Classic Fest 2024
June 30th
Galway Racecourse

Discounted Online Tickets

Picnic in the Park Goes Virtual

By Thomas Heavey

If you’re a regular reader of Irish Vintage Scene, you will know that one of my favorite events of the summer is the RIAC Picnic in the Park, which takes place each year in Marlay Park in Dublin. This informal evening get-together is open to classic cars and motorcycles of all ages, and as the name suggests, all participants are encouraged to bring along a picnic to enjoy. Well this year the event is going to go virtual, as like so many others it can’t run in its normal format due to the Covid-19 restrictions. Instead, the organisers are encouraging people to have a picnic with their classic at home, and to share the photos with them.  

Back at the 2017 Picnic in the Park I spotted this VW Westfalia, and it has to be one of the best picnic setups I have seen at the event to-date.
Why not set up your 2020 picnic alongside your car, and submit your photo and donation to this great charity?
At each year’s Picnic the soothing tunes of the Mellowchords fill the air. This year you will all have to serenade yourselves.

Organised by the Royal Irish Automobile Club, this year’s event will be supported by Motorsport Ireland, and as ever will be raising much-needed funds for LauraLynn, Ireland’s children’s hospice.  Over the years the event has raised thousands of euro for Lauranlynn, who provide outstanding service to ensure that Ireland’s only hospice for children can operate to the highest level possible. To find out more about Lauralynn, visit www.lauralynn.ie.

This year we might not have the backdrop of Marley Park, but your own garden is just as good!
One great thing about this event is that every age of vehicle is welcome, and this also applies for this year’s virtual Picnic.
Brendan McCoy’s Bond Bug has the ideal picnic table built-in. This was an award-winning display in the past.

You have three ways of joining the virtual Picnic in the Park, which takes place this Wednesday the 22nd of July:

  1. Host a real picnic with your family on or before Wednesday, 22nd July and email your photos to info@riac.ie – include your cherished car or motorcycle in the image provided – and the RIAC will post this on their website. Then please donate at lauralynn.ie/donate using the reference ‘Picnic’. The organisers will award a small prize to the photo that best captures the spirit of the occasion.

 

  1. Post a photo of your family picnic on Wednesday, 22nd July to your Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram profile with the hashtag #VirtualPicnicInthePark and tag Motorsport Ireland & LauraLynn. Then please submit your donation at lauralynn.ie/donate using the reference ‘Picnic’.

 

  1. If you’d like to help without hosting a picnic, then please submit your donation at lauralynn.ie/donate using the reference ‘Picnic’.

 

So that’s it – let’s all try and help out for this very worthy cause. With so few opportunities to fundraise this year, all charities are in extra need of our support.