23rd Annual Fall Festival Brings Autumnal Excitement for Kids with Rides, Crafts, Food, and More
Rolling River Day Camp hosted its 23rd Annual Fall Festival on Saturday, October 19, 2019. The campgrounds were bustling with energy as close to 2,000 attendees gathered for a fun day filled with beautiful fall weather.
Guests were encouraged to explore the entirety of the campgrounds, which hosted a variety of family-friendly activities. At the Arts & Crafts Center, kids decorated trick or treat bags and foam pumpkins with festive Halloween stamps, stickers and more. In the “Kids Zone”, attendees had a chance to participate in Carnival games, gymnastics, sand art, watercolor painting and cross fit activities.
On the Main Stage, displays such as dance routines, musical performances, martial arts and baton twirling carried on throughout the duration of the event. There was also a costume contest since participants were encouraged to come dressed in Halloween attire. To reinforce a sense of community support, all of the entertainment, as well as vendors selling apparel, books and more, were run by local businesses. CVS Pharmacy even administered preventative flu shots.
As always, the festival’s main attraction was the “Ride Zone”, where families could view happy faces from atop pony rides, as well as groups of jumping children in one of the many bounce houses. The face painting station was busy with lines of eagerly awaiting boys and girls, who left with colorful designs and Halloween themed masterpieces. Attendees were treated to balloon art creations, a trackless train ride and an opportunity to touch the farm animals found in the petting zoo.
The event also included a BBQ cookout for all in attendance serving hot dogs, hamburgers, corn on the cob, desserts and snacks. Many kids were seen munching on their treats and hurrying back to the excitement, repeating with their camp friends over and over again that, “This is so much fun!”
Thank you to Local Luxuries, Hulafrog, Your Local Kids Source , Macaroni Kid RVC-Oceanside-Long Beach, Adrenaline Entertainment, Painted Faces by Lisa DeStefano and Long Island Parent who served as sponsors for the camp’s annual fundraiser. All event proceeds were donated to the Campmates Scholarship Program, which sends local kids nominated by New Horizons Counseling Center (NHCC), to camp for no cost to the families. This year’s record ticket and concession sales helped raise thousands of dollars towards scholarships for summer 2020.