Since there was no need for a mid-summer welcome picnic, the administration had splashed out on this one: the tables (located under giant tents) were groaning with sidedishes from corn on the cob to potato chips to baked beans to several dodgy-looking jello salads and the grills were set up along the beach cooking chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs and veggie burgers. There was an ice cream sundae bar, watermelons, enough lemonade and ice tea to swim in (please don't swim in it), coolers for more adult beverages if you were an adult or sneaky about it, and areas roped off for tug of war and relay races and pick-up softball games if people were in the mood to be more active than just stuffing their faces and waiting for it to get dark.

The music was playing loudly--one of the more esoteric of the zombie band's offerings--and the sun was shining. It's hot, it's humid. It's the 4th of July and there's plenty of free food to go around. Come on over!