Every Thursday at noon through August 20, Cedar Valley Church sets up near the splash pad at Cedarcrest Park, 8700 Bloomington Ave., and starts grilling. The spread is simple: hot dogs, potato chips, bottled water and frozen treats, all free to whoever wanders over from the playground or the splash pad line.
Pastor Weston Buckley, who helps run the cookout, said the point isn't just feeding people. "I think there's something important about sharing a meal with people," he said. The church has now run the lunch for five summers, and this year's busiest Thursday saw volunteers hand out more than 200 hot dogs.
The event runs as a partnership with Bloomington Parks and Recreation, and the church's own event listing describes it as "lunch at the park," open to families noon to 1 p.m. with the splash pad running right alongside — organizers suggest bringing a towel. Volunteers, a mix of retirees and workers using their lunch hour, handle setup, grilling and cleanup; anyone who wants to pitch in is asked to arrive at the church at 11:45 a.m.
The cookout doesn't happen rain or shine, though. Volunteers said they call it off on rainy days and during air quality warnings tied to wildfire smoke, which has knocked out a few Thursdays this summer. Otherwise, the grill's expected to keep firing through the third week of August, weather and smoke permitting.