To celebrate the reopening of the LOU community, the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Picnic on the Pavilion this Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m.  

The event at the Old Armory Pavilion, at the corner of Bramlett Boulevard and University Avenue is a celebration of the reopening of businesses after a year of pandemic closures. It will feature food from local restaurants, live music from local band Rocket 88 along with games, children’s activities and door prizes. 

A special VIP hour will take place from 5 to 6 p.m., where the $15 admission charge gets attendees a chance to judge the Chamber Taco Challenge and free margaritas. The tacos will be served by local Chamber restaurants who will all put an individual spin on their creations. VIP attendees will “judge” and vote for the Taco Champion.  

The Chamber Picnic at the Pavilion will open to the public from 6 to 8 p.m. with free admission, and the opportunity for attendees to purchase food and drinks a la cart from local businesses. At 6:30 p.m., a community ribbon cutting event will be held to celebrate the reopening of the wider LOU community after a year of shutdowns and capacity restrictions.  

“We are so excited to finally have the opportunity to host an event that is open to the public that celebrates our community. Not only the reopening of our community but getting everything, we’ve been through for the last year behind us and moving forward for positive growth in our businesses,” said Chamber Senior Vice President Pam Swain.  

She encouraged businesses to show their pride and attend the event wearing their swag.  

“For businesses, we want this to be an opportunity for them to promote themselves – that is what we want to happen,” she added.  

Swain said she hopes local residents will come out to join the fun and bring their families. There will be a number of games and activities including corn hole, Jenga, bubbles and sidewalk chalk. She also encouraged attendees to bring their lawn chairs and blankets. Local high school spirit squads will be on hand along with other to-be-announced special guests along with local public officials from the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors and The City of Oxford.  

Rocket 88, which plays a mix of roots, rock and hill country blues, juke joint and gospel music will perform throughout the evening.  

The Chamber is continuing to look for businesses to participate in the event. The presenting sponsor is Red Med Urgent Care of Oxford. Clinical Director Jamie Fortner said the business is excited to be a part of the event.  

“After many months of isolation during a global pandemic, the opportunity to connect with our community again is a dream come true,” she said. “We have been fortunate enough to have a long-standing relationship with The Oxford Chamber of Commerce, and we look forward to becoming more involved in the community outreach in the near future. We appreciate this opportunity to connect more with the locals of Oxford.”  

For more information contact Pam Swain at 662.234.4651 or by email at info@oxfordms.com.