Are you struggling to attract new campers on a regular basis? Are there too many campgrounds nearby that compete with yours? It’s time to get creative! Consider these campground entertainment options to help differentiate you from the competition and attract new business this camping season.

Food Truck Friday

Search for food truck events in surrounding towns to find vendor options. Your campers will enjoy a break from cooking duty, especially on a Friday night after a long work week. Search for trucks that offer standard fare that will appeal to as many campers as possible.

Keep these tips in mind before signing up with a food truck vendor for a set number of Fridays:

• Don’t expect success on the very first Friday; your campers will have to experience it a few times and spread the word. If your campground is in a super-remote location instead of the outskirts of a nearby town, you may have to pay the truck vendors a flat fee just for showing up.
• Ask about cross-promotions. Partner with food truck vendors who have a marketing strategy and ask them to help you spread the word about their booking at your campground.
• Check references and sign a contract to secure several Fridays in a row. Sign up with a food truck vendor who is reliable for showing up on schedule and bringing enough food to cover a crowd. Ask them to commit in writing to the dates you have in mind. If you don’t have an agreement in writing with a cancellation policy, they can cancel at the last minute in favor of a better gig in the city.
• If you can’t find any food truck vendors in your area, check with the chamber of commerce in the nearest town or county. Many towns and counties have food trucks on their agenda; they may have some contacts for you.

Glow in the Dark Activities for Campground Entertainment

Almost every campground has a large, open field, a community area, or a section of campsites that are empty most of the season. Set up glow in the dark activities for families on Fridays and Saturdays to bring your campers together for a fun, enjoyable glow-in-the-dark activity.

A few glow in the dark activity ideas:

• Organize a glow-in-the-dark scavenger hunt. Use a creative scavenger hunt company to help you design and plan the hunt ahead of time.
• If you’re concerned about turnout, start with simple glow stick games and step it up if your campers like it.
• Talk to your insurer about liability issues; ask about waivers and parental permission slips before hosting a game in the dark.

Live Music for Campground Entertainment

If your campground entertainment budget allows, consider bringing in live music to help boost weekends that your campground may not otherwise be at capacity.  Does your campground have a community area with electric and room for lawn chairs? Check out the line-up at local festivals in your area, and reach out to some of the music acts who are already on the schedule. If a band is already in town for one show, you might be able to negotiate a discount in exchange for a free stay in a rental RV.

• Consider your audience. If your campground is full of young families, plan for an after-dinner start time and an early wrap-up time.
• Check local ordinances. Make sure that your show won’t be shut down by local authorities due to noise complaints.
• Consider Sunday afternoon shows and offer a late-checkout for weekend campers.

Communities and associations are offering family-friendly events like these to draw residents out of the suburbs and into downtown areas. Look to these sources for inspiration and don’t be afraid to get creative with weekend activities for your summer camping families. Don’t be discouraged if your events aren’t a hit right away; give them a chance to draw new campers with word of mouth referrals.

At Campground Accounting, we specialize in working with Campground and RV Park owners throughout the USA.  Our industry knowledge is focused on taking the headaches out of accounting and helping you grow your campground’s value.  Don’t you owe it to yourself to see how we can help you?  Schedule a complimentary chat with us today

Donna Bordeaux, CPA with Campground Accounting

What happens when you send two CPAs out into the relaxing outdoors to camp? You get CampgroundAccounting.com.  Donna and Chad have over 50 years of combined experience as entrepreneurial CPAs.  They’ve owned businesses and helped business owners exceed their wildest dreams. They camp and travel across the country every chance they get, so it’s just a natural fit that they focus their CPA skills on helping campground owners throughout the USA grow their businesses and minimize the impact of taxes.  They understand the key performance indicators and specialized issues that face RV park owners every day.

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