Changes ahead for the Chicken Broil

The Manchester Chicken Broil has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to community-minded efforts through the years.

This year’s Chicken Broil will not look significantly different than in previous years.

There will still be the famous half of a chicken, slowly roasted over charcoal on grids, basted in butter, and served accompanied by secret recipe coleslaw, radishes, bread and butter, and a bag of chips.

But one change you will see is the date — this year, for the first time, the Manchester Chicken Broil will not be held on a Thursday night. The new date will be the Third Saturday in July (wait, keep saying it … it will develop a ring to it, just like “Third Thursday” did!) also known as July 17, 2021.

“This is something that has been considered for quite a while,” said Michael Tindall, Chair of the Broil for the past 16 years.

Tindall added that a couple of other minor changes this year will be a price increase, to $11 for pre-sale and $12 on the day of the broil. In addition, the committee is working on establishing an online ticket sales process and will be accepting credit cards for the first time ever.

A bigger change that will be seen in years to come will be a transition in leadership.

“For three years, I’ve announced that I’d like the committee to find someone to take my place,” Tindall explained. “I’m elated to have served; this will be my 17th year as head of the Chicken Broil.” But after July 17, Tindall will officially step down as chairman. “It’s all positive,” he says. “I believe the Broil has moved beyond my leadership; they need to take new directions to be successful.”

The first new direction will be the change in date. For 66 years, the Chicken Broil has been held on a Thursday afternoon. Back in the 1950s, Thursday was the traditional “golf afternoon” and many local offices shut down or left female staff in charge of business. So a Thursday afternoon was the logical time to have an event that would give “the ladies” a night out of the kitchen while the men cooked up some simple, but delectable, chicken dinners.

But times change. It’s been 30 or 40 years since those golf leagues were a weekly staple among Manchester businessmen. And “the ladies” no longer need to be “granted” a night out of the kitchen. It was determined that the volunteer base could increase exponentially if workers didn’t have to take a half-day or a day off to help out at the Broil. Moving to Saturday seemed like the thing to do.

Tradition is a hard thing to break. For some longtime residents, who have attended so many Chicken Broils over the years, it will seem … well, weird … to not have the Chicken Broil midweek. To those newer to Manchester, who may have wondered why in the world this tiny village would have a major event on a Thursday night, it will all make sense and their new ideas are welcome!

Tindall remembers vividly when he was asked by Ron Mann to Chair the Chicken Broil 17 years ago.

“When Ron asked me, I was totally taken aback” he recalls. “This was not what I expected to happen. Even though the Chicken Broil is a huge deal to me, I wasn’t sure I wanted to do this!

“My deciding moment was when Keith Reed told me, ‘The Chicken Broil is bigger than you are,’ — and I remember those words now; it can be my deciding moment as I leave. I want to join that Elite Committee of surviving past chairs … Ron Mann is the only other person on that committee. He’s the first one to survive being Chair of the Chicken Broil.”

Tindall adds that the Broil is an honorable organization that has done so much for the community. “I’m humbled by having had this opportunity to serve a community event that is appreciated and respected throughout our great country. Over the years, people from all over the country have come to Manchester to film and enjoy what we do, and see how we accomplish such a great feat of serving so many meals in such a short time.

“This year will be our 68th broil … I’d like to see it reach 100 years and do so much more for Manchester in the years to come.”

Gary Bross (left) and Michael Tindall (right). Photo Courtesy of Karl Racenis

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.