Sep

(UPDATE) The 2022 Staff Picnic is ON for Oct. 6

The Smithsonian Community Committee is pleased to announce the 19th annual Staff Picnic on the Mall. SI staff, fellows, interns, contractors, and volunteers are invited to join in the festivities. This popular event includes free food, entertainment, stories, research presentations, and other exciting activities!

Romantic painting of picnickers and — *The Picnic, Thomas Cole, 1845. Courtesy The Brooklyn Museum. Note: This is not the actual Smithsonian Staff Picnic. In case you were confused.*

The Smithsonian Community Committee (SCC) is putting the final touches on plans for the 19th annual Staff Picnic on the Mall. Please take a moment to read the important notes below and additional event details to help you plan your day.

IMPORTANT NOTES

Bring your badge! SI staff, interns, contractors, and volunteers are invited to join in the festivities, but don’t forget your badge – you will need it to enter the venue.
Meal tickets will no longer be required. Previous emails requested that you register in advance to receive your meal tickets. Attendees will now only need to show their SI badge to enter the venue and pick-up their food.
From set-up to clean-up, and all the activities in between, the picnic would not be possible without volunteers. There is still time to join the Picnic Team! If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact Ren Cooper at cooperr@si.edu.

FOOD

Lunch will be provided by Mission BBQ. Vegetarian options will be available. View the menu.

ENTERTAINMENT AND ACTIVITIES

Enjoy musical performances at AIB fromcolleagues and others with Smithsonian roots.
Sit in on all the collegial conversations at the Smithsonian Stories narrative session in the lecture hall in Ripley Center/Quad, facilitated by the Material Culture Forum.
Cheer on your colleagues as they compete in the Smithsonian-wide Cornhole Tournament.
Have a conversation with “Joseph Henry,” the Smithsonian’s first Secretary – and make sure to take the pre-picnic quiz to test your Joseph Henry knowledge and prepare for your discussion!
Reconnect with retired colleagues and get information at the Smithsonian Alumni Program station.

Visit a selection of your favorite Smithsonian Affinity groups.
Get your flu shot. Occupational Health Services will have a walk-up clinic outside the Ripley Center kiosk entrance.
See the selected entries from the Staff Photo Show, on view in the Quad.
Test your skills with a giant Jenga game.
Stop by program boothsin the Freer Plaza, Haupt Garden, Arts & Industries Building, and the Quad to learn more from your colleagues across the Smithsonian, including Emergency Management, Asian Art, Smithsonian Gardens, SI Libraries and Archives, SI Oral History Project, and the Amateur Radio Club.
Participate in any of the following activities:
- Engineering Circuits with the Science Education Center
  11:30-2:30
  Haupt Garden
  Learn about Smithsonian Science Education Center’s work with schools, students, and corporate volunteers while using simple materials to explore circuits. Participants will walk away with a simple circuit made of copper tape and a LED.
- SI Oral History Project Soft Launch
  11:30-2:30
  Quad
  Learn more about the upcoming SI 175th Staff Oral History Project, an institution-wide initiative archiving stories of the SI community in the form of audio or video recorded memories, written recollections, photographs, and interviews. Meet the project facilitators and find out how you can participate!
- Craftivist Circle with the Anacostia Community Museum
  12:30-2:00
  Quad
  Feel the power of the stitch! Join our resident “Crochet Kingpin” Dwayne Lawson-Brown for a meet-up of like minds and crafty hands. Participants will engage in fiber-crafts including crochet, knitting, and needlepoint while envisioning “Our Ideal Smithsonian.” People with experience are encouraged to bring their materials (and be ready to help with some minor one-on-one instruction with their neighbors). For beginners – crochet hooks, yarn, and instructional info will be provided. Register in advance to reserve your spot. Participation is limited to 12 participants.
- Geocaching Adventure Labs with the Office of Visitor Services
  11:30-2:30
  Haupt Garden
  Take a tour through early Smithsonian history with a virtual scavenger hunt on the Castle grounds. Visit OVS staff for a quick orientation to Adventure Lab.

VENUE/MAP

The picnic will be held at Smithsonian venues on the south side of the mall, including the Arts & Industries building, Smithsonian Castle, Quad Building, Freer Plaza, and the Enid Haupt Garden. Attendees should refer to the venue map to view the location of various events and activities. Please note that the Discovery Theater in the Ripley Center will be a major hub for planned activities.

GIVEAWAYS

A reusable cutlery set, including a plastic fork, knife, spoon, and carrying case, will be given to the first 2,500 attendees. This eco-friendly giveaway will provide staff with an alternative to single-use plastic utensils. This is first-come, first-serve so make sure you arrive early!

ACCESSIBILITY

Sign Language Interpreters will be provided throughout the picnic at both the SI Music Stage and SI Stories. Please contact Shadella Davis (davissm@si.edu) to request an interpreter or other accommodation for other activities.

SUSTAINABILITY

Help make this a zero-waste event! The Recycling Task Force (RTF) wants to keep at least 95% of the picnic materials out of the landfill. The RTF will have four recycling kiosks available, two at each meal serving location. Volunteers will help staff correctly dispose of their recyclables, compostables, and trash/landfill waste.

FIRST AID

First aid will be available in Room 3037A in the Quad.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you have additional questions, please reach out to Charlie Weber, Picnic Co-Chair at (202) 633-6441, weberc@si.edu. Any new or updated information will be posted to the Annual SI Staff Picnic website.

When: Thursday, October 6, 11:30 am to 2:30 pm

Where: Arts and Industries Building, Smithsonian Castle, Quad Building, Freer Plaza, and Enid Haupt Garden

on programming and schedules.