Wikipedia:Wiknic

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Great North American Wiknic is the annual "picnic anyone can edit" being held on weekend dates in August 2023, and coming back in person across the continent!

Wiknic participants in San Francisco, June 2011
Wiknic participants in Boston, June 23, 2012
The Great Colorado Wiknic on Sunday, August 7, 2016
The Great Colorado Wiknic on Sunday, August 7, 2016

The Wiknic is the picnic anyone can edit, with people ordinarily bringing their own picnic food and perhaps other items to share. This page can also be reached at the shorter domain name wiknic.org.

Wiknics have three virtues, which we aim to preserve:

  • Easy to organize, even for old Wikipedians
  • Welcoming to everyone, even for new Wikipedians and Wikipedian-wannabes
  • Fun!

In short, a Wiknic can be a great easy-in to real life Wikipedia culture, and lead to greater Wiki-community and outreach in your corner of the continent! In 2023, we are returning to in-person Wiknicking after a switch to virtual events during the worst years of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2022.

Great North American Wiknic picnic meetups by region (2023)[edit]

The 2023 Great North American Wiknic will be held on weekend dates in August as Wikimania satellite events, with local groups feeling free to choose a differing date so as to make the meetup more convenient for their attendees.

With grassroots organizing help from local Wikipedia:Meetup groups and the North American Regional Wiki Hub and Lab (NARWHAL) committee...

Everyone is encouraged to start a Wiknic page for their own city, and please sign up both at your city's meetup page (in bold), as well as on this page. Be sure that it is in this format: City, Location, Day, Date (Month, Day, Year), Time (00:00 AM/PM)

Please watch this page for future updates and for new cities being added.

If you have questions about getting help for event planning for a new city, please ask on the Wiknic discussion page. You can apply for a micro-grant of up to $200 for picnicking expenses.

Northeast[edit]

Midwest[edit]

West[edit]

Southeast[edit]

The rest of the world[edit]

  • Add your city here!

History and development[edit]

The first national Wiknic was held in June 2011, and 16 cities took part with Wiknics large and small. The Wiknic concept was modeled on the Wikipedia 10 celebrations and on the past success of Wiknics in New York City, and has inspired other large-scale coordinated events like Wikipedia Loves Libraries and Wiki Loves Monuments in the United States.

2020 Great Virtual Wiknic[edit]

Great American Wiknic virtual edition 2020

The 2020 Great American Wiknic was held Sunday, August 16, 2020, with local groups contributing to a common live video session for attendees.

With grassroots organizing help from local Wikipedia:Meetup groups and the Wikimedians Active in Local Regions of the United States (WALRUS) committee...

For the live video session, we plan to include various segments:

  • Community history of the Great American Wiknic
  • Featuring artist-Wikimedian Sara Clugage's "Picnics: An Outside History" for a cultural exploration of picnicking, knowledge and society
  • Food and cooking demonstrations, share your own local specialties
  • Introduction to regional Wikimedia chapters and usergroups
  • Breakout sessions for different regions and cities
  • Call in from from a local park or natural site and share it on the video stream
  • Pub-style quiz

We will be ordered sequentially:

  • 1st hour: National livestream via Streamyard / YouTube / social media (3-4pm Eastern, 12-1pm Pacific)
  • 2nd hour: Regional breakout rooms via Zoom / Wikimedia Meet, etc. (4-5pm Eastern, 1-2pm Pacific)
  • 3rd hour and beyond: Text chat channel via IRC or similar (5-6pm Eastern, 2-3pm Pacific)

Please watch this page for future updates and for the video link.

If you would like to get further involved, ask questions or give your optional RSVP on the Wiknic discussion page.

2019[edit]

List of 2019 Wiknics
  • Northeast
  • Midwest
  • West
  • Southeast

2018[edit]

List of 2018 Wiknics
  • Northeast
  • West
  • Southeast
  • Atlanta - Tribble Mill Park, Lawrenceville, GA, Sunday, August 26, 2018, 11 AM - 2 PM EST
  • Tampa - Arthenia L. Joyner Library (Indoor Wiknic), Saturday, August 25, 2018, 12-3 PM EST

2017[edit]

List of 2017 Wiknics
  • Northeast
  • Midwest
  • West

2016[edit]

List of 2016 Wiknics
  • Northeast
  • Midwest
  • West
  • Southeast
  • The rest of the world
  • Mexico
  • Guadalajara On July 17th at the Colomos Park
  • India

2015[edit]

List of 2015 Wiknics
  • Northeast
  • West and Southwest
  • Southeast

2014[edit]

List of 2014 Wiknics

The 2014 Great American Wiknic was held on July 6th (and nearby dates).

  • Northeast
  • Mid-Atlantic
  • Midwest
  • West and Southwest
  • Southeast
  • Atlanta, Georgia Sunday, July 6th 2014
  • Miami, Florida area proposed ideas under discussion:
  • Valrico, Florida. Lithia Ridge park Sunday July 6th 2014
  • Murfeesboro TN, Henery Horton State Park, Wednesday July 9th 2014!
  • The rest of the world

2013[edit]

List of 2013 Wiknics

The 2013 Great American Wiknic was held on Sat, June 22 (and nearby dates).

  • Northeast
  • Mid-Atlantic
  • Midwest
  • Southern Indiana Wiknic - Bloomington, Indiana (June 15)
  • Minnesota Wiknic - Minnehaha Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota (June 22)
  • Chicago Wiknic - Chicago, Illinois (June 22)
  • St. Louis, Missouri - June 22, 10:30am - Turtle Playground in Forest Park + stroll through the Saint Louis Zoo.
  • Metro Detroit Wiknic - Detroit, Michigan (June 22) Any wiki variety invited, we can wiki with the wikipedians :-)
  • Cincinnati, Ohio - June 22, 11:30am - Phyllis W. Smale Riverfront Park.
  • Possible event: Downtown Muskegon, Michigan : June 22 - Heritage Landing - Near playground
  • Possible event: Marquette,Michigan, : June 22 - Harlow Park - Wikipedia:Meetup/Marquette/Wiknic
  • Possible event: Lansing, Michigan : June 22 - Patriarch Park - Wikipedia:Meetup/Lansing/Wiknic
  • Possible event: Wichita, Kansas : June 22 - Riverside Park- Wikipedia:Meetup/Wichita/Wiknic
  • West and Southwest
  • Southeast
  • Texas

2012[edit]

List of 2012 Wiknics

The 2012 Great American Wiknic was held on June 23 (and nearby dates), by a happy coincidence also Alan Turing's Centennial.

  • Northeast
  • Mid-Atlantic
  • Midwest
  • South
  • West

2011[edit]

List of 2011 Wiknics
Map of U.S. urban areas with local events scheduled for the 2011 Great American Wiknic.

With grassroots organizing help from local Wikipedia:Meetup groups and the Wikimedians Active in Local Regions of the United States (WALRUS) committee, 16 Wiknic events were held throughout the United States around June 25, 2011:

  • Northeast
  • Midwest
  • West
  • Press coverage of 2011 events:

External links[edit]

  • Media related to Wiknic at Wikimedia Commons