What if…we could make the 2019 season last a little bit longer?
As much as we wish we could, we are fully aware that the end of the 2019 Lander’s season is right around the corner.
While we’re sad to see it go, and I definitely wish we could turn back the clock and do it all over again, we are definitely beside ourselves with how amazing this year has been. 2019 brought a lot of great memories for us, and a lot of fun to our little corner of the Upper Delaware River Region. Join us as we sift through some of our favorite 2019 moments and look forward to what 2020 has to bring.
It all started in April.
April 26th marker the opening day of Lander’s River Trips this year and, like every other year before it and after it, was filled with buzzing staff members, excited river junkies, and the thrill of opening another season. This year, our April opening day also marked the 64th year that we have been in business. And wow, what a ride. 64 years of helping family and friends, and our local Narrowsburg community and beyond, connect to each other and the great outdoors.
We pride ourselves on being a staple in our community, and have been for the last six decades. When we opened this season, we carried with us a memory of Bob Lander, our founding father (and a great father at that), and a hope that we could make this year as great as every other. We weren’t disappointed. Between great events and awesome guests, the 64th season of Lander’s River Trips was a huge success!
A lot of music and a lot of good times followed.
In May alone we were able to take part in two great music-based events. First, we hosted the first ever Into the Wild Music Festival with the nonprofit Spirit Tribe. We had 200 amazing guests set up tents in our Narrowsburg campsite, where they celebrated art and music and made a ton of new memories. I hope they never forget this magical moment on the Delaware River, I know for sure that we won’t!
A week later, we were a part of the Froggy Daze Music Festival. Also held at our Narrowsburg campground, this amazing event was a homage to great music, great people, and the spirit of comradery that comes with sharing something you love. As one of our favorite events, this definitely gets an earmark in the 2019 memory scrapbook.
And let’s not forget Woodstock’s 50th birthday! In May, we revealed our Lander’s peace dove and with it announced that we would be providing shuttle services to the festivities celebrating the birthday of the greatest event in music history. Campers got shuttle service to the event, and if they were lucky they got to see Rick and Lisa jamming out to some of their favorite throwbacks! We’ve had a musically blessed summer and couldn’t have enjoyed it without all of our amazing friends, family, and guests who came out to bunker down and enjoy a tune or two!
We’ve also had some great guests this year.
One of our favorite groups, Babes Ride Out, came back to spend some time rockin’ out at Narrowsburg Campground this year. While we were exhausted afterwards, it was great to have these awesome ladies back with us. They always make the summer so much more fun.
We also got to celebrate Mother’s Day AND Father’s Day in our favorite place on the planet. Families came out to bask under the stars, make some memories on the water, and just enjoy some time away from their crazy lives together. And, of course, fireworks on the Fourth of July. Lander’s prime spot for firework viewing always means that we have a fantastic crowd show up for this American freedom celebration and this year was no different.
Last but not least, we hosted the AMAZING NYS Chive for a weekend long event geared toward making money for a good cause. With over a hundred guests coming to our campground, a DJ, and a slip and slide that was a hit, we were able to make a memorable trip for this stellar group of people. Not only did they make us feel like a part of their tribe, they did some crazy cool things like camping in a bus and spending hours living it up in the best way possible.
And a couple of jolly guys (and gals) swept us away.
This year, the Chellis group brought SantaCon and boy was it the merriest event of our summer! The group dressed up for their annual get away as none other than Old Saint Nick and hit the river for some good drinks, and a stellar night under the stars. I mean, there’s nothing more fun than a bunch of people dressed like Santa Claus who have a taste for life…and the occasional mixed drink.
Next year, we’ll be holding SantaCon as part of a Christmas in August weekend – stay tuned, more information is coming down the pipeline!
We also held a sweepstakes – or should I say a sweet stakes?
This year, we got our friends ready for Labor Day by hosting the Best Weekend Ever Sweepstakes. The winner of the sweepstakes got a rafting trip for six plus a night of camping before the summer came to a close. Your responses were a lot of fun to sift through and showed us just how excited people get over the River! That made me feel great because I was starting to get worried than I was the only Delaware River fanatic out there!
All in all, it’s been a really great season.
We here at Lander’s River Trips would like to send a special THANK YOU to all of our spectacular guests, whether you stayed with us overnight or had a River adventure with us. You guys helped to make our 64th season just as amazing as the first; we made memories we’ll never forget, friends we’ll never lose, and stories we’ll be telling our kids for years to come. With the season coming to a close, and the weather starting to get perfectly chilly out, we’ll take these warm thoughts with us into the holiday season.
But don’t fret – we’ll be back again next year!
River tip: Call and Book next year’s river and/or camping trip now and don’t miss out on your favorite camping site or your most beloved river raft or canoe.
