Black Friday crowds are known to be hectic and stressful, so the Virginia State Parks will be participating in “Green Friday” for their seventh year to give an alternative option.
Virginia State Parks partner with the REI Co-op, an outdoor retailer, to provide outdoor options to create a family and nature-oriented Black Friday experience, according to a Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation news release.
The Virginia State Parks partnership with REI includes honoring a store receipt for a free park entrance and REI members also receive additional benefits, according to the release.
There are 37 parks in Virginia that participate in the initiative, and Virginia State Parks also offers a 25 percent discount on the first Monday after the holiday.
“Thousands of visitors last year decided to opt-outside as part of their Thanksgiving weekend,” said Virginia State Parks Director Craig Seaver. “The weather will be great, state parks will look beautiful, and it will be a wonderful time for people to focus on what’s really important – family, health and making memories that last a lifetime.”
The weekend is recognized on social media with the hashtag #OptOutside which also helps to share photos submitted to the annual photo contest.
Last year’s contest winner was Marisa Spyker for her two photos taken at Douthat State Park. Contest rules state photos cannot display any inappropriate or illegal behavior. This includes photos of dogs not on leashes or public consumption of alcohol.
Virginia State Parks uses these photos for marketing purposes, so each year the marketing staff picks winners based on requirements of their marketing campaigns, according to the Virginia State Parks website. The contest also is open for comments on entries from others. All photos must be taken between Nov. 23-26.
Photographers can win Virginia State Parks overnight accommodations gift certificates of $50, $100, $250 and $500. More contest rules can be found on the Virginia State Parks website.
After the holiday weekend, Virginia State Park gift certificates will be available at a 25 percent discount from Nov. 27 through Dec. 20.
For more information about Virginia State Park activities and amenities or to make a reservation for one of the more than 1,600 campsites or 300 climate-controlled cabins, call the Virginia State Parks Customer Service Center at 1-800-933-7275 or visit virginiastateparks.gov.
