Upcoming events.
Tipi Party
We have built the deck, unloaded the poles, now we need a few tough people to help erect the tipi! Come to OARS at 3pm (or so) on July 26th, to celebrate the official opening of OARS with a cookout, a tipi, open space and new friends!
Youth Bushcraft
Kids Bushcraft Course: Explore, Create, Survive!
Our Kids Bushcraft Course is an exciting, hands-on outdoor adventure where children discover the skills and confidence to connect with nature like never before! Designed for ages 7–12, this program teaches fundamental bushcraft and wilderness skills in a fun, safe, and supportive environment.
Participants learn how to:
🌲 Build shelters from natural materials
🔥 Start a campfire safely and responsibly
💧 Find and filter water in the wild
🪵 Identify useful plants and trees
🦌 Track animals and read signs of wildlife
🔪 Practice basic safe knife and tool skills
Through games, challenges, and creative activities, kids gain not only practical skills but also teamwork, problem-solving, and respect for the natural world. Each session emphasizes environmental stewardship, personal safety, and leaving no trace.
Whether building a lean-to, crafting simple tools, or making nature art, every day is an adventure full of exploration, discovery, and confidence-building!
Teen-level courses also available!
Frights in the Field!
Join OARS every Friday night in October for Frights in the Field, our outdoor double-feature movie series. We’ll kick off each evening with spooky cartoons and family-friendly chills for the kids — then, as the night deepens, settle in for campy, creepy B-rated horror flicks just for the grown-ups.
✨ When: The first four Fridays of October
✨ Where: Under the stars at OARS
✨ What: $2 popcorn, cozy blankets, and plenty of low-budget thrills
Bring your lawn chairs, bundle up, and enjoy autumn evenings filled with laughs, shrieks, and unforgettable atmosphere. Movies start at dusk — come early to claim your spot!
Young Adult Outdoor Juried Exhibition
The Outdoor Arts & Recreation Society (OARS) invites artists of all ages and experience levels to participate in our Outdoor Sculpture Juried Exhibition in Cuba, NY. This community-centered event celebrates creativity, nature, and public art by showcasing original, site-specific sculptures along local trails and public spaces. Selected artists will receive a stipend and support for installation.
Registration opens August 30, 2025
Submission Deadline: October 10, 2025
Installation Window: October 13–17, 2025
Public Reception & Judging: October 25, 2025
Submit your entry today and help transform our landscape into an open-air gallery!
FireFly Friday
There are at least 3 species of firefly in Allegany County, and we hope to catch their light shows during their peak. Mid-July is the confluence of peaks of the Synchronized, Big Dipper (common), and Dot-Dash fireflies. OARS has the conditions to host all three major species in our area.
Come sit on the deck at OARS as the sun sets, the full moon rises, and the bioluminescent show dances around you!
Event Five
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Event Four
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Event Three
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Event Two
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Event One
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.