Local political candidates were given another chance to meet potential supporters Saturday evening, just three days from primary elections, at a charity picnic that has been held every year for nearly a century.

The 94th annual Hurlingen Picnic, held at the Seven Dolors Catholic Church just north of Easton, is intended as a fundraiser for the church, but frequently attracts area candidates in election years.

Although their primary fights are coming to an end, candidates might have a last-minute chance to influence the decisions voters will make on Tuesday without having to knock on their door first, or meet new supporters before the general election fight gets rolling.

Just down the road from the church, a rainbow of campaign signs greeted attendees from the roadside. Picnic attendees sporting campaign T-shirts and stickers watched the turtle races or tried their hand at bingo. And some staved off the summer heat with cardboard fans emblazoned with candidates’ names, such as one that read “I’m A Fan of George Scott,” who is a candidate for Buchanan County Circuit Clerk.

The church is located just off Highway 6 on the eastern edge of Buchanan County, making it a short drive for residents of Andrew, Clinton and DeKalb counties, and thus giving residents from around the region a chance to meet candidates they might have only seen in television ads or heard on the radio.

The church’s long running picnic, which usually attracts roughly 900 people most years, also brings back former members who might have moved away to Kansas City, said longtime parish member Gerald Buhman.

And, statistically speaking, churchgoers are more likely to turn out to the polls.

“For candidates, it’s a real good place to meet a lot of people,” Mr. Buhman said.

But politics isn’t all there is to the picnic, Mr. Buhman said, He said there is only a small increase in attendees in election years and that the emphasis of the event is to help the church.

The Lion’s share of the church’s money, he said, comes from the money they raise from the picnic.

“We try to exist off of what we make from this picnic,” Mr. Buhman, a member of the church since 1948.

Ron Holliday, who has been running in a contentious primary race for Division 6 associate circuit judge against two-term incumbent and Ron Taylor, said since primary season is almost over, the picnic is “a good time to just see everybody and relax.”

But, he said, “You never stop campaigning.”