Every year, for what seems like forever now, our family has an October tradition that some years seems to even overshadow actual Halloween…… Going camping for the Harvestfest weekend at our local state park! Each year more then 200 campsites fill up and it becomes one of the friendliest family events ever. You can only book your site six months in advance and they fill up F-A-S-T. The country kids were so excited to find out that next year, reservations for the event start on my birthday. Gee, I wonder what I will be doing that day!?!?!?
And as much as the boys love to go each year, I tell ya, it wears this mama out! There is all the prep work, getting the camper stocked, costumes, procuring enough candy to give the world diabetes…. And then it is hurry, rush, must get to all the events. I fell over exhausted the day after we got home and I am just now recovering from it all…. a week later!
So what is Halloween camping? Well it starts with some decorating while my hubby levels the camper and the kids bug us to head out to the playground to hook up with the other roving bands of children.
After we are decorated, leveled out and the kids have run a muck for a few, the first night is always the camp host’s hot dog roast. You would think we never feed the oldest country kid the way he was licking his lips at those hot dogs! After the roast it was time for the scavenger hunt. This is the first time we have ever actually completed it!! Go, us! Each of the country kids got a prize for finishing the hunt.
The next day (Saturday) it is time to go, go, go….. The morning starts with the kids’ activities. There is so much to do from pumpkin bowling and donut eating races to sack hopes, three legged races and egg tosses.
This year they even had a ride on spider someone had made! It totally rocked….. like really, back and forth. There was a horse saddle on it and the kids had a blast!!! One little girl got it going so hard, she flipped off the front!
After the games it is time to head back to camp and eat lunch. Of course we need to chop wood, go for a hay ride, roast marshmallows, and participate in the costume contest and parade before trick or treat time that night.
I don’t know about you, but I think she had a great time! I swear she looks like she is smiling!! And she wasn’t the only one who came home with a smile….. with over two hundred campsites to trick-or-treat, the country kids were grinning ear to ear over their candy haul. And I was smiling because another year of Halloween camping was in the books and we survived!!!!
Now to get ready for next year…… (Someone save me!)
LOL
This sounds so fun. My kids aren't little anymore but I'd still go and enjoy watching the fun. Hmmm?…Maybe I could borrow my niece. Lol Glad everyone enjoyed themsekves. Wonder what new decoration you'll come up with for next year?
There are older couples with no kids that bring their puppies LOL Kids gone, so dog it is! They even have a costume contest for the dogs and a lot of sites hand out dog biscuits during trick or treat 🙂
What a wonderful idea for the state park to do!!! And I'm so pleased that you got an 'honorable mention' for your vultures!! Truly unique! Wish they'd do something like that around here. I'd scoop up my great-grands and we'd go!! Thanks so much for sharing!! Dona
I had one lady come to our site and said "Aren't you the lady who made the squirrel costume for your littlest last year!?!" Ummm, yup, that was me 🙂 LOL I love being creative!
Looks like so much fun. We love to camp but don't have anything like that around here. Except for Ft. Wilderness at Disney. NO games as such but prizes for decorating.
Bev
My kids would love this! We tent camp, though, and I hate camping in the cold.
Enjoyed reading the post thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop.
Thanks for joining us on our trip!
This is so neat! 🙂
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We have so much fun every year 🙂
This sounds like so much fun! We love camping in the fall, but I don't know that anyone has a fest for it around here. Be nice if they did! Looks like a great time :).
Start your own! Talk to your local state park.