Family Reunion Campground
UPDATED June 30, 2024 – Riverbend Campground is a popular family reunion campground. We had a lull during Covid 19 restrictions but these popular family gatherings have returned. Are you planning an Alberta family reunion? Read on, we have information that will help you plan your family reunion at Riverbend Campground. Camping brings people together in a natural setting while also giving people an opportunity to engage in activities together or to just enjoy some down time. Choosing Riverbend for a campground family reunion in Alberta has many advantages.
Hall Rental
One of the best features is the Riverbend hall with kitchen available for rent. We call it the Gazebo, and it can be the venue for your main event or it can be your headquarters during the event from arrival and check-in to departure. For your events, a typical setup can easily accommodate groups up to 100 with picnic table seating. More formal options are available.
Family Accommodation
Camping at Riverbend is affordable and flexible. You can offer family members options that range from tenting to fully serviced sites right around the venue. Options mean your family’s stay here is based on their circumstance. Check out Riverbend’s affordable camping rates here. Riverbend also has golf carts available for rent which can be very helpful for organizers.
RV rentals are available in nearby Calgary. Family can reserve ahead, fly into Calgary International (YYC) and catch a shuttle to one of the RV rental outlets located near the airport. For family members that would prefer a stay in a motel, there are several choices in Okotoks just minutes away.
Reunion Planning
You will want time to plan so start your planning. This allows family to set the dates aside and for family that have to travel, they can plan their vacation around the event. You should also time for research. If you haven’t been in touch with everyone in the family recently, it may take some time to track people down.
- Choose your date, decide on a theme, establish your RSVP date and send out invitations.
- Plan a menu, and perhaps assign one meal to each family. Decide if extra cooking/service equipment will be required. Equipment is available for rental from Good Time Party Rentals, with an Okotoks location just 2 kms from the campground.
- Decide if you need a caterer for one or more of the meals. There are several options that service our area:
- Lynnwood Ranch Catering/Ranch BBQ
- Hansel and Gretel Catering
- Highwood Catering
- Food Truck catering is another popular option
Activities & Entertainment
- Plan activities and entertainment
- Offered onsite
- Miniature golf
- Paddle boats
- Options (you provide equipment & supplies)
- Volley ball
- Croquet
- Bocce ball
- Badminton
- Horse shoes (pits available on site)
- Ladder ball
- Baseball
- Consider bringing in entertainment for the kids
- Crafts
- Children’s entertainers
- Face painting
- Off site
- Kid’s field trips – Planning activities with kids in mind means they will keep busy and adults can visit. Some of the adults will go along and supervise. For offsite activities, transportation will need to be coordinated. Several families can help shuttle or third party transportation can be arranged. Southland Transportation is a local school bus operator that offers affordable charter services. If booking with Southland we recommend that you contact the Okotoks office directly at 403-938-3966. Some offsite activities to consider:
- Swimming and Water Spray Park at Okotoks Recreation Centre
- Okotoks Skate Park
- BMX Track
- Bowling at Millennium Lanes Okotoks
- Movies at Okotoks Cinemas
- Okotoks Dawgs Baseball
- Paint it Up Pottery Studio
- Horseback riding
- Calgary Zoo
- Heritage Park Calgary
- Kid’s field trips – Planning activities with kids in mind means they will keep busy and adults can visit. Some of the adults will go along and supervise. For offsite activities, transportation will need to be coordinated. Several families can help shuttle or third party transportation can be arranged. Southland Transportation is a local school bus operator that offers affordable charter services. If booking with Southland we recommend that you contact the Okotoks office directly at 403-938-3966. Some offsite activities to consider:
Additional Considerations
- Start collecting family history, photos, stories, recent family news. Consider a family tree project.
- Depending on the theme, you may want theme decoration and you may wish to create a commemorative t-shirt.
- Put someone in charge of collecting photos and video taken during the event and then distributing the final product as a memento.
- Create a master list of who is attending, when they are arriving, whether they are staying at Riverbend or offsite, what extra activities they are signing up for and orders for t-shirts and photo/video memento.
- Make a list of rental equipment
- Podium, sound system, table, chairs, barbecues
- Cleanup: be sure you have sufficient help for this final activity of your event or consider hiring a team to help and work this into the charge for each family attending.
Start your planning by contacting Riverbend, your family reunion campground. Check out the available dates and choose the one best suited to your timeline. Phone Toll free 1-866-938-2017 or local 403-938-2017 or email us at:
reservations@riverbendcampground.ca
