October Fest Fun & T-shirt Tutorial
Life ’ s An Event
October Fest Fun & T-shirt Tutorial
By Shana Vesel
My favorite time of year is when summer comes to a close . Days are getting colder and leaves are turning colors . With Halloween right around the corner , the best way to enjoy a fall day is to have a party ! Most people don ’ t have much going on . School is in full swing , the cabin is packed up tight , and there aren ’ t any other big events or holidays . So , every year , I host a camping gathering called “ Octoberfest ”. It started out several years ago with my Grandpa . He was a big fan of fall camping . The colder the better . My husband still jokes that if we don ’ t travel down 20 miles of dirt roads and pull off into the wilderness , it isn ’ t camping by Grandpa ’ s standards ! So , “ Octoberfest ” became a tradition and we made it into more of a party . I like to plan food , activities and games so that everyone can be involved and have a good time . We lost Grandpa a few years back , but our annual “ Octoberfest ” helps us remember him and celebrate with fall camping .
When we decide on a weekend , I send out an invite either by regular mail ( if you have the time to put something fun together ) or by email . We always have our favorite campground in mind and I plan games and activities around the campground layout . With the invitation , I will invite the group to sign up for our one group shared meal : a soup potluck .
We plan arrival for Friday afternoon . That gives us time to all get to the campground and set up . Decorating your campsite is highly encouraged ! I ’ ll hit the local craft stores , dollar store and home store for various props , lights and decorations .
There are no power hook-ups at this time of year , so I have to keep in mind that whatever we do has to be run off of a generator . I can ’ t tell you how cool light-up inflatables look at night in your campsite . Think of your neighborhood , only condensed ! It ’ s especially fun when we have the campground to ourselves . Something else to keep in mind is the weather . It may be cold , rainy or sometimes snowy . Your decorations should be able to withstand mother nature . A covered screen tent or canopy makes a good gathering spot if the weather is not the best .
On Friday evening , we like to carve pumpkins . I ask everyone to bring their own pumpkins and I supply the tools . They can carve their pumpkin however they choose . We line them up in front of our campsite and put lights inside . Be careful with candles especially if there are children or dry leaves . I prefer to use the battery operated lights . Walking around the campground loop seeing all those carved pumpkins lit up is really neat !
Saturday we start the day with t-shirt or sweatshirt making . I usually buy multi-packs of men ’ s white t-shirts to share , but you could have people bring their own . Choose an area with lots of ventilation and a flat space to decorate the shirts on . Using masking tape , create a design on the t-shirt making sure to press the tape down firmly . Lay flat and take spray paint to highlight various areas of the design . Be sure to supervise and assist children with spray paint ! Once dry ( usually less than 30 minutes ), remove tape and customize
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