Today on the Camp Balcones Springs blog, we will be discussing Camp Pranks and Raids, Movie Night, and our glow-in-the-dark seventies-themed dance, DisGlo!
At Camp Balcones Springs, each cabin has the opportunity to conduct a prank or raid every term. Pranks began in 1993, the year camp officially began and they have only gotten better and more innovative since! All pranks must be approved by our full-time team and must be creative. A member of our leadership staff, alongside the cabin’s counselors, always accompany boys and girls during the enactment of their prank. It is pretty notorious for girls and boys to prank each other during a term and begin what is known as a “prank war” – a series of back-and-forth retaliations. We have had shoes taped to ceilings, trunks taken to the beach with epic cross-camp scavenger hunts for keys, and even “surprise” raves at 1:00 AM! Nothing says a great summer like a prank.
If cabins prefer, they can forgo the mischief and opt instead of what we call a “raid.” Raids are staff-approved “excursions” into the camp kitchen, during which campers are given a limited amount of time to scan the shelves for any snacks and treats they want to take back to their cabin to enjoy! Camp staff often stock the shelves intentionally with hidden treats and desirable items for the campers to find. After the “raid” is complete, boys and girls get to enjoy their spoils with their counselors and relish in a successful “mission.”
After a busy weekend of sporting events and relays, girls and boys relaxed Monday night for a restful camp evening at the Camp Balcones Springs Movie Night. Boys and girls gathered with blankets, pillows, and bean bags to watch the film “Cars” under the stars. Popcorn, nachos, movie candy, and sodas are available for snacks to create the true movie theater experience! After the slightly later bedtime due to Movie Night, we let everyone sleep-in so they would be well-rested for Tuesday night’s theme night – the Disglo dance!
Tuesday night, after a day full of swimming at Lake Ted, field sports, archery, tennis, and cooking classes, campers gathered together in our Rio Grande Dining Hall for one of the most hyped events of the term –our DisGlo dance! This 1970s-themed disco dance brought together the best from the decade of big hair and dance with glow-in-the-dark outfits, games, and black lights in the Rio! Campers sported their best seventies-inspired fashion – bell bottoms, chunky shoes, big hair – and danced the light away under enormous disco balls. Glow-in-the-dark face paint, light-up limbo, and a costume contest were additional highlights of the evening.
Be sure to check out our camp Instagram and Waldo for photos of the evening’s best costumes and looks!