by Cara Russell

All the signs and festivities of Fall, including the Orkila Zip Line! Photos: Cara Russell

All the signs and festivities of Fall, including the Orkila Zip Line! Photos: Cara Russell

It was a fun filled, overcast day, on Friday October 25, as the staff of Camp Orkila held their annual Fall Festival. The free community event received a commendable turnout as families arrived with their kids—most of them arriving after school.

Kids and adults enjoyed taking a ride on the 1000-foot zip line—some even went six times! Many climbed the rock wall, and played games from the second level of the tower, like ‘donut drop’ and ‘egg drop.’

Kids constructed a vessel for their egg, and attempted to drop them below in hopes that theirs would land in one piece. Many eggs fell to their doom, but one young girl used pages from a newspaper to construct a parachute—which landed the egg safely on the ground.

Orkila employees, set up for face painting, and were ready at a moment’s notice to create whatever a young mind could imagine. Many pigs, cats, bears, ghosts, pumpkins, clouds and rainbows, flowers and butterflies, and even zombies, happily ran about.

There was archery, as well as pumpkin carving and pumpkin painting—which, once chosen from the ‘pumpkin patch’ was yours to take home.

A running cider-press provided everyone with delicious hot or cold cider—that tasted like candy. There was pumpkin curry soup, vegan chili, brats, and cake to eat.

At 6 p.m. there was a fun hay ride, followed by the haunted hay ride in the dark. The staff of Camp Orkila whole-heartedly provided the dinner and the entertainment, and a fun time was had by all who attended.