Jellystone Park Campgrounds Use Easter Events to Kick Off Seasonal Programming

Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts across the United States and Canada are hosting a series of Easter-themed activities, including egg hunts, craft sessions, and visits from Yogi Bear and the Easter Bunny. 

These events are part of the broader experiential offerings that the brand is known for, and they highlight a seasonal opportunity for franchise operators and campground owners to boost early-season engagement.

With more than 75 franchised locations, Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts are tapping into holiday programming to attract families and kick off the camping season. 

The Easter-themed weekends, scheduled according to each location’s seasonal opening, serve as a cornerstone for building community involvement and generating repeat visits from families.

“Yogi Bear himself is known to frequent many of our Easter egg hunts, and sometimes the Easter Bunny himself makes an appearance,” said Trent Hershenson, vice president of marketing for Camp Jellystone. 

The Southfield, Michigan-based company franchises the Jellystone Park brand in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences.

While these events are family-focused, they present notable implications for campground operators and industry stakeholders. 

Holiday-themed weekends can drive early occupancy, promote add-on sales through themed merchandise and activities, and provide structured programming that enhances the overall guest experience. 

From a business standpoint, leveraging well-known characters like Yogi Bear and aligning events with seasonal themes can create distinct marketing opportunities.

Activities vary by location and include everything from traditional egg hunts and craft workshops to marshmallow-eating contests and “wake the bears” parades. 

In places like North Lawrence, Ohio, and Woodstock, New Brunswick, the Easter weekend doubles as a symbolic start to the camping season, marked by guests waking Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, and Cindy Bear from hibernation. 

These kinds of activities not only add value to guests’ stays but also build anticipation for the campground’s event calendar throughout the year.

“We’ve found that events like Easter weekend give families something memorable to look forward to and help us create loyal guests who return for other seasonal events,” Hershenson added.

For franchisees and independent campground operators, Easter weekend at Jellystone Parks offers a model of how to blend recognizable branding, seasonal timing, and event-driven programming to drive guest engagement. 

The structured nature of the events also offers staffing predictability and merchandising tie-in opportunities—two considerations that can impact bottom-line results.

Featured image by Camp Jellystone