Fire Pits, Festivals & Floating (Or, Ways to Have Fun in the Summer)

The days are full of sun, and the nights are pleasant. It’s Summertime, and there is no shortage of ways to enjoy it. Use this as a little guide to help you make the most of it!

Fire Pits

Last night, we had what I would call the perfect summer evening. A small group of international and American friends went to a friend’s house and used their fire pit. We cooked hot dogs and chicken over the fire. But the highlight of any true summer night around the fire is always the s’mores. (This is the tasty treat featured in the above photo). If you have yet to make and eat a s’more, you are missing out! To make a s’more, start by putting a couple of marshmallows on the end of a roasting stick. Let them get toasted by the fire’s edge until they become golden brown and ooey-goey. This can get messy, so you will need a friend to put two graham crackers and some chocolate bar around the marshmallows and slide them off the stick. There you go! You have a s’more. It is so good, it will leave you saying that you want “some more.” (Which is why they’re called s’mores–get it?!)

As we ate s’mores around the fire, we talked and laughed as we told each other some of our embarrassing stories. We also tried catching fireflies as they glowed in the dark. There is a good chance a friend who lives near your town might have a fire pit. See if you can get some friends together and enjoy a nice summer night around the fire. August 10 might be the perfect day as it is National S’mores Day!

Festivals

Your town or campus is likely to have festivals and events for you to explore this summer. There is a wide range of festivals. They may celebrate cultural or religious traditions, food and drink, art, and more. In my town, there is a month-long Summer Festival where there is a free concert, show or movie every day.

There is a huge art fair in the middle of July, too. I like to go to with friends or family to see all the amazing creations of the artists. One of the biggest festivals near me is all about a fruit: cherries. The cherries are delicious, but my favorite part is when the Blue Angels kick off the festival. It’s a group of fighter jets from the U.S. Navy that do death-defying stunts in the air. My heart still races when I watch them! There is likely something happening near you that may get your heart racing, too. Check out what festivals and events are going on around your city this summer. It will feel more like home.

Floating

I saved one of my favorite summer things for last. I bet your town has a river or lake. What better way to cool off and relax on a hot summer day than getting in a tube, canoe or kayak, and letting a lazy current push you along. It is best to go with friends and someone who has done it before to be safe. (If you don’t know how to swim, wear a life jacket.) You will enjoy getting to see a different side or part of your town.

I am sure you have some great ideas, what are you favorite fun things to do in the summer?

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