Greek Picnic
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Greek Picnic is an annual week-long event during the month of July in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Originally designed as a reunion celebrating African American college fraternities and sororities, it later gained popularity among a large population that do not attend college due to its various popular social activities.
The Philadelphia Greek Picnic was established in July 1974 at the Belmont Grove in Fairmount Park.[1] The Philadelphia Greek Picnic continues to be the nation's oldest reunion for members of the historic nine African-American fraternities and sororities and people who appreciate and understand college and African American Greek-lettered life.[2]
The Philadelphia Greek Picnic is co-sponsored by the City of Philadelphia, the Office of the Managing Director, the Fairmount Park Commission, the Philadelphia Police Department and the National Pan-Hellenic Council Inc. of Philadelphia. It is managed and coordinated by volunteers of the nine organizations wishing to make the entire week-long experience unforgettable based upon the themes of Scholarship, Fellowship and Respect.[citation needed]
No picnic was planned in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They resumed the next year.
The Philadelphia event has inspired other Greek Picnic events in other cities across the United States, including Charlotte, North Carolina.[3]
