Good, old-fashioned, town-wide picnic

The fifth annual, good old-fashioned Fairfax Town Picnic brings neighbors together and pits them against one another this Sunday afternoon.

Sponsored by the Fairfax Volunteers, the picnic tries to bring together neighbors and give them a low-key way to get to know each other. Then, once everyone's had some food and beer, gotten to known each other, and enjoyed the music, it's time for those neighbors to face off in competitions of tug-of-war and sack races.

"It's like a town-wide block party," said Maria Baird,  community resources coordinator for the town.

The casual party kicks off at the ballfield at noon this Sunday – though residents are always welcome to show up early and help set up. Bandit's Revolver plays from 1-2:30 p.m. and from 3:30-5 p.m., when the party ends. When the band isn't playing, the games take place.

Along with the traditional tug-of-war and sack race, there is also an egg race, where participants run with an egg on a spoon; a suitcase race, where competitors have to race with a suitcase full of clothes across the field, put on all the clothes, and race back; and a watermelon-eating contest, a healthier alternative to the traditional pie-eating contest in years past.

The games pit neighborhoods against each other, finally answering the question: which is better – Oak Manor or Cascade?

Residents of each of the 12 neighborhoods receive a different colored wristband on arrival, based on their location, so they can identify other residents from their neighborhood and spot the competitors from a distance. [Out-of-towners get a boring black wristband.] The 12 neighborhoods are, generally: East Fairfax, Dominga/downtown, Willow, Olema, Taylor, Marinda/Oak Manor, Park, Cascade, Manor Hill, West End, Laurel, and Deer Park.

"By getting to know your neighbors, in case there is a disaster or an emergency, you know who lives there and who needs help," said Baird, though she said the main goal of the picnic is fun.

Along with games and music, food is sold from Sir Francis Drake Café and Lydia's. Beer sold from Iron Springs benefits the Fairfax Volunteers. There is a jump house and face-painting for kids. The artist-in-residence has an art project involving bubbles with the children.

The fun is free, though picnic-goers can always volunteer before or after with the set-up and clean-up.

In its fifth year, the picnic has grown dramatically since its inception. Some 300 residents came the first year. Last year, over 800 Fairfaxians made it to the ballfield – about 10 percent of the town population. Nearly 800 residents are expected again, though if much more than 10 percent of the town shows up it may be close quarters at the ballfield.

In that case, the picnic would have to expand and pit Fairfax against San Anselmo in a town verse town tug-of-war.