Freedom Picnic, Burlington

vermontfolk
Sep 8, 2020
2 min read

Updated: Nov 4, 2020

On September. 5, 2020, nearly 100 happy Vermonters found themselves warmly embracing friends and sharing smiles at an impromptu picnic.

Peace-nickers!

They gathered in Burlington, Vermont at Waterfront Park, on the south end.

A table was set up with signs from Emily Peyton and Unlockvermont.org, among others.

Informational flyers adorned the blankets where moms nursed and cuddled their babies.

Children of all ages played in the field of lush grass in the warm summer sun. Their laughter rang out like music, accompanying the acoustic guitar and easy chit chat from the peacenickers.

Some of the peacenickers held signs on the edge of the blankets and some played music. Some talked in small groups while others kept an eye on the kids and spoke with passers by.

Nearly every other person in the park wore a face mask. Some of them stopped and asked questions, a few video recorded the group of unmasked people who were smiling heartily and enjoying each other’s company.

A couple of them haggled the peacenickers, one a mom with four kids.

Several of the peacenickers spoke to the crowd, sharing their love and passion for humanity-urging us to open our eyes and our hearts. To speak up and find others of like mind.

The vibe was incredible! Inviting. Relaxed. Perfect.

It felt like something from back in the day. Regular people meeting friends and talking about change. Happy smiling faces. No hate.

No issues.

Just love.

Time flew by and before we knew it, it was late afternoon. The kids were tuckered out but overjoyed to have met new friends. Slowly the crowd began to dwindle.

The clouds began to roll in and many of us parted ways, renewed and eager to bond and maintain contact. A light rain fell, the sun beaming behind it and an amazing day came to a close💚