Scouting Show and Tell: Pandemic Blue and Gold

Photo courtesy of Keely Dietrick. Pack 555 held a Polynesian-themed Blue and Gold Banquet pre-pandemic.

The blue and gold banquet is a special Cub Scout annual event, for many it is celebrating the founding of the Boy Scouts of America on Feb. 8. Packs roll out the red carpet, often hosting themed parties with food, awards and fun.

Last year, Cub Scout Pack 555 of Midland, Ga., hosted a Polynesian-themed outdoor extravaganza, complete with games, skits, food and a 12-foot-tall volcano flowing with “lava” that Arrow of Light Scouts crossed over during the pack’s crossover ceremony into Scouts BSA. The pack also invited representatives from a Filipino-American association to teach the Cub Scouts about their culture and dance moves.

The blue and gold banquet is a big deal, and Pack 555 made it that way for a reason.

“We know that this is an event that these Scouts will remember for years to come and hopefully when they look back at their time as a Cub Scout remember how proud of them we are,” says committee chair Keely Dietrick. “They feel an overwhelming sense of pride and prestige from just how big of deal we make the event for them.”

It’s still an important ceremony that many Cub Scouts look forward to, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, which spread across the U.S. soon after most packs held their last blue and gold, it will likely be challenging to plan such a shindig.

That means it’s time for Show and Tell, where Scouters show their favorite photos and tell the story behind them. This time, we’d love to see how your pack is hosting its blue and gold banquet during the COVID-19 pandemic. Share the planning process and if you’ve had the banquet already, how it went. Hopefully, your ideas can inspire other pack leaders who are scratching their heads on what to do about this year’s celebration.

Just leave a comment or visit go.scoutingmagazine.org/showandtell. You can also email us at onscouting@scouting.org.

Remember, if you are hosting the event in-person, you should review COVID-19 guidelines before the meeting. If you need some blue and gold ideas, check out this “Cub Chat Live” broadcast.


About Michael Freeman 467 Articles
Michael Freeman, an Eagle Scout, is an associate editor of Scout Life and Scouting magazines.