Lights, Laughter and Dancing
Saturday was Christmas in June! Everybody in camp wore their Santa hats, plaid pajamas, and other festive attire.
In the morning, campers had optional tournaments and “Staff Shakeups,” where boys could choose from activities led by counselors that aren’t typically on their daily schedule.
Late in the afternoon, boys got ready for a classic summer camp dance with our friends at Camp Illahee.
The older half of camp — the Robinia and Betula lines — traveled to Illahee in nearby Brevard, North Carolina. Meanwhile, Sorrel and Tsuga stayed at Falling Creek to welcome Illahee’s younger cabins.
Saturday night in the mountains was a perfect setting, with Falling Creek and Illahee campers sharing music, movement, and a little bit of magic under one roof.
The music played, the gym lights glowed, and everyone showed up ready to have fun.
Whether they were guests or the ones welcoming others, the boys embraced the chance to celebrate with energy and good humor.
We’re always glad for any time we get to spend with Illahee. These dances offer more than just music and lights — they’re a chance for our campers to connect with another great camp community just down the road.
The dance floor stayed busy, the playlist delivered, and by the end of the night, there were plenty of flushed faces and happy, tired smiles.
Whether it’s seeing a sibling, making a new friend, or just jumping into a song with people they’ve never met before, there’s something special about the energy in the gym. We have adventure trips heading off the mountain every day of the week, but they all return by Friday so we can spend the weekend together just like this-as a camp community.
And joining in all the fun are two familiar faces: Laurie and Gordon Strayhorn, directors at Camp Illahee — who actually met as counselors right here at Falling Creek.
It doesn’t get much more full circle than that.
We’re grateful to Illahee for sharing the evening with us and helping make it one to remember.
It was the kind of summer night you remember — music echoing through the trees, frogs croaking in the background, stars beginning to twinkle overhead, and a gym full of campers dancing like they had nowhere else to be.