Lemoore's inaugural 'Car Picnic' held Friday afternoon at Gateway Plaza Shopping Center

The event’s organizers hope to make this a weekly event.

It was also meant to support local restaurants by ordering a takeout lunch and associating with friends. The idea came about during a brainstorming session between Lemoore Chamber of Commerce officials Amy Ward (executive director) and Brittany Reece.

And on Friday, while comfortably ensconced in their vehicles, Ward enjoyed a hearty lunch with daughter Jaylin while Reece shared lunch with kids Barrett and Lillian. “This is a great opportunity to get out of the house, support local restaurants by getting a takeout lunch, and wave to our friends,” said Ward.

Lemoore Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Amy Ward had lunch with daughter Jaylin while a television news crew captured the mood of Friday's Car Picnic.

The plan is to meet on Fridays at noon, order a takeout lunch, and join friends and associates in Lemoore’s Gateway Plaza Shopping Center (formerly Pioneer Square). There are a few rules, though. Participants have to stay in your car, and the “parking lot picnic” is open to everyone, including annoying newspaper reporters who don’t bring a lunch.

“This is just a meeting of members of the Chamber of Commerce. We just kind of got together for a car picnic,” said one of Friday’s noontime patrons, Dave McKinney, owner, and manager of the adjacent Grocery Outlet who enjoyed lunch with wife Karin. “The idea is that we get lunch from different businesses in Lemoore that are kind of looking for support.

“We got our lunch, and we gathered here, and we’re trying to obey the social distance rules. We’re also trying to support the community and have a little social life. We get to see one another, and we’re kind of getting all that together in one time.”

The plans are to gather on Fridays after purchasing lunch from a local business and then gather in the parking lot to enjoy friends and lunch.

“We had Beto’s,” said McKinney. “We called our order in at 11:30 a.m. I was met by Gabe at the door at noon.  He handed us our food and then got in the car and came over here.”

Also joining the inaugural “Car Picnic” was Sandy Salyer and a Fresno television crew that showed up to record the historical event, as did local videographer Josh Cordero. A local newspaper reporter also arrived on the scene, but unfortunately, he forgot his lunch.