Top 9: 2020 Year in Review
We came across a Facebook memory from January 3rd, 2020 in which we shared a post announcing our win for the “Best RV Park in the Upper East Side of Texas for 2019” presented by County Line Magazine. The caption we posted? “2020 is going to be a good year! 🙌 ” It was not only a new year but a new decade after all! We couldn’t help but chuckle as we remembered the enthusiasm we had going into 2020, versus how the year actually went. Instagram vs. reality, right???
2019 had been a BIG year for us…
- Canton KOA officially opened on the resort
- We opened the Q & Brew restaurant
- We received our brewpub license, making us the 1st brewery in Van Zandt County
- Stagecoach Hall opened, a 2nd venue option to host smaller parties or meetings
- Hosted our 1st BBQ Smoke-Off with over 30 competing teams
- Hosted the Q the Music Festival & Wesley Pruitt Birthday Bash
- Traveled to Las Vegas to attend Wedding MBA, a 3-day convention full of learning and inspiration from some of the top wedding pros in the industry
- Traveled to Savannah, Georgia to attend the KOA convention
- Received The Knot’s Best of Weddings for the 2nd year in a row
- Planned exciting new campground lodging & amenities
As you can see, 2020 had some big shoes to fill and we had so many things to look forward to in the new year. So when we looked back at that caption we enthusiastically shared, it brought back a floodgate of emotions. We won’t pretend that last year wasn’t hard, personally and professionally. 2020 was hard on everyone. But as “glass half full” kind of people, we have a lot to be thankful for. We made wonderful new connections and great friends. We were humbled by the support of this amazing Canton community. We had the opportunity to slow down and re-focus our goals. We had the time to build new lodging and amenities on the Resort. And…we celebrated! Although delayed or re-imagined, many weddings and special events were hosted in 2020 and we were blessed to be part of these special memories.
One of our favorite ways to reflect at the end of every year is with Instagram’s Top 9. We loved seeing which posts you connected with throughout the year and re-reading through our conversations. It’s such a fun way to revisit highlights of the year and that’s why we decided to turn our Top 9 into a review of 2020! We hope you enjoy reminiscing over last year with us and cheers to a better 2021! 🥂
#1: This One Takes the Cake!
Need a little cake inspiration in your life? This post highlighted the gorgeous wedding cakes created by one of our preferred vendors, The Confection Connection! We have worked with April at numerous events here at The Barn and her cakes are not only beautiful, but also delicious! We shared these wedding cake photos to help promote a cake tasting April was hosting at the Barn for upcoming weddings. These tastings usually occur several times throughout a (normal) year, but you can also try cake samples at our Bridal Open House that we host twice a year in the Spring and Fall.
The Bridal Open House is an opportunity to tour our venue, and meet with lots of different wedding vendors at the same time. We also have samples of the Q & Brew’s delicious catering menu items and house beers. Our team looks forward to this event every year, and we love meeting new people and catching up with couples who have booked The Barn at the Silver Spur Resort as their wedding venue.
Unfortunately, we had to cancel our Bridal Open Houses in 2020 but we teamed up with vendors from our preferred list to plan a Virtual Bridal Open House instead. It was not the same as being together with everyone in person of course, but we had a lot of fun chatting with couples online and it was a great substitution until we could meet in person again. You can view a copy of our Virtual Bridal Open House here to get a virtual venue tour and learn more about The Barn and many of our preferred vendors! We plan on hosting a Bridal Open House this Spring (YAY!) and will announce details sometime in February.
Follow our Venue Facebook page to stay up to date with this event.
#2: Glamping Comes to Canton KOA!
We introduced a new blog post called “Wagons Ho! Life on the Trail” on March 3, 2020, as a teaser for our new campground addition coming this year…Conestoga Wagons! Nothing about the launch of this newest glamping offering worked out as planned, except we knew for certain that 4 covered wagons were on the way to Canton! All the plans we had made for marketing, promotions, giveaways, and collaborations with Dallas travel bloggers changed by the day until it became clear that creating no plan was, in fact, the plan that year.
The photos in this post were shared courtesy of the Conestoga Wagon Company so that we could start advertising before we received our wagons. The positive response we received from this announcement post was really exciting for us during a time of so much uncertainty. We knew this glamping option would be a great way for people to experience life in the Old West in a unique and fun way, while safely social distancing on our campground.
Maybe we’ll do an official launch or fun giveaway to celebrate one year of “roughing it in style” in our Conestoga Wagons this year. However, we won’t plan too far ahead this time 😉. Until then, we invite you to Imagine Life in the Old West When you Stay in a Conestoga Wagon, or have all your questions answered about what to expect when you stay in a covered wagon at Canton KOA.
#3: Sometimes, it Snows in Texas!
Fun Fact…Texas weather is crazy. However, we weren’t complaining the day we received proof that it was still winter in February and the Resort got a beautiful dusting of snow. Beauty surrounds us and we are blessed to live in this beautiful state, where sometimes, it snows in Texas. Swipe through to see our snow covered campground!
#4: Introducing, Wagon Junction!
Y’all love these wagons! This photo was taken in April after moving the Conestoga Wagons into their permanent home, Wagon Junction. Wagon Junction is tucked back into the furthest corner of the resort, nestled in the woods for an exclusive glamping experience. The placement is perfectly peaceful, with a catch and release fishing pond just steps from your wagon, and surrounded by the sounds of nature.
These wagons are spaced out enough to maintain privacy for individual campers, but close enough for groups to enjoy camping together. Wagon Junction even has activities to entertain kids while they explore the area. We love watching families make memories here. Definitely a highlight of our 2020.
#5: Microbrewery Opens in Canton!
Cheers to our brewmaster, Garrett Woodward. His love of craft beer turned from a hobby into Van Zandt County’s first microbrewery, featured in the December 26th, 2019 issue of the Canton Herald. The Q & Brew officially opened in July of 2019, but we did not receive our brewpub license until November. This meant we were able to sell beer, just not our own. We were, however, allowed to give it away which meant that many happy customers were guinea pigs to Garrett’s creations before we could legally sell Q & Brew beer. If that was you, thank you for making the sacrifice. Beer tasting is a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it. 🍻
For whatever reason, we waited to post this photo until late January, but glad we did since it made our Top 9 of 2020 and brought back wonderful and proud memories of watching dreams come true. We continue to be inspired by team members like Garrett who follow their passion, welcome new ideas, and are driven to make each guest experience unforgettable.
Thank you to everyone at the Q & Brew who work so hard to provide excellent service and delicious food every day. And to our wonderful guests, thank you for your enthusiastic support, especially this year. It truly means the world to us.
#6: How it Started vs How it’s Going!
It was inevitable that we jump on the “how it started how it’s going” trend and so glad we did! What a great reminder of where we started and how far we have come since opening. The Silver Spur Resort opened in 2016 with a bed & breakfast and big plans! It seems like just yesterday we were standing out on the back patio of the ranch house, overlooking the empty acres of land, and dreaming of the possibilities.
We wanted to design a place where friends and family could come together to make memories, whether it was the celebration of marriage in our Barn or a weekend getaway in our KOA campground. It is our hope, that at Silver Spur, you have found a place to relax, recharge, and reconnect.
If you are just learning about Silver Spur Resort, click here to learn more about “how it started”. Thank you for your support as we continue to grow! We are not done yet 😊
#7: Cabin Giveaway with That Texas Couple and Our Sweet Adventures!
Last February, we hosted travel bloggers Marty & Michelle for a weekend getaway in one of our cozy cabins! Where love and travel unite, “That Texas Couple” shares tips for romantic and fun travel on their blog. You will get lost reading through their travel adventures all over the world. We recommended starting with their review of Great Cabins in Canton, Texas (yes, a shameless plug) and continuing through their Texas travels and beyond. This fun-loving couple is a pair that you want to be friends with in real life. They are down to earth, easy to talk to, and just good-hearted human beings. We recommend you follow That Texas Couple on Instagram for their fun travel, adventure, and love stories! Check out their Texas stories highlights for more of their visit to Silver Spur and other Texas travel.
Following their visit to Silver Spur Resort, we teamed up with That Texas Couple and their friends, Christina and Adam of Our Sweet Adventures, to give one lucky winner a weekend getaway in one of our cabins! Our team loves helping people create special memories and enjoy new experiences here in Canton, Texas. We hope we get the chance to host these wonderful traveling couples in 2021 and do another fun giveaway in the future!
#8: We Made the Blog!
We LOVE viewing our campground through the eyes of our guests, and we were pleasantly surprised when one family even included us on their blog, Family Kamping! These photos were shared with permission from the Family Kamping Instagram Page after a trip to Canton, KOA!
Myc Crawford, blog owner, dad, and camping enthusiast wrote: “This is a top-notch KOA campground for both camping and RV owners. The 5-star rating speaks for itself. This is a popular weekend getaway for the family with all the creature comforts of home. Lots of repeat camping families in the cabins and very clean RV sites. The best part of the establishment according to the reviews is the friendly staff. Almost every review mentions this and I agree. I felt like our family was part of theirs.”
That is EXACTLY what we hope for when you camp at Canton KOA, located within the Silver Spur Resort, and it warms our hearts to know that our guests feel this way! Many things in 2020 were out of our control, but our commitment to making your experience one to remember was a priority.
Family Kamping recently returned to check out our covered wagons! You can read the review and view a tour of their cabin here, and make sure to explore this growing blog full of KOA recommendations and tips from a camping enthusiast!
#9: And They Lived Happily Ever After…
This photo wasn’t posted on their wedding day, but it is definitely one of our favorites from the Peterson wedding. The happiness expressed in this picture is everything; Madi Wagner Photography captured their wedding day so beautifully! 💕 Rylie and Zach agreed to share their beautiful love story on our blog. One of our favorite quotes from their Real Wedding at the Silver Spur Resort was from Rylie, “You finally get to your day, and if you love your man as much as I love mine, the only thing that’s on your mind is, ‘wow. I finally get to marry the man of my dreams today.” Her smile in this photo says it all!
We shared this photo on Instagram with information about how to schedule a venue tour at The Barn. Our event specialist will show you around our Barn, outdoor ceremony areas, lodging if available, and answer all your questions about the resort and package options. Feel free to take a walk around the pond, check out our new covered wagon area, and stop by the Q & Brew for a drink and a bite to eat. We want you to have the full resort experience! We are flexible with our appointments and will do our best to work around your schedule for a tour! Contact us for more information, we can’t wait to meet you!
You, the Silver Spur Resort guest, are the reason we love what we do! We love meeting new people from all over the country, learning more about the places you have visited, and hearing your travel stories. You inspire us to travel more and add to our own bucket list of places to visit! (Roadtrip!) We love connecting with our community members and seeing familiar faces at the Q & Brew for dinner or watching friends & families laugh and have fun at the Escape Room. And we love celebrating your special occasions right along with you. With every wedding, birthday party, anniversary, or team-building retreat we are blessed to help bring your special moments to life. From these occasions over the last 4 years, we’ve made new friends, watched families grow, and smiled knowing lifetime memories were made here. You make it exciting for our team to come to work every day and do our best to make your experience here one to remember.
Thank you for being the best part of Silver Spur Resort!
