For the past two days, Camp Arowhon has been swept away to Neverland for an unforgettable Peter Pan–themed Colour War! From the moment the teams were revealed in an epic skit (with pirates arriving on the cannon-shooting Pontoon pirate ship and descending on ropes from the high tower) camp has been buzzing with excitement, energy, and friendly competition.

The spirit around camp has been magical. Cabins transformed into tree houses, sailboats into pirate ships, and campsites into fairy glades. Campers gave it their all in activities from sports tournaments to dance-offs, a lively swim meet, and mental showdowns in speed chess and song writing.

One of the most talked-about events was Land and Sea — where runners on shore hunted for hidden blocks and passed them off to teammates waiting at the docks in canoes, kayaks, sailboats, windsurfers, and paddle boards, who then raced them across the lake to Hook’s pirate ship anchored in the distance (all while trying to evade the marauding pirates trying to steal their booty). The Counsellor Hunt was another crowd favourite, as campers searched every corner of camp to find hidden staff members — the higher the staff member’s position, the more points their capture was worth.

The 2 days of fun built up to this afternoon’s much-anticipated camp wide marathon. Starting with teams lining up from the lake and passing jugs along the line to fill a garbage can, travelling all around camp (and the lake) in relays from leap frog to portaging canoes to egg and spoon carries, and culminating in the traditional fire-building competition where the captains of each team built a fire to burn a rope. The cheering was deafening, and followed the captains to the lake as they jumped in for a victorious cheer circle in the water.

After dinner, we wound down with presentations of the Alma Maters – original songs written by the seniors celebrating the magic of camp and working together to overcome the pirates.

As the final points were tallied and the winning team announced, it was clear that everyone had won something far more important than a title — the joy, laughter, and camaraderie of two extraordinary days together.

Colour War reminded us of what makes Arowhon so special:  the way we can throw ourselves wholeheartedly into play, celebrate diverse skills, and leave with memories that will last long after the summer ends.