The Moore TEA Citizens will have a meet-and-greet family picnic from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at Cannon Park.

The event will feature several guest speakers, including Steve Moore, of The Wall Street Journal, Nathan Tabor, of TCV Media, and Dallas Woodhouse, of NC Americans for Prosperity.

According to organizers, this will be a family oriented event, with food, musical performances by the Gravel Road Band, other entertainment as well as an opportunity to meet the candidates and ask them questions.

"It is an opportunity to mill around and talk with candidates," said Dee Park, chairwoman of Moore TEA Citizens. "It is 'meet and greet' with a purpose."

Thirty-five candidates who will be on the ballot in November have been invited to attend. Roughly one-third of them have committed to attend the picnic, with more possible.

The group has been around for about 15 months. Currently, Moore TEA Citizens has about 1,400 members. TEA stands for "Taxed Enough Already" and is a nod to the colonial Boston Tea Party, one of the nation's first organized political protests.

As an organization, Moore TEA Citizens says it advocates adhering to the Constitution, which it believes will result in limited federal government, better fiscal responsibility and a free market.

Park and other members of the group say the organization is nonpartisan with "a good cross section of people."

Members have traveled across the county, state and even the country to get its message out. Locally, the group has held Tax Day protests on April 15 each of the last two years.

"We don't endorse, we educate," Park said. "We are not protesters, and we are not racists. We are peaceful folks sounding the alarm; those who are generally concerned about what is happening in this country."

Admission to the event is free; however, reservations are requested for food estimates. Food will be sold at the event.

Anyone needing more information can call (910) 783-8340 or e-mail moore-teacitizns@gmail.com.

Contact Tom Embrey at tembrey@thepilot.com.