Side note:.   I wrote this piece for Alive Utah, but thought it fitting to put in my family history blog.   Presently,  my six siblings and I are trying to plan out our parents' 50th wedding anniversary--- it's a coming.  So here is to summer time and families.... the best way to create family history!!

Summer time in Southern Utah means a time to gather. Family reunions provide a great opportunity for families to do so. However, if you happen to be the individual chairing the event, it may seem quite burdensome. Remember with careful and timely planning your family reunion will become an event to remember.

The following are a few basic tips and ideas to consider when planning a family reunion:
Set the date early.
Many families gather at the same time annually. This makes it easy for everyone to “mark their calendars.” While some families gather yearly as the family grows it may become more practical to gather a little less often. Don’t forget to send out email notifications well in advance and then follow up with a mailed invitation or a phone call. Remember mailing can be expensive. Be sure to plan this in the budget or make “family heads” in charge of notifying their children.
Consider the budget
It is always polite to consider the circumstances of those who will attend. Once the date is chosen, families can make the necessary financial plans so that they may attend the event. If your family gathering includes those outside your immediate family, make food assignments and/or find someone to cater the event. If family members are coming from great distances, find a hotel that can accommodate your group at a discount.
Choose a Venue
A great setting always creates great memories. Choose a location that has meaning. Perhaps, the birthplace of the grandparents, or where the main family lived for a period of time. This will create a bit of nostalgia and will be a springboard for conversation and activities.
Consider those who will be in attendance
Is the group young, old, or a mix? This will help in the planning of the event and the choosing of the activities. When planning the schedule for the reunion, be creative. What makes your family unique? What is it they enjoy doing collectively? If babysitters are needed for certain events then make the necessary arrangements with childcare services, or if special accommodations are necessary for older members of the family they can be made as well.
Make your reunion fun
Create an event that will provide for mingling. It is unproductive to hold a family reunion in which family groups do not associate. Create opportunities for natural conversation to occur and thereby strengthen the family unit. Wear t-shirts that identify different family units or pre-order t-shirts that are all the same to unify the group and serve as a souvenir.
If your family seems to be stuck in a rut, here are five innovative ideas to stir up some excitement for your next reunion.
Camping: Southern Utah provides a brilliant backdrop for such a reunion. Camping is a great way for families to gather. Be sure to choose different locations so the reunion does not seem like a “rerun” that just won’t end. This summer my husband’s aunt and uncle hosted our family reunion at their ranch near Hatch, Utah. While some families camped in tents, others made use of the trailer hook ups. This 1,000 plus acreage provided a venue with a host of activities including horseback riding, four wheeling, fishing, swimming, and a zip line. These activities created an informal way whereby cousins could renew acquaintances and the great grandchildren could play together. There was even a pavilion complete with an outdoor kitchen. Because it was my husband’s grandfather’s children and grandchildren, each “child” was teamed up with another “child” and the involved families were assigned a meal to prepare together.
If there is not a ranch like this in your family, choose a great campground close to a fun hike or look on line for a cabin or resort that is able to accommodate your group. The Zion Ponderosa Resort just outside of Zion National Park is a great venue for annual reunions or special occasion. My neighbors recently chose to bypass the traditional “50th wedding anniversary” and treated their entire family to the Ponderosa Resort.
Service reunion: See a need and serve it. Heather Harris, a local southern Utahn and her siblings recently chose to gather to paint the home of her parents who are now in their late seventies. While this was the first year they chose this type of reunion, she and her siblings had so much fun they decided they will definitely repeat it next year. She said it was great fun to work together and made communication more natural.
It was also a great use of time. Service reunions provide a great way for families to give to a member in need. If there is not a house needing painting, host a family car wash and give the money to a family member in need or a local charity. Another idea might be to clean up a park or a local historical marker. This would also create a great opportunity for a young man to host an eagle project.
Family History Reunion: Choose a location that is significant in your family’s history. This location could be close or far from the family depending on the budget. Perhaps your family helped settle a southern Utah town. Hold your event there and take a walking tour of the town, visit local graves, family homes, play family jeopardy, share family stories, or have a family “photo” scavenger hunt.
This type of reunion helps family members remember and honor their heritage while creating new memories. During a recent family reunion, a photo scavenger hunt was arranged. My father and siblings along with spouses were assigned to go to various destinations in Cedar City and take a picture of the locations. The hunt ended at a soda parlor complete with a jukebox. We cousins, enjoyed seeing our parents do the “boogey.”
Family Olympics: If your family is athletic and competitive then this may be the right reunion for you. Create teams that will be fair and that might avoid to much competition. Events for these Olympics might include a family 5K, a soccer and/or baseball game, 3 on 3 volleyball, a family obstacle course, and then for the grand finale- a family water fight.
This a great way for families to laugh together and join in activities that they enjoy collectively. During the events that older family members can’t join in they will have a great time being “cheerleaders.”
A Big Get Away: As families grow and their financial position improves, grandparents always need gift ideas. In lieu of birthday and Christmas gifts one year, my parents surprised grand kids with tickets to Disneyland and a motel stay. Because we parents knew well in advance, we were able to arrange schedules and make the necessary budget cuts. Family members spent time together while in various groupings.
Disneyland provided a great venue for memories that will indeed last a lift time. My older boys will never forget riding the Screamer with Grandpa Jake in California Adventure. There are a host of venues including water parks and theme parks which provide such memory making.
Plan ahead and the fun will find its way to your family reunion. While it is important to have a host of activities to enjoy it is equally as important to not over plan. Be spontaneous and flexible. The most important thing is that you as a family are together!