Roanoke, VA—Roanoke Parks and Recreation (PLAY Roanoke) will host a virtual camping adventure called “The Great Roanoke Camp In” this May. This event will be accessible to everyone, with participants invited to camp in their yards or within their homes.
Because the event is weather dependent, PLAY Roanoke has not yet set a definite date other than to say it will be in May. “We are monitoring the 10-day forecast and watching for a day where the overnight temps are in the 60s or above. Once we see that, we’ll launch the event on Facebook,” says Susan Herndon-Powell, Outdoor Recreation Supervisor. She adds that if the weather doesn’t cooperate, they might go ahead and launch the event, and people can choose whether they want to camp inside or brave the cold that night.
“With all of our programs cancelled, we knew there was still an opportunity for outdoor recreation: Why not camp at home?” says Herndon-Powell. The week leading up to the event, PLAY Roanoke will release a series of videos to help prepare campers. These videos will detail things like how to pick a good spot to set up your tent, examples of pillows forts, how to cook over a fire, and even a campfire story the night of the event. “Camping isn’t camping without campfire stories, and this one is special.”
Herndon-Powell ends by saying, “This is a great opportunity for families who are new to camping but want to give it a try in the comfort of their own homes. Plus, while we can’t be together, we can still come together under the stars—and that’s something Roanoke is great at!”
For more information, visit PLAYRoanoke.com. For media inquiries, please contact Stephanie Long, Marketing Coordinator, at 540-853-5847 or [email protected].