Barbecue Traditions

Do you know how many years it takes for an annual event to become a tradition? Neither do I, but the Old Jamestown School Barbecue has been going on long enough to be an anticipated tradition in our community. It is held on the front lawn of the library, with the fountain spraying and the sun shining. Or it is held inside with rain pouring down outside. Either way, this is a fun time with delicious food and live music.

This year, Saturday, September 16 is the date for the picnic. BBQ Joe’s Country Cooking will be serving barbecue, slaw, beans, rolls, and dessert, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Drink ice tea, as all good southerners do, while you eat hush puppies.

Hush puppies, hmmm. When I first heard those words, I asked the waitress at Myrtle Beach, what are hush puppies? Her eyes opened wide as she drawled, “Where are you from?” Pennsylvania Dutch people do not eat hush puppies. I am a true southerner now and eat hush puppies. (It only took me 45 years to admit that.)

The Vagabonds Band will be playing while we eat and socialize on Saturday. They will entertain us with ballads, blues and rockabilly music, while we sit in our lawn chairs in the shade of the Jamestown Library and its beautiful trees.

Maybe you wonder where the money goes when you support this barbecue. All of it goes to keep the building in good repair. Our library/school was built in 1915, so plumbing, electricity, floors, ceilings, etc. all need to be repaired or updated occasionally. Remember the “Great Sewer Explosion” last year? Or ask a certain staff member about the flooded basement when she tried to suck up the water with a shop vacuum and shorted it out. Old buildings need lots of money for upkeep.

Support the library by purchasing barbecue tickets for $12 each. We all need the building to be in good shape, to keep the materials in good shape, to keep our reading, watching and listening in good shape. See you on Saturday, in front of the Jamestown Library, from 5-7 pm.