Severna Forest Block Party -Ben Oaks Pig Pickin' Picnic

Chilly weather or not, things were crazy around the Park last weekend. Everywhere we turned, there were games, festivals and parties - including the annual Heritage Day Festival, mostly moved indoors to the Severna Park Community Center along with the vendors participating in the Saturday in the Park Street Fair.

We did spy local history buff Scott Jay leading a group of folks on a historic walking tour of Severna Park that included notable landmarks around Olde Severna Park, Linstead and.

Scott's tours are always interesting and informative. The best thing about them? He knows where all of the skeletons are buried and he’s not shy about talking.

Up Benfield Road a bit, residents of Severna Forest were having a grand time at the Mangrove Road community block party. The community provided hot dogs and hamburgers and everyone brought a dish to share. There were games and activities galore for the small fry and adults alike. Organized by Jamie Bauer, Julie Smith and Dee Wieninger, everyone seemed to have a great afternoon in the “hood.”

Some of those who attended included Francesca Glick, Karrie Bunch, Martin Spalding Varsity girls basketball coach Bookie Rosemond and wife Wendy, Jamie and Mark Mench, Cindy Smith, Teresa and Carl Gilbert, Dale Atkinson, Eileen and Neal Harrington, Cory and Carrie Rodgers Rayburn,  Mike and Lorrie Jones Davis, Pam Roberts and David Ramsey and a host of others.

The Ben Oaks Pig Pickin’ Picnic has been a tradition in this old style Park community since 1983. This year, despite the threat of rain and the jury-rigging of dozens of tents, more than 200 guests turned up at the community’s beautiful fresh water pool to party.

Beth Meighan, who organized the event, ordered two 65 pound pigs from My Butcher and More. The volunteer team of chefs who got the fires started at 7 am to start grilling the cob rollers included Bob Lynch, James Kegley, Dick Waskom, Paul Fries and Jon Lundfelt.

One of the guests was feeling especially happy to be able to attend the picnic.  Chris Hutcheson was released from the hospital just three days prior to the party after undergoing open heart surgery. She told the Patch,  she was “very grateful” to be sharing the afternoon with so many of her friends and her family.

Some of the other folks who made the occasion memorable included Jenn Paternaude, Deb Vincent, Jeffrey Shrum, Tim and Nathan Hutcheson, John Yannonne, Dawn Murray, Jenni Hickman, Tammy Cope, Drew and Faith Harder Burns, Paul Beardmore, Elaine Lebar, Becky Tubbs, Karen Dabarowski, Tricia Mc Nutt, Marlene Hallett, Anne Judge, Teri Michalski.