National Picnic Day: When It Is & How To Celebrate (2024)

Celebrating National Picnic Day is a delightful way to honor outdoor dining and leisure. It beckons us to spread out our checkered blankets and feast al fresco on an annual basis. We consider it an opportunity to revel in the simple, utterly timeless joys of good food, cherished company, warm weather, and scenic natural beauty. 

Whether you choose to have your picnic in the shade of a sprawling oak or by the rippling waters of a picturesque lake, all you need to celebrate this delightful occasion are some great snacks and a comfortable outdoor spot to unwind! 

Now — here’s a guide to National Picnic Day. We share when the holiday takes place and all kinds of suggestions for how to make the most of it this year.

What is National Picnic Day?

National Picnic Day is an annual celebration dedicated to enjoying the beauty of the outdoors. So expect plenty of good food, and the company of friends, family, and loved ones.

People often spend this day gathering in parks, gardens, and other public outdoor spaces to have picnics. And of course, they bring along all the picnic essentials: a variety of foods and beverages, picnic blankets (traditionally checkered, but the pattern is up to you!), and sometimes, games and activities.

It’s hard to go wrong with a holiday that revolves around relaxing and socializing while spending time in nature! And you can make your picnic as elaborate or as low-key as you’d like — it’s really up to you.

Ensure your picnic setting is as gorgeous as possible with the help of these creative picnic decoration ideas!

When is National Picnic Day?

In the United States, most sources agree that National Picnic Day takes place on April 23rd. (However, some argue that it falls on June 18th, so make sure to keep that discrepancy in mind as you do your research for the holiday.) Across much of the country, April 23rd is peak springtime and an absolutely ideal day for a picnic with warm—but not overly warm—weather.

Wondering how to celebrate National Picnic Day? Here are our top suggestions for how to celebrate. Feel free to pick and choose the suggestions that make the most sense and are most helpful for you:

Research scenic picnic locations in your area

Since National Picnic Day is all about eating outside, selecting the ideal spot for your festive picnic is essential for creating the right ambiance. Your options might include a local park with a big lawn and plenty of shade trees. You may also opt for a serene beach next to a stunning lake, or a cozy clearing in the middle of the woods. It all depends on where you live and your preferences.

Either way, take some extra time to scout out truly picturesque locations that will elevate your picnic experience. And be sure to consider not only natural beauty, but also factors like accessibility (depending on who’s on your picnic guest list), availability of amenities, parking options, and other necessary logistical details.

Rent the perfect outdoor space for your picnic

Perhaps the parks and other public areas that are available to you for your picnic are not particularly appealing. You may also not want to celebrate in your own backyard for whatever reason. Not to worry! You can easily rent a lovely outdoor space by the hour for a picnic that’s as private as it is picturesque. 

To get your search started, check out outdoor party venues and backyard spaces near you on Peerspace, the most extensive online marketplace for hourly rental spaces. With tens of thousands of listings across hundreds of cities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Europe, and elsewhere, your options might as well be unlimited. 

Although you have tons of venue options to choose from when searching on Peerspace, the site makes it super easy to browse through them and find the perfect picnic location that fits your exact specifications.

Peerspace’s easy-to-use search filters include the following:

• Hourly price of rental
• Total number of attendees
• Event date and time
• Keywords in the description of the listing
• Outdoor spaces like backyards, beaches, lawns, etc.
• Indoor spaces like garages, bedrooms, dining areas, bathrooms, etc.
• Style/aesthetic of the space, such as industrial, coastal, bohemian, and so forth
• Space type (apartment, bar, classroom, etc.)
• Availability of instant booking
• Amenities like decks, elevators, fireplaces, etc.

Make your search as narrow and specific as you’d like it to be. Once it’s finalized, start looking through your picnic venue options to create a short list of the choices that you’re considering most strongly. 

It’s easy to scroll through Peerspace search results and click on the listings that catch your interest. Once you click on them, each listing contains all the information you need to make a final decision: high-quality photos of the space, in-depth written descriptions courtesy of the host, and in many cases, real reviews from those who have rented the space in the past.

If you still have any questions after reviewing all the info in the listing, it’s easy to reach out to the host and start a conversation. Last but not least, when you make a final decision, you can reserve your Peerspace with the click of a button, directly from the listing.

Serve delicious food and beverages

Yes, half of planning a picnic is about choosing the perfect outdoor location. But the other half is planning and preparing a tantalizing spread of culinary delights suitable for eating outdoors. 

Prepare an assortment of finger foods, sandwiches, salads, and refreshing beverages, focusing on portable and easy-to-eat dishes with minimal need for utensils or fuss. The easier the food is to eat, the more everyone in attendance can focus on enjoying the picnic’s food, activities, and social opportunities. And of course, don’t forget to pack essentials like plenty of plates, cups, bowls, utensils, and napkins so your fellow picnic attendees can enjoy the delicious food and drink on offer.

Need some inspiration for what to serve at your picnic? Check out these 15 sandwich recipes from Martha Stewart—from avocado and Boursin sandwiches to roasted chicken club sandwiches—as well as this long list of 70 picnic food ideas from Country Living.

We’re also big fans of this list of 31 picnic dessert ideas from the food experts at Epicurious. We particularly love the insanely easy three-ingredient peanut butter cookies and the decadent berry cream cheesecake.

If you’re inviting a larger group of people to your picnic, you might also consider making your picnic a potluck to avoid being saddled with all the food preparation duties! Having everyone in attendance bring a food item not only saves you money, time, and labor. Plus, it’s also a great opportunity to try your friends and loved ones’ cooking.

Incorporate lawn games into your picnic

Add some fun and friendly competition to your festivities by including classic lawn games in the mix. There are tons of entertaining activity options that’ll keep guests of all ages entertained and engaged for the whole event (in between eating plenty of delicious snacks, of course).

Here are some ideas for lawn games to get you started:

• Frisbee
• Cornhole
• Bocce ball
• Croquet
• Giant Jenga
• Volleyball
• Badminton
• Ring toss
• Horseshoes
• Sack race
• Capture the flag
• Tug of war
• Giant Connect Four
• Three-legged races
• Balloon stomp
• Giant chess or checkers

Set up designated game areas at your picnic site and encourage everyone to participate. You can even offer prizes to the game winners to incentivize participation and make things a little more competitive! Don’t forget to bring the necessary equipment for your games (or ask someone you know to do so), and be sure to establish simple rules at the beginning to ensure the games are as fair and enjoyable as possible. 

For more creative suggestions, check out these fun picnic game ideas for adults!

Make the perfect picnic playlist

Creating an ideal picnic playlist requires an artful balance of upbeat tunes, laid-back melodies, and timeless classics that help to cultivate a relaxing atmosphere. The songs you choose should be equally suitable as the soundtracks for lounging on a picnic blanket, having a thoughtful conversation with a friend, or playing lawn games. 

Need some suggestions? GirlsLife put together this list of perfect songs for your next indie picnic with your friends, and it’s an amazing jumping-off point. 

If you like, you can even create a collaborative playlist with input from your guests to personalize the soundtrack and ensure everyone in attendance gets to hear at least one song they really enjoy. 

National Picnic Day: Conclusion

National Picnic Day is a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and delicious food with loved ones. Whether you’re doing so in a scenic park, your backyard, or an outdoor party venue through Peerspace, this holiday is all about unwinding and spending quality time with the people you care about. If this sounds like a good fit for you, mark your calendars, start planning out your favorite sandwiches and other outdoor recipes, and invite all your besties to dine al fresco with you on April 23rd!

Find unique outdoor event spaces for your picnic on Peerspace