How to Have a Safe Picnic Day

Picnic Day is a great excuse to have some friends over for a BBQ and a brewskie (or whatever the people in this Picnic Day photo to the left are doing). It is not an excuse to stumble out of a bar blind-drunk and yak in the street. The excesses of years past are passé.

This year, 65 Greek houses have signed the Picnic Day Greek Covenant, promising to act responsibly and encourage others to do so. Dozens of local business have put aside profit in the name of public safety and pledged to support safety by signing the Picnic Day Community Covenant.

What if you’re just an average Joe or Josephine who wants to host a safe and sane party? The Picnic Day folks have some easy suggestions to follow.

• Let your neighbors know you are going to have an event and give them your phone number so they can call you if there are any problems.
• Keep your event to people you know. It is better to have inside or in your backyard to avoid unwanted guests.
• Make sure that someone stays sober to watch out for everyone and take care of any situations that may arise.
• Serve food and non-alcoholic beverages.
• Provide safe transportation for guests who have been drinking.
• Know your responsibilities and liabilities as a host.

If you do plan to make a public spectacle of yourself, better bring your checkbook. The fines for nuisance behavior will be sky-high in the downtown Safety Enhancement Zone. The campus and downtown area will be crawling with cops from several different towns and law enforcement agencies who are pulling overtime and happy to write big fat juicy tickets.

• General noise  $403.00
• Urinating in public $403.00
• Open containers of alcohol $403.00
• Smoking in public $480.00

So by all means, cut loose and have fun. Just be smart about it!

Want more information? Visit the Picnic Day safe party site.