A First-Timer's Guide to Themed Camping Weekends

You pull in on a Friday, and there's already a costume contest sign-up sheet taped to the office window and a hand-drawn schedule with a live band listed for Saturday night. If nobody explained any of this to you beforehand, here's the rundown.

How Do Themed Camping Weekends Actually Work?

Most themed camping weekends follow the same basic shape once you strip away the costumes. There's a full day of activities leading up to Saturday night, a pool party with a DJ, adult swim, kids' crafts, sometimes bingo, and it all builds toward the evening: a live band takes the stage, and an adult costume contest closes out the night, judged in front of whoever's still standing around. The theme changes weekend to weekend; the structure underneath mostly doesn't.

Is There Actually a Prize for Dressing Up, or Just for Fun?

There's a real prize system, it's called RiverBucks, an in-house reward currency awarded to winners of the costume and site-decorating contests. It's not just a "good effort" ribbon; there's something tangible on the line, which is part of why the costume contests get taken seriously by the people who show up in full theme.

What Themes Does Rivers Crossing Campground & Marina Actually Run?

More than you'd guess. Across a season, themed camping weekends run the range from Mardi Gras to Blackbeard's Beach Bash to Great Gatsby to Disco Inferno, over 25 of them, each with its own costume angle and its own personality. Some lean campy, some lean genuinely elaborate. If you only picture one type of "themed weekend," the actual lineup is more varied than that.

Wait, Is There a Fishing Tournament Too?

Yes, and it's the clearest break from the costume-contest format. The Walleye Tournament runs on scoring and fish weight rather than a dress-up theme, alongside a couple of other weekends (like Swamp Olympics) that lean into games and competition instead. So while most themed weekends follow the costume format, not all of them do.

Do You Actually Have to Participate?

No. You can enter the costume contest and go all out, or you can skip it entirely and just enjoy the pool, the band, and the general atmosphere without ever signing up for anything. Nobody's checking whether you dressed up, it's an opt-in, not a requirement to have a good weekend.

Is This Actually for Kids Too, or Mainly an Adult Social Scene?

Both, running in parallel rather than one taking over the other. Kids' crafts and family activities happen throughout the day, right alongside the adult-oriented pieces (adult swim, the evening costume contest). Weekend family camping here isn't an afterthought bolted onto an adults' party, it's built into the schedule from the start, so families and the more social adult crowd are both getting a full weekend, just different parts of it.

What's a Themed Weekend Actually Like?

Here's roughly how a themed Saturday unfolds, start to finish: mornings are quiet, coffee, the water, maybe a walk before it gets hot. Early afternoon is when the pool party ramps up, DJ running, kids in and out of the water, adults swim carving out a window later on. By early evening, the costume changes start happening across the campground, and by the time the band starts, the lawn in front of the stage is full. The costume contest closes the night out, and after that, it's just people milling around, winding down before the next morning starts quiet again. It's less "party from noon to midnight" and more a full day that builds toward one loud, fun peak in the evening.

FAQ

How do themed weekends actually work?

Each weekend follows a similar structure: a full day of pool parties, kids' activities, and sometimes bingo, building toward a Saturday-night live band and adult costume contest. The theme changes weekly; the format mostly stays the same.

Is there a real prize for dressing up?

Yes, RiverBucks, an in-house reward currency, is awarded to winners of the costume and site-decorating contests.

What kinds of themes does Rivers Crossing run?

Over 25 themed weekends a season, ranging from Mardi Gras to Blackbeard's Beach Bash to Great Gatsby to Disco Inferno, each with its own costume angle.

Is there a fishing tournament, or is it all costume-based?

There's a Walleye Tournament built around fishing and scoring rather than a costume theme, along with a couple of other weekends (like Swamp Olympics) built around games instead of dress-up.

Do you have to participate in the costume contest?

No. Participation is entirely optional, you can join in fully or just enjoy the weekend without signing up for anything.

Is this actually for kids too, or mainly an adult scene?

Both. Kids' crafts and family activities run throughout the day alongside adult-oriented pieces like adult swim and the evening costume contest.

However you spend the day, chasing a costume-contest win or just floating in the pool while someone else does, a themed weekend has a way of turning an ordinary camping trip into the one people remember.

Camp and Sign Up to Costume Contests