This weekend marked the official start of the fall season, with fall fairs taking place in communities all around Ontario. Halloween decor and PSLs aside, to me, fall isn’t really here until I’m driven by temptation to bring my kids to a weekend affair of deep-fried fun and games.

The thing is, though, it rarely gets past the temptation stage.

I get the warm and fuzzies at the notion of zipping up my vest, grabbing a hot cider and having some fun at the fairgrounds while I breathe in the crisp autumn air, fresh-fallen leaves beneath my feet and a golden hue painted across the sky.  It’s all very ‘Dawson’s Creek’ in my mind.

That is, until I start to tally up in my head just what this day of fun is going to cost me.  That’s when I go from thoughts of Pacey and Joey to thoughts of Ebenezer and Bob.

The cost of admission alone is going to run us $50. That’s before stepping foot on a ride, tossing any rings or eating anything on a stick. There’s no way a day at the fair is going to cost me less than $100, so I start thinking instead of other things we could do.

Not a simple task.

As a family, I want to do something fun. Something active. Outside. Unique.

Hmmm.

• Apple picking? $60 just for us to get into the orchard.
• Bowling? $100 for the first hour. Guaranteed I’m going to want a beer and fries. Shame on me, but still — there’s another $40.
• Escape room? $150 and, given our expertise (not even trying to be humble with that brag), I say that buys us 45 minutes of fun.
• Activate? $120 and likely a sprained ankle.
• Roller skating? $80 and likely a sprained ankle.
• Night at the movies? $100. Though I will say, if you can do it, the Costco passes are a great deal. Except I just spend everything I would have saved at the movies on 17 pounds of Parmesan cheese and 10 hot dogs on my way out, so maybe not the savings you might think.

I recall the days when my friends and I would hit the movies on a Tuesday night. $4.25 admission and maybe $10 for popcorn — $15 for a full evening of entertainment and fun.

Granted, inflation works those numbers into something probably comparable, so perhaps things aren’t as bad as they seem. Maybe it’s just that I’m paying for four people now instead of little old me.

I guess I could leave everyone at home, but as experienced as I may be, doing an escape room solo just isn’t the same thing.  Plus, with two sprained ankles, I need someone to drive me home.

Regardless of how time has impacted both the dollar and my life, these are all activities I love and will, without question, do again at some point. But when attempting to come up with something for us to do that doesn’t hit the pocketbook hard, it can feel a little defeating.

I acknowledge that not all outings need to cost a lot of money. I’m certainly not suggesting fun can’t be had without it. But I also recognize that, more and more, these once-approachable outings are getting beyond reach.

And so then what? Do we stay inside, never to embark on these types of adventures again?

Absolutely not.

They may be fewer and farther between, but it’s during that in-between time that we find ourselves at our most creative and our most curious. Out of boredom comes discovery. From defeat comes growth and development because there are, quite frankly, a myriad of other fun things to do that won’t cost a dime, right in our own backyard.

• The library? Always a hit!
• Sneaking into the conservation area? Absolutely. And, of course, if you don’t want to sneak in but still don’t want to pay admission, you can borrow a pass for free from — guess where? — the library!
• Sponsored public swim? Let’s gooooo!
• Disc golf? Sign me up… though likely coming with a sprained wrist.
• Canoeing the Grand? One of the most peaceful ways to spend a day.
• Chilling out with some board games? Done.
• Thinking of calling me out because board games cost money and therefore shouldn’t be on this list? Wrong. Know where you can get board games for free?

The library!

It’s probably worth expanding on just how much we use and value our public library.

We’ve gotten to know the crew there quite well, and they, in turn, have gotten to know us. I think it takes a certain, special type of person to work in such a special place. Someone with a passion for community, art, creativity and a love for expression.

Their programming over the years has brought wonder and joy into the lives of our girls and our family and has done incredible things to support their growth. It was the first place the girls walked to on their own, and it continues to be a weekly destination for them.  They offer scavenger hunts, reading clubs, art projects, safety classes, meeting spaces, creative hubs, guest speakers, interactive presentations, events, and on and on and on.

It’s a safe space. A gentle place. And, I feel, a genuinely caring one. I’m grateful it exists, and I’m grateful for the exceptional people who make it what it is.

It may be fall fair weekend, and I may have a hankering for some apple picking, and I may one year do both of those things again.  But right now, for how I’m feeling and what I’m craving, I think I’ll keep it a no-budget weekend.

Maybe it’s even time to check back in on Dawson and the crew.