Adirondack Cottages, Campfires, s’mores and storytelling. Who could wish for more?

Adirondack Getaway > Summer, Spring and Fall > Campfires and Storytelling

From Independence Day, through Labor Day Weekend, lakeside campfires are held three times each week. Two of these nights are more casual affairs with guests gathering at the campfire, roasting marshmallows and socializing.

One night a week is storytelling night, and this is the event for which children and adults wait throughout the year. Ann provides a theme for the stories (a different one each summer), and the young and young-at-heart are challenged to make us a story, poem or song to address the theme.

In 2008, Ann asked guests to consider the loons, which are wonderful fisher-birds but very poor flyers. The loons are able to dive and stay under the surface of the water for extensive periods of time. What, she wondered, are they doing down there, and how do they do it? Other years the story theme has centered around why our reindeer have such short tails, how the enormous boulders came to be situated in the lake's coves, what happened to cause the three submerged boats to sink, and other stories equally intriguing.

Guests spend their leisurely moments reflecting upon these questions, and ultimately they present their findings at the weekly campfire. Each presenter stands on their stump, gives their name, age, tupa (Adirondack cottage) in which he or she is vacationing, and then proceeds to entertain the group with their explanation, sometimes serious but more often hilariously funny.

Awards are given to the three best storytellers. Ann and Olavi bring along the makings for s’mores (chocolate, roasted marshmallow and graham cracker concoctions too delicious for words!) and each child receives a bottle of bubbles to round out the evening.

Parents tell us frequently that storytelling night is the highlight of their family’s visit! Come join us to see for yourself!

Please click here for Adirondack lodging information!