All Steak chef Anthony Barnes kept a busy food line moving Friday, as Cullman’s Dinner on First fundraiser greeted 350 guests for an open-air culinary treat in the Warehouse District. Friday’s event marked the first time since its 2016 inception that weather has allowed the dinner — originally conceived as an elegant southern street party — to take place outdoors.

Becky Adams and Gina Huckabee came all the way from Rock Hill, S.C. just to be a part of Dinner on First, the annual Cullman Park and Rec-hosted fundraiser that plays up rustic southern elegance and charm.

As part of the Parks, Recreation, & Tourism department for the City of Rock Hill, the two have been part of an ongoing communication with Cullman parks officials — who themselves have learned a lot about public amenities and events from Rock Hill’s ambitious and award-winning services and programs.

On Friday, it was time for a little role reversal, though, as Adams and Huckabee made the trip to Cullman, rolled up their sleeves, and spent the day sweating it out alongside the other workers setting up for this year’s event — all because they wanted to learn more about the Dinner on First concept, and then take it back to Rock Hill, where they hope to adopt the idea and put their own local spin on it.

“We’d never seen this before until we learned about Cullman doing it,” explained Adams, on an afternoon break from helping set up the First Avenue streetscape for Friday’s dinner. “Evidently it’s very successful from a fundraising point of view. And the way they’ve branded it — it’s just a first-class event. It’s something that’s unique and gets noticed, and we definitely want to adopt it for Rock Hill. We’re here to learn.”

Although it offers guests plenty of value for their $150 per-plate ticket price, Dinner on First has a purpose: It raises funds for some of the park and rec department’s more ambitious quality-of-life projects. Previous installments have collected money to help complete the all-abilities Connected Park on Cullman’s west side; this year’s dinner is helping to fund an amphitheater at the Art Park on Main Avenue.

Cullman’s South Carolina guests at least got to stick around to enjoy the fruits of their labor Friday, taking up their own spot at the lavishly-adorned, 350-seat table that runs the length of a full city block in the city’s Warehouse District.

“Any good event planner can appreciate all they’ve thought of, and all they’ve done to make this a success,” said Adams. “From that point of view, there’s just so much to take away from what they’ve done. Outside, under the lights, coming together to sit at one table…they’ve really captured the essence of what they’ve envisioned for this community. We want to take in this whole experience — and then bring it home.”