About this Adventure
Wilderness Queers is throwing our first summer games at Lake Temescal. Bring a picnic potluck dish. You can play on a team, get sorted into one day-of, or just hang out as audience and cheer everyone on. Expect an afternoon of running, laughing, and trying not to fall on your face during the three-legged race.
The day runs as a five-round games series with gold, silver, and bronze medals for the top three teams. Activities mix the physical (tug-of-war, potato sack relay, wheelbarrow race, three-legged race) with the chill (queer pop-culture trivia, cornhole, arm wrestling, best-team-outfit and team-chant judging) so there's something to score on whether you're a runner or not. The best-team-outfit judging is about the team's coordination as a whole (matching colors, theme, or shared bit), not who's individually best dressed. We close with a final everyone-runs-a-leg relay.
Doors at 11:00 AM, opening ceremony at 11:30, medal ceremony around 4:15 PM. We're at Temescal Regional Recreation Area in Oakland. We'll share the exact picnic spot (and a map showing where to meet) with confirmed RSVPs so group coordination stays clean.
Teams are how this works: you can pre-form a team of 2-8 people, or sign up solo and we'll sort you into a team day-of. We'll send out the team-sign-up link a few weeks before. Both pre-formed-team folks and solo folks pay the same $5/person.
Everyone in the event area needs a wristband. It's how park staff (and we) keep the headcount within the site's reserved capacity, and it's not optional per our EBparks reservation. Pick yours up at the welcome table starting at 11:00 AM, before the 11:30 opening ceremony. That's also where we check your $5 Venmo or take cash.
$5/person covers the picnic area rental, wristbands, medals, and supplies. Venmo @cmonies with the email you used to RSVP plus "Summer Games" in the note. We need the email to match your payment to your RSVP since there's no application step here. EBparks reserves the right to cancel for fire or weather; if so, we'll reschedule.
RSVP to see the full plan
We share the exact location, itinerary, packing list, and travel details with confirmed attendees only.
Park rules
- Beer and wine are permitted at the site - no hard liquor
- All EBparks are smoke-free; no smoking or vaping anywhere in the park
- Amplified sound (boombox / Bluetooth speaker) is OK as long as it doesn't carry more than ~50 feet from the site
- No confetti, mylar balloons, drones, bounce houses, smoke cannons, fireworks, water balloons, or generators
- Leave No Trace - all trash, including micro-litter like glitter or confetti, leaves with you
- Heads up: the South restrooms close at 4 PM. The North restrooms stay open if you need one during or after the medal ceremony
Weather forecast
Forecast not available yet - the National Weather Service only publishes detailed predictions about a week out. We pull a fresh forecast twice a day, so this section will fill in as the trip gets closer.
Accessibility
Temescal Regional Recreation Area is an East Bay Regional Park District site near Oakland. EBparks publishes detailed accessibility info per picnic area and per trail. Some games involve running and physical contact (tug-of-war, relays); several rounds (trivia, cornhole, arm wrestling) are seated or low-impact so anyone can score for their team without running. Dogs are welcome on-leash in most areas of the park.
Confirmed RSVPs get the specific picnic site we reserved along with its accessibility details (path surface, distance from parking, nearest restrooms).
Disclaimer & Media Release
By attending this Wilderness Queers event, you accept full responsibility for your own safety and acknowledge that the organizers are not liable for any injury, loss, or damage that may occur during the activity.
Photos and videos may be taken and shared on social media. By participating, you consent to being included. Please inform the host if you prefer not to be photographed.
Your host
Carmen
Event organizer