Shiner Catholic Church readies for upcoming Fall Picnic

  • Father Jacob Mendoza is shown with the first place raffle prize, a 2026 Kawasaki Mule Pro FXT 1000LE, which will be given away at the Shiner Catholic Church Fall Picnic slated for Sunday, August 31. This mule includes a Falcon 14 ft. single axle trailer, generously donated by Boehm Tractor Sales. If you would like to purchase a ticket, please call the church office or visit the church’s website, www.sscmshiner.org. Photo by Clayton Kelley.
    Father Jacob Mendoza is shown with the first place raffle prize, a 2026 Kawasaki Mule Pro FXT 1000LE, which will be given away at the Shiner Catholic Church Fall Picnic slated for Sunday, August 31. This mule includes a Falcon 14 ft. single axle trailer, generously donated by Boehm Tractor Sales. If you would like to purchase a ticket, please call the church office or visit the church’s website, www.sscmshiner.org. Photo by Clayton Kelley.

    Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church is preparing for the annual Fall Picnic set for Sunday, August 31 at the KC Park, 102 South Ave. G.
    The Fall picnic is entering its 104th year and Father Jacob Mendoza encourages everyone to attend and have a good time. 
    “This is an event that brings everyone together,” Mendoza said. “It brings in people’s families that live away and people from all over this part of the state. It’s quite the event. It’s like a homecoming not only for the parish but also the greater community.”
    The Fall Picnic will start at 8 a.m. and last all day until midnight. The Country Store will be open at 8 a.m. with canned and baked goods as well as kolaches and pigs-in-a-blanket. 
    Dinner plates will be served from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the KC Hall. Plates include three meats - picnic stew, fried chicken, country sausage - with  trimmings. 
    Plates to go will be served in drive thru lines from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon at the Kaspar Pavilion in Green Dickson Park. 
    The church usually sells about dinner 5,000 plates at the fall picnic. 
    The big country auction will start at noon, and the cattle auction will begin at 3 p.m. Raffle prizes will be drawn at the end of the auction. 
    A cornhole tournament will start at 2 p.m. as well as a washer tournament at 4 p.m. There will be a bingo contest in the air-conditioned dining room from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. 
    A variety of musical entertainers will be performing throughout the day inside the main hall as well as outside, including Off the Grid Band, The Shiner Hobo Band, Fritz Hodde and the Fabulous Six, James Kiening, To Love and Rescue, The Blue Denim Band, Shiner’s 2nd Wind and Vic and Beav. Classic Top Hits. 
    The Emotions will close out the night from 9 p.m. to midnight in the main hall. 
    For the kids, there will be mechanical bull riding from 2 p.m. through 5 p.m. and face painting from 1-5 p.m. Games will occur throughout the day including a ring toss, ball throw, plant wheel, wheel of fortune and grocery wheel.
    Don’t forget those famous picnic hamburgers being served hot off the grill all afternoon.
    Father Mendoza is looking forward to his first fall picnic. “I was here for the spring picnic and I know the fall picnic is even bigger,” Mendoza said. 
    “I’m excited. I know it’s an all day affair in which everyone comes together. There’s a lot of camaraderie and fraternal bonding and it allows people to enjoy themselves. People come from all over and it’s the dedication of these people that make the fall picnic special. 
    It’s been going on for well over 100 years and has become a tradition that represents how deep the roots go in this community. It’s amazing to see people come together. 
    The picnic sets an example for the people of God and it sets an example for people outside the area wanting to have something similar in their home parish. It takes decades to build something of this magnitude.”
    Last year’s fall picnic raised around $200,000, which is also the goal for this year. “The money goes back into the church, and it allows us to be able to provide for the needs of the parish and to help support our day to day operations as well as helping with our Catholic School and the various ministries the parish has throughout the year.”
    Thousands of people volunteer for the fall picnic and Father Mendoza wants to thank all of the volunteers who make the Fall picnic possible. 
    “I’m incredibly grateful for the volunteers,” Mendoza said. “This would not be possible without any of them. They are the life blood to be able to host something this large and we’re so dependent upon them. We are also very grateful to our planning committee. They have assembled a well oiled machine.”
    For more information go to www.sscmshiner.org or see the church facebook page.