We’re so impressed every year when Camp Orkila puts on a Fall Festival for the Orcas Island community. It’s an enjoyable all-day experience out on their land, rain or shine, and it’s completely free.
They cook huge pots of pumpkin soup, chili, and vegetarian chili. They press hundreds (maybe thousands!) of apples to fill dozens of jugs of fresh juice. They grill sausages and veggie dogs, and cook pans and pans of brownies. They set up an archery area, a pumpkin-carving zone, and a mini-pumpkin-painting table. Yes – kids pick out large pumpkins they can carve and keep – all provided by Orkila or whoever donates them. And they take families on hay rides over and over again.
Not only does Camp Orkila have dozens of staff working all day, they also man their zipline with trained staff so that anyone 8 or older can zip the longest line in the state of Washington – as many times as they want. My mom tried it for the first time a few years ago at their festival – she was 80. Always the daredevil.
That’s not all. A lot of time must go into all the ghouly details involved in Orkila’s haunted hay ride, which starts when it gets dark.
Thank you, Damien and all of your staff, for ushering in the fall season every year by treating all of us islanders to a day of seasonal fun. You all work so hard to make it happen. Your hard work is never taken for granted!
