Ness Lake Bible Camp expecting hundreds on annual Family Day open house

“The whole premise is come to camp, allow us to host you, enjoy your day.”

So says Ness Lake Bible Camp’s (NLBC) Executive Director, Dave Horton, about the upcoming Family Day Monday event at the summer camp.

Since the inception of Family Day in BC in 2013, Horton said the camp has opened its gates to people to go out and enjoy the facility.

This includes rock climbing, the zipline, jungle swing, the camp’s gym, and sledding, as well as a giant rotating ice disc on the lake, campfires, and food – all for free.

Horton said the last few years NLBC has seen upwards of 900 people come through the gates to spend part of the day with their families and friends at camp.

The high volume of traffic will cause some changes in how the day is run this year.

Horton said “last year we realized there is a level of safety risk, there is so much traffic… could an ambulance get in and out easily?”

Using last year for an example, Horton said during a major snowstorm 800 people arrived in the first two hours – the most people that have ever been at NLBC at one time in its 70 year history.

In response, NLBC is asking anyone coming out to pre-register for the event.

“You need to register everyone who wants to be there for a 2-3 hour time slot,” Horton said.

While the whole day is still free, each person registered will be required to place a $2 deposit that will be reimbursed upon arrival at camp to make sure less people reserve spots and don’t show up.

“It also grantees there is only ever [500-600] people at camp, total.” Horton said. “There can’t be the same giant lines because there won’t be the same number of people.”

Registered visitors are being asked to make a pit stop at Hartland Baptist Church on their way out to NLBC on Monday to pick up wristbands and give the $2 back.

“Once you arrive at camp you hop out of your car and you just go… you are registered and reimbursed,” Horton said. “We want people to know we still want to see 800, 1000, 1200 people come through, and it is still just as free.”

You can find out more about NLBC’s Family Day celebration here.