Dartmouth YMCA at Camp Metacomet Celebrates Fall Festival, Mud Run and 5K Road Race on Saturday, September 17th

Joe Silvia September 12, 2016 Business, Events Leave a comment

As Summer begins to close, activities and events on the South Coast don’t slow down in rhyme with the season – after short lull, they actually pick up. With the advent of Autumn comes all sorts of celebrations and festivals. One of the region’s most popular is the Fall Festival, Mud Run and 5K Road Race on September 17th hosted by Camp Metacomet at Dartmouth YMCA.

YMCA Fall Festival — *The Mud Run is a 1/3 mile course with minor obstacles and challenges.*

Camp Metacomet is a large 68 acre site that the Dartmouth YMCA hold a number of what they call, day and specialty camps. Which is a way of saying a slot of time set aside for kids to generally have a blast – all the while learning, developing social skills, and building new relationships. It all takes place in the gorgeous backdrop of rolling green fields, hardwood forest and a real-deal working farm.

The Fall Festival, Mud Run & 5K Road Race is in its 11th year at the camp and anyone who has attended knows why it has become so popular and why it has experienced the success it has: the variety of organized, fun activities is led by a friendly staff of professionals who are experts at FUN in the safest way possible. They know full well how to create an atmosphere and environment that is conducive to bringing out the best in themselves and the kids participating. In fact, many of the organizers have grown up through the camp program.

Kids have a natural curiosity that needs to be fed, they want to explore and learn but dislike doing it in a dull manner, they crave social experiences and interactions, but want to do it in a medium where it isn’t forced. By making the focal point the activities, the kids have the proverbial “ice” broken and it’s far easier to relax.

Since everyone is having a complete blast, spirits are higher and the atmosphere is one that makes social interactions effortless – it engenders confidence. The kids will form new friendships and ones that will likely last.

What kind of activities are we talking about? Well, the festival itself is comprised of all the classic carnival game favorites that we loved growing up like ring around the pumpkin stem, balloon darts, face painting, pick your own pumpkin and decorate it, and pumpkin bowling. There will be archery, large inflatable bounce houses, a craft fair with local vendors, hay rides. A Children’s Fashion Show by Folia, Drone Demonstration and Raffle by Rhode Island Drone Services and an exciting Reptile Show by Cold Blooded Reptiles. Finally, the Oxcart will be present selling delicious festival-style food.

Admission to the festival is completely free, however for some of the activities there will be a nominal fee. Tickets for the rides/amusements/games can be purchased on site: 5 tickets for $5 or 25 tickets for $20. Yes, they accept cash and credit cards. 100% of the proceeds from these events benefits the YMCA Annual Campaign. This money allows every child and family the ability to enjoy the YMCA experience regardless of their ability to pay. Scholarship money is given out every year to assist families who would like to register their children for swim lessons, day camp, child care and more. This is a fantastic way for the kids to purge that last bit of summer energy and a super way to put a close on the summer – all the while helping out a great local cause!

Accompanying the Fall Festival will be the 5K Road Race which starts at 9:00am and a Mud Run with obstacles that starts at 10:30am. For the Mud Run participants will be organized into waves by age or family (yes, “big kids” can take part this year) so that there aren’t too many people on the course at once. The road race, of course, can be walked or run. You can compete to win, challenge yourself, or simply take part because it’s a community event or a bonding moment for the family. You simply do not have to an athlete, in world-class shape to complete the course. People of all ages and fitness levels run the race.

The very popular Mud Run will make the kids feel like they are competing on one of the Japanese ninja course television shows. How often does a child get a chance to run, slip, slide and frolic in mud and because they are supposed to? Not only not get in trouble, but encouraged to do so? I’m willing to bet next to never.

The course which is about 1/3 of a mile in length, has challenges and obstacles along the way and a large mud pit which they will have to traverse over by a hanging rope. I guarantee that anyone that participates in the mud run will remember it for a lifetime.

Pre-registration is necessary for both these events and you can easily register online for either or both events.

If you or your children are looking for a fun, family-oriented event jam-packed with activities organized by passionate, dedicated people whose only goal is to ensure that you have a blast and form lasting memories with your kids, then the Dartmouth YMCA’s Fall Festival, Mud Run and 5K Road Race is an event that you will not only want to participate this year, but one where you will want to plan for many years to come.

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