What’s new at the 2024 Chicken Broil?

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

by Marsha Chartrand

We all know what’s traditional about the Manchester Chicken Broil. A half chicken slowly broasted over charcoal pits by well-trained volunteers. A secret-recipe coleslaw. A bag of chips. A radish (or two or three). A roll and butter. Add a bottle of water (Eeew, remember when it was a carton of warm milk? Hurrah to whomever came up with the current plan!). And there you have it. … A complete Manchester tradition contained in a box sponsored by generous local advertisers.

But the Chicken Broil Committee is always looking for new ideas and new ways to do things! This year, 10 years after the inception of a drive-through for picking up chicken dinners, everyone using the line will enter from Dutch Drive. The intersection of City Road and Hibbard Road will be open for local traffic only. Anyone trying to enter the drive-through line from the south will have to make their way to the end of the line on Dutch Drive.

“We are working with the City of Manchester and the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department to implement this change to alleviate the traffic backups that were occurring on City Road and backing up to M-52,” explained Chicken Broil Chair Jeff Mann. A map is included below:

2024 Chicken Broil Drive-Through Map

Please note on the map, there is plenty of free parking available at Riverside School (710 E Main St) with the use of the shuttle bus. The bus will drop people off at the main gate if they would like to eat on the field. The lines there are generally much shorter than the drive-through!

Broil fans who utilize the shuttle can enjoy the musical entertainment on the field, a kids’ play area, and the ability to check out the tractor display, along with the option to purchase gelato after dinner. Join in the fun, and see a side of the Chicken Broil you may never have had an opportunity to enjoy before — see you then!

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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.