instagram DM to full-on luxurious caterers that can carry picture backdrops, flowers and tea units. Most firms present furnishings — although that ranges from low-lying unpainted picket tables to smooth Modernist outside tables and chairs — and most picnics typically run about two hours. Pricing varies significantly relying on the variety of individuals, add-ons and journey.

On a regular basis’s a Picnic • Everydaypicnics.com • Provides themed luxurious picnics for 2, 4 or giant teams. The corporate does all of the set-up, together with inserting outside furnishings. Meals is charcuterie, or you may carry your personal meals for a $25 cleansing payment. Although their web site’s in upkeep mode, they confirmed through e-mail they’re now accepting bookings on-line.

Lux Picnic SLC • schupickevents.com • Luxurious picnics for as much as eight individuals. Gives the picnic desk, plates, cutlery, glasses and charcuterie, plus pillows and blankets, playing cards, ice bucket and trash. Add-ons embody balloons, flowers, chocolate strawberries and extra. Reservations could be made via their web site.

Nuve Luxurious Picnics • Nuveluxurypicnics.com • This firm can manage a picnic for one particular person or as much as 15, based mostly on seven completely different themes. Picnics embody outside furnishings, all desk settings, a parasol, bug spray, facial tissue, sunscreen, trash luggage, and extra. Add-ons embody video games and extra elaborate charcuterie boards and containers such because the brunch field, which has waffles and a number of jams and syrups. E book via their web site.

The Picnic Aesthetic • thepicnicaesthetic.com • Provides six completely different picnic themes, together with “rental” (they convey the blankets, place settings and decor, you carry the meals), luxurious (all furnishings, place settings and meals supplied) and a brunch picnic with a breakfast-food charcuterie board. E book via their web site.

The Picnic Collective • thepicniccollective.com/book-utah-valley • Customized luxurious picnic caterer based mostly in Utah and California providing 5 completely different themes. Consists of set-up and take-down, picnic furnishings and pillows, and grazing boards. E book via the web site.

Picnic Avenue • instagram.com/picnicstreet.slc • Pop-up luxurious picnics. For June, they’re working a particular, “To the Clouds,” that includes a picnic desk, balloon backdrop, blankets and pillows, candles, desk settings, a Bluetooth speaker, custom-made letter board and ice bucket. E book via Instagram.

Picnic Below the Stars • instagram.com/picnic_under_thestars, fb.com/Picnic-Below-The-Stars • Pop-up picnics, primarily for particular events. Picnic tables, place settings and decorations are supplied. E book via Fb or Instagram.

Picnic Up • instagram.com/picnicupslc • Pop-up “boho luxurious picnics” which might be primarily custom-made; serves charcuterie, which could be made vegan upon request. E book via Instagram.

Sol Picnic • solpicnics.com, instagram.com/solpicnic • Sol gives all furnishings, desk settings and decorations upfront of your arrival, however you carry the meals and drinks. They return after your departure to scrub every part up. E book not less than 24 hours upfront, via their web site, or through Instagram.

Zion Picnic Excursions • zionpicnicexcursions.com • Provides 4 completely different themes, and gives set-up and take-down, in addition to furnishings, cushions, bug spray, grazing board, rugs, single-use plates and cutlery and extra. Upgraded packages embody picnic video games, cake and a balloon arch. They e book picnics in Salt Lake Metropolis and close to Zion Nationwide Park. Schedule via the web site.

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