BLUE & GOLD

 Making the birthday of Cub Scouting a success

What is a Blue and Gold Banquet?

A blue and gold banquet is a birthday dinner for the Cub Scouting program, held during February. The anniversary month of the Boy Scouts of America, which was organized in February 1910. The Cub Scouts was organized 20 years later in 1930. Some packs have a dinner, this can be a potluck affair, with each family brining food, or many packs prefer buying the food, having it prepared by a mother's committee, and still other packs prefer to have it catered. The plan of feeding is not important, it is the Cub Scouting that takes place during the preparation and dinner that really counts. Dens should sit together. Guests may be invited and seated either at a head table or seated with the dens. Decorations may be as elaborate or as simple as you wish. Attractive menu cards or dinner programs can be made, place cards, centerpieces, place mats, nut cups and favors are all suggestions of things which might be used. Cubs can take part in making decorations. The dinner program should include entertainment from within the pack, but outside entertainment is okay. Also don't forget the importance of recognizing advancement of the boys and leaders of the pack.

An Overview

For many packs, the Blue and Gold Banquet is one of the highlights of the program year. It is a family affair that brings your entire group together in a way that regular pack meetings don't. It is an evening of fun which involves more planning than the regular pack meeting.

The dinner may be held in a restaurant, catered, potluck, as an indoor picnic, or buffet style. The meal is important, but even more important is the friendly atmosphere as your Cub Scouts and their families mingle together in fun.

For the banquet to be successful, planning must begin early; at least two to three months in advance. Your attendance will be greater than your usual meetings so you may need to locate a different place to hold your banquet. A planning committee made up of parents and even some of the older boys will be able to coordinate and plan a memorable activity. Reservations are made, meal arrangements are taken care of, invitations are sent out and the program is developed to involve as many of the boys as possible -- all by the planning committee.

Involve as many people as possible on various committees to make the work easier.

    Den leaders should NOT be overloaded by having to plan and execute this activity.

If, for economic reasons, your pack wants to simplify it, the banquet could be replaced by a Birthday Party for Scouting. This can be run like a birthday party for one of your children with balloons, games, etc. Refreshments could then be cake and ice cream. This is also an excellent time to do a Father-Son cake baking contest and auction off the cakes as a fund raiser for your pack.