We have been branching out with more picnics around Beaumont and greater Southeast Texas lately in an effort to reclaim some pre-COVID normalcy. If there’s one thing I love about the pandemic (aside from the fact that we’ve all agreed that pants that button are unnecessary), it’s how creative we all got in order to find joy in simple things.
This may be one of our very favorite picnic spots yet!
We packed a few snacks and drinks from home, then drove through Rao’s Bakery Dowlen to round us out before heading to picnic at the Julie Rogers Theater in Beaumont. The little lawn area between the theater and the main branch of the Beaumont Public Library beneath the giant oaks is so secluded and serene.
There’s a hedge that keeps kids from running straight into the road, and plenty of space for kids to run, play soccer and Twister, beat each other down with giant inflatable burritos (can confirm). We had a great time listening to the trains, hearing the bells chime the hour, and all other sounds of downtown while we enjoyed our brunch and fantastic company!
The Julie Rogers Theater has always been one of my favorite buildings in Beaumont. Built in 1928, the theater was once Beaumont’s City Hall and Auditorium. It’s had a couple of renovations, but it still retains all that magnificent historic grandeur. When I was a little, going to a performance at ‘the Julie’ was the height of sophistication. It was an excuse to get all gussied up in your Sunday best and spend a couple of hours in awe. I’m pleased to announce that the childlike awe and wonder remains with me as an adult, and there was something that felt so elegant about lounging underneath the mature oaks, even in my yoga pants that have never been to yoga.
Julie is a gorgeous old girl, and while the theater lover in me is BEYOND ready for a live performance, ANY live performance, my heart is so full of gratitude in this post-pandemic world for the opportunity to experience old favorites in new ways.
And Fox only tried to swim in the fountain once, so that’s a win all day long 😉
Things to bring:
- picnic blanket
- food/snacks
- sunscreen
- bug spray
- water
- balls, bubbles, or other outdoor toys (I don’t recommend kites due to trees)
- games like Twister or Throw, Throw Burrito are perfect!
