Place to have a large group hot dog roast? (Wilson: camping, price)

[genigirl]

Hi all,
I am looking for a place to have a church function where we can roast hot dogs and eat s'mores without having to stay the night and camp. Most of the parks around seem to close at sunset so we can't do it there (umstead for example). Any ideas? I am talking like 100 people so it would need to be a large area with lots of picnic tables and firepits.

This may be impossible but I thought I would throw it out there to see what I find.

Thanks!

[mizunomom]

Originally Posted by genigirl

Hi all,
I am looking for a place to have a church function where we can roast hot dogs and eat s'mores without having to stay the night and camp. Most of the parks around seem to close at sunset so we can't do it there (umstead for example). Any ideas? I am talking like 100 people so it would need to be a large area with lots of picnic tables and firepits.

This may be impossible but I thought I would throw it out there to see what I find.

Thanks!

Not sure if they can accommodate such a large group, but my daughter attended an evening group bonfire/hot dog roast last fall at a place called Winterpast Farm near Falls Lake.

ABOUT | Winterpast Farm

[Poggly Woggly]

You might check the Fairgrounds facility down on Youth Center drive. It can handle large groups...plus it has huge grills and a large industrial kitchen. It books up quick and the price is 600 bucks a day I believe. We have our family reunion there every year....44th coming up this summer

[J_Lurk]

Having done this in my new area, the secret is that you have to get authorized to stay the night and camp and pay the appropriate fees for that. No one is going to check whether you camp or not, but parks will let you stay late if you are "camping."

[lamishra]

The problem with doing that here is that they lock the gates and you can't leave! It's usually too dark and too far to walk with your stuff if you park outside the gates.

[erock11]

Originally Posted by Poggly Woggly

You might check the Fairgrounds facility down on Youth Center drive. It can handle large groups...plus it has huge grills and a large industrial kitchen. It books up quick and the price is 600 bucks a day I believe. We have our family reunion there every year....44th coming up this summer

I second this location - try it. I've had some work-related functions with over 100 people there and it accomodates easily. Although parking can be a pain to get in and out - sometimes you have to park over tree roots and in the wooded areas if the big grassy parking area is all taken up. But the facilities are nice.

[Bmateo]

Originally Posted by lamishra

The problem with doing that here is that they lock the gates and you can't leave! It's usually too dark and too far to walk with your stuff if you park outside the gates.

There has to be a way out. What if (let us hope it doesn't happen) someone had a medical emergency and needed to get to the hospital. I think that would be like locking the doors in a movie house, you have to be able to get out in case of fire.....

Might also check all of the state parks and COE land.

Also, FWIW, you might check out some of the state boat launches, like Farrington Pointe, on Jordan Lake. I don't know the rules, but I do know that it's a huge place and I'm pretty sure it does not lock. Not a great place for prime boating season, but I'd bet anything this time of year you could get in easy.... Just check all the rules and regs.

Also, there is a big COE-type place off big-woods road. And something else near Wilsonville. Find out who the "ranger" is and ask some questions.

Good luck.

[lamishra]

The gates are actually locked and there are instructions all over the place on what to do in an emergency. All of the NC state parks are like this. If it's an after hours emergency you have to call 911, who will call the ranger on duty to come open up the gate for them. But the gates ARE locked up tight! You can walk out, but you can't drive out. But walking out..it can be .5-2 miles away from the camp sites, and in the pitch dark, which is why I said it would be really hard to have 100 people there for a hot dog roast and expect them to walk out in the dark with supplies and all.