Community Picnic in Stockley Gardens on October 24th at 3:30 PM
Bring a Picnic. We've Got Pie!
Everyone is invited to the Ghent Community Picnic! Join the Ghent Neighborhood League for a wonderful afternoon of community, conversation, laughter, and old-fashioned neighborhood fun in beautiful Stockley Gardens Park.
The Ghent Community Picnic is all about bringing people together. Whether you've lived in Ghent for 40 years or moved in last week, whether you're a Ghent Neighborhood League member or have never attended one of our events, you are welcome here! Bring your family, your friends, your neighbors, and anyone who enjoys a relaxed afternoon in the park. You don't even have to live in Ghent to join the fun.
We believe that a great neighborhood is about more than beautiful homes and tree-lined streets. It's about the people who live here, the friendships we make, the connections we build, and the sense of belonging that comes from knowing our neighbors. The Community Picnic is our way of celebrating all of that.
Pack Your Picnic Basket and Join Us!
Bring your favorite picnic lunch, a blanket, some folding chairs, and settle in for a lovely autumn afternoon. Make yourself comfortable beneath the trees, spread out a picnic blanket, and enjoy the company of friends both old and new.
There's no formal program, no assigned seating, and absolutely no pressure. Stay for the whole afternoon or just stop by to say hello. Introduce yourself to someone you haven't met, reconnect with a familiar face, or simply relax and enjoy the atmosphere.
And don't worry about dessert. We've got pie for everyone! Because what could be better than a neighborhood picnic with plenty of pie to share?
Fun for Kids, Families, and the Young at Heart
We've planned an afternoon filled with activities and attractions for all ages.
Giant Bubbles! Watch enormous, shimmering bubbles float across the park. They're beautiful, entertaining, and irresistible to children and adults alike.
The Giant Play Parachute! A colorful, energetic activity that brings children together for cooperative play, movement, and plenty of laughter.
A Fire Truck! Our neighborhood's youngest residents will have an opportunity to see a fire truck up close and meet some of the people who help keep our community safe.
A Police Car! Another chance for children and families to meet local public safety personnel and get a closer look at the vehicles they use.
Special Guests! We'll have some additional visitors joining the festivities to make the afternoon even more memorable.
Plenty of Room to Play! Stockley Gardens provides a beautiful setting for children to enjoy the outdoors while adults visit, relax, and catch up with one another.
The Most Instagramtastic Picnic Contest!
Here's your chance to have a little fun with your picnic presentation!
We're inviting everyone to participate in our Most Instagramtastic Picnic Contest, celebrating creativity, personality, and picnic style.
Maybe you love a classic gingham tablecloth, a beautifully packed basket, colorful dishes, a clever theme, or a delightfully over-the-top picnic spread. Perhaps your style is sophisticated and elegant, or maybe it's wonderfully whimsical. Whatever your approach, we want to see it!
You don't need an expensive setup or a professional designer's touch. A little imagination and enthusiasm are all it takes.
Prizes:
Grand Prize: $50
Second Prize: Two Ghent Neighborhood League T-shirts
Whether you enter the contest or simply enjoy admiring everyone's picnic creations, it's sure to add some extra fun to the afternoon.
A Celebration of Community
At its heart, this event is about something wonderfully simple: spending time together.
In our busy lives, it's easy to pass our neighbors on the sidewalk with a quick wave and never quite find the time to stop and talk. The Ghent Community Picnic is an opportunity to change that. It's a chance to meet the family down the street, welcome someone new to the neighborhood, reconnect with old friends, and discover how much we all have in common.
We want this to be the kind of afternoon where conversations happen naturally, children make new friends, and people linger a little longer because they're having such a good time.
The Ghent Neighborhood League works throughout the year to strengthen our community through neighborhood advocacy, beautification projects, community cleanups, social gatherings, and special events. But some of our most important work happens when we simply create opportunities for people to come together.
A neighborhood becomes a community when people feel connected to one another, and that's exactly what this picnic is meant to encourage.
All Are Welcome. And We Mean Everyone!
We want to be especially clear about one thing: you do not need to be a Ghent Neighborhood League member to attend. There is no admission fee, no invitation required, and no expectation that you join anything.
Young families, longtime residents, newcomers, singles, couples, retirees, students, and friends from surrounding neighborhoods are all encouraged to come.
Come with a group or come by yourself. If you're new to the neighborhood and don't know anyone yet, this is a terrific opportunity to meet people. If you've lived here for decades, come celebrate the community you've helped make special.
Our goal is to create an afternoon that's welcoming, relaxed, inclusive, and genuinely fun for everyone.
Make an Afternoon of It!
Saturday, October 24, 2026
3:30–6:30 PM
Stockley Gardens Park, Ghent, Norfolk
Pack your picnic, bring a blanket or lawn chairs, invite a neighbor, and join us for an afternoon of big bubbles, colorful parachutes, community visitors, friendly competition, delicious pie, and great company.
You bring the picnic. We'll bring the pie, the activities, and the opportunity to spend a beautiful fall afternoon together.
The Ghent Community Picnic is for the entire community, and we'd love to see you there.
All are welcome. Always.
Hosted by the Ghent Neighborhood League, bringing neighbors together and building a stronger, more connected Ghent.
