Deerhorn has always been a super fun place to celebrate the 4th of July. However, this year we definitely upped our game. (Check out our Instagram stories!) We had regular activities this morning, but then after rest hour, it was time for the 4th of July carnival! From 2-5 this afternoon, kids ran all over camp doing all kinds of fun carnival games to earn tickets which they could use to win prizes like snacks, Deerhorn frisbees and teddy bears, and 4th of July sunglasses and bucket hats. The big prize was a gift card for a hoodie from the Deerhorn Store, which was won by Ben Tackett, who shares a birthday with the USA. Kids gave him tickets throughout the afternoon for his birthday, so he could have 500 to get the gift card. What a great birthday! Kids made 4th of July crafts to win tickets, did home run derby, mini golf, basketball…the list goes on and on of activities where they could earn tickets. But the fan favorites of the afternoon weren’t ticket earners! We had a giant bouncy house with a waterslide, which kept the teenagers busy for hours as they each tried to beat the top time through the obstacle course. We had a 75 foot slip and slide on the Skeeter hill, giant hamster balls for kids to run around and play in on the soccer field, and an awesome game of water tag at the beach. So many times today, kids said to me, “This is the best day ever!” Needless to say, the carnival was a hit! We had a cookout on the beach with brats, hot dogs, and hamburgers, with chipwiches for dessert. After dinner, we did the 4th of July relays, and we will cap off this awesome day with a second Deerhorn campfire. We are all exhausted, but will go to bed with smiles on our faces. We hope your 4th of July was as fun as ours!