There are many residents who grew up getting their fingers greasy and biting into the crisp fried fish made by the Pickerington Lion’s Club every year. And after 76 years, they’re not fishing for new recipes.
To fully understand and appreciate the rich history of this celebration, one must go a few decades before the 1949 starting point.
According to Club member and historian Brian Fox, the story of Labor Day celebrations in Pickerington truly began in 1911, when a group of citizens organized their own event for the city. Much like today, the celebration included a parade, family activities and even a fish fry, though the Lions Club had nothing to do with this event, as the organization wasn’t formed until 1946.
As the decades passed, the independent celebration grew and became more popular within the Pickerington community. By the mid-1940s, the original organizers were becoming less fit to run the event due to age and the stresses of World War II, so in 1949, the group searched for a way to step down from their roles and responsibilities without ending the Labor Day festivities.
This is where the Pickerington Lions Club comes into play.
“The Lions had just been created a couple of years prior in 1946 and were already super active in the community,” Fox says. “They were an obvious candidate to take over Labor Day (festivities).”
A 1949 meeting between the Lions Club and the original Labor Day group resulted in the Lions voting to take over the Labor Day Parade and Fish Fry as a service project for the Pickerington community.
And with that vote, a tradition spanning 76 years and many generations of Pickerington families, was born.
Making traditions
While the focus of this celebration has stayed consistent over time, Fox says there are definitely differences between the earlier years of the Labor Day event and today’s celebration. Aside from simple changes, such as the Lions originally serving Herring in 1949 compared to only serving Perch in recent years, societal differences and evolving community needs have altered how the event is organized and perceived.
“It was a smaller community and there were fewer things for people to do,” Fox says. “So, in 1949, it was a big deal to have a group putting on entertainment, food and a parade. The community was pretty much there all day.”
Adding to how impactful this event initially was, Fox says the Lions Club sent invitations across the country to people who had moved away encouraging them to come back and join the festivities, leading the annual event to be coined a “homecoming.”
“It was a big deal,” Fox says. “Hundreds and hundreds of people would be coming from throughout the country, visiting local families, and then coming to the Labor Day Parade and Fish Fry.”
During these early years, the fish fries would run from morning through the evening, with people eating both lunch and dinner. Nowadays, with activities such as sports, school trips and attractions all over the city, the fish fry closes up around 2-3 p.m.
While Fox acknowledges the modern Labor Day celebration is certainly smaller than it once was, he says the heart of the celebration is alive and kicking. All the elements of the original celebration – the parade, fish fry and music – are included and have been expanded, making it something many people in the community look forward to every year.
Changing with the times
Even though the event was always about celebrating Labor Day, the Lions were never afraid to try new attractions to involve more community members. One of the biggest additions to the event came in the 1950s, when Fox says the club put on an official Western Horse Show.
This show took place west of Victory Park, where a softball field now resides, and involved professional horse riders demonstrating their skills with many different breeds. Competitions were also held, and participants would compete in areas such as roping, reining and obstacle courses.
“It was a big deal for years,” Fox says. “It’s all about trying to give something good, different, meaningful and family-friendly to the public.”
Despite horses and cowboys no longer prancing around Pickerington on Labor Day, the ability to change with the times and grow the celebration for the community is something Fox says the Lions are always looking to do.
A perfect example of the club’s ability to react and change came during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The leaders of the city were aware of how important and traditional the Lions’ Labor Day was to Pickerington and they didn’t want it to be shut down,” Fox says. “Mayor Gray, who is also a Lion, clearly understood the significance of it.”
Fox says the organization worked with city officials to create a safe alternative that still allowed the community to come together. The result was a ride through parade, which essentially flipped the roles of parade participants and the public.
The parade floats, volunteers and Labor Day decorations were parked, on Opportunity Way, while community members and families drove by, experiencing the celebration from their own vehicles.
“It shows you how important that tradition is,” Fox says. “Because even during the COVID year, we were able to keep that tradition alive.”
In recent years, the Lions have continued their quest to adapt to changing needs and serve the community by including food trucks at the fish fry, such as Schmidt’s and Hangry City.
“Some people don’t like fish, right? So, we wanted to make sure that they had options as well,” Fox says. The Labor Day festivities operate with only volunteers dedicating their time to organizing and executing the event.
Check out the Pickerington Lions Club website for more information on the Labor Day event, as well as a downloadable membership application to become a Lion in the community. Further questions and volunteer inquiries can be directed by the Lion's contact page, through Brian Fox at bfox1964@aol.com.
Kyle Quinlan is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
