THE COMPETITIVE CROWD
Maryland’s Adventure Park at Sandy Spring and the Adventure Park at the Virginia Aquarium in Virginia Beach, Va., took real strides to attract guests who are more hardcore competitors and might not typically visit an aerial park by introducing their Iron Monkey Challenge events in October and November.
“We wanted to do an activity that would challenge our thrill seekers,” says Emilie McIntosh, park manager at Sandy Spring. “We came up with a race series that all of our [Outdoor Venture] parks could do.” Each park tailors the concept to its site.
At Sandy Spring, the Iron Monkey, named after the Iron Man Triathlon, challenges competitors to complete all 13 of the park’s courses in the shortest time. A mix of 21 male and female contestants signed up in advance and paid $110 to participate. The courses included the double black diamond “Gauntlet,” an extremely challenging option that most park visitors don’t even attempt. Four contestants dropped out.
The park got what it was looking for—competitors included a previous contestant from the “American Ninja Warrior” TV show, among others. “We saw a lot of hardcore athletes, the type who are into rock climbing and other extreme sports,” says McIntosh.
In Virginia Beach, the park set up three different races under the Iron Monkey banner, including a team race, a sprint race consisting of only black diamond courses, and the Iron Monkey, the all-courses competition. Sixty-one participants came out.
Winners at both locations received season passes, 10-visit punch cards, day tickets, and other prizes.
“We definitely found that people who participated wanted to do it again next year,” says McIntosh. “The competitors loved the event, and they were ready for it—there aren’t enough similar events in the area.” The goal is to make the Iron Monkey an annual race series, and to grow it to other OV parks in Cape Cod, Mass., and Bridgeport, Conn., for fall 2016. At Sandy Springs, an after-dark “color” race (non-black diamond courses) will be added to attract folks interested in fun more than adrenaline-soaked competition.
GROUP WEEKENDS
Tennessee’s Nashville Shores has dabbled in different themed events since the park opened in 2012. Some (Healthcare Appreciation Day) have been misses, while others (Military Days) have stuck. “We started the first year with 10 or 12 events, and narrowed it down to the ones that were working,” says Taylor Wilson, an account executive and marketer for the park.
Nashville Shores has found success through special event weekends and promotions for niche groups like Boy Scouts, local EMS workers, and even homeschooled children. The park’s popular Scout Lock-in targets local Boy Scouts, their troops, and their families. Two Lock-ins happen each year, and bring approximately 100 Scouts to the grounds for a weekend of camping and aerial park climbing.
It’s a perfect fit for a Scout activity, says Wilson: “Scout leaders are always looking for ways to push [Scouts] physically and mentally. This is right up their alley.”
Scouts start showing up on Friday, camp two nights, and have climbing reservations each day. Most also spend time working toward Scout badges, participating in games or activities like tug-of-war, and socializing. Bigger groups might study and work on nature identification.
Wilson says Scouts have embraced the Lock-ins, which have doubled in size and number since they began three years ago with one weekend and 50 participants. Scouts book in advance, and receive 50 percent off climbing and free camping at the park’s 80-site RV campground. Wilson says the park remains open to the public during Lock-in, but it’s mostly booked up with Scouts.
“This year it really blew up—it’s slowly turning into just a Scout event,” says Wilson. “We’re getting to the point that we might need a third Lock-in.”
Nashville Shores also sets aside certain days for veterans, emergency workers, and other niche groups. Its “Hometown Heroes” day offers discounted tickets to local law enforcement, EMS, and firefighters one weekend a year. Wilson says the park is still growing the event, but some activities have sprung up around it, like a firefighters vs. police (red vs. blue) tug-of-war. “It’s one of those activities that’s a chance for people to come out and be with like-minded individuals,” he notes.
Other parks are catering specifically to women. New York’s Bristol Mountain Aerial Adventures’ Flyscapes program presented a “Find Your Power” climbing and yoga program in September. For $199, participants got a women-only, one-day retreat with breakfast, yoga, guided aerial park activities, and a farm-fresh dinner at a local restaurant. In May 2016, Bristol Mountain will host a Mother and Daughter Day, which will include a “playful and bonding” yoga and meditation session followed by a day of climbing and dinner.
ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES
The opportunities for themed programming at parks offer endless possibilities to attract a different demographic. With some strategic thinking, research, and perhaps a few flops, more and more parks will find something for everyone.
