Father Walker’s

Church picnics were a real thing in years past, particularly in rural communities where the chance to gather with your neighbours, sing songs, eat lunch, and watch the kids play wasn’t something that happened every day.

It was in this spirit in 1898 that Father Walker of the (now disappeared) parish of Groshaut near Souris “got up a picnic.” The get-together was also organized to help raise repair funds for the church, and was to be a two-day affair. People as far away as Charlottetown were prepared to take the train out to Rollo Bay for the party.

Father Walker was nothing if not organized and he was able to procure a large number of barrels of non-alcoholic apple cider for the crowd. Little did he know that the non-boozy juice would turn out to be hard cider.

The picnic at Groshaut was one of the most successful and infamous events in the area’s history. The turnout was grand, the money raised was more than anticipated, and the whole shindig was immortalized in song.

It was the best church picnic the Island ever saw.