Date and Time: The event always happens at the same time of year every year: 12 noon on Thursday to 12 noon on Monday of Labor Day weekend. For 2025, the dates are Thursday, August 28, through Monday, September 1. It is important to note that attendees ARE NOT allowed on the campground prior to noon on Thursday and must be off the property by noon on Monday.
Charging Station: The only spot where electricity is available to OTR attendees is the Charging Station, located on Old Timers Road (the main entrance road) between Sinking Street and Borehole Road. You can plug your device into an electric outlet, then secure it in a locker while charging (bring your own charger and lock). There’s also a work station shelf where you can check your e-mail while charging, although we cannot guarantee that Wi-Fi will always be available. Please retrieve your item within a few hours. OTR and TRA are not responsible for the security of your device, and we may have to cut off unattended locks after 24 hours. Unfortunately, our power grid does not have the capacity to charge EVs.
Coot-Root-Toot meaning: OTR has established ceremonial designations based on how many OTRs you have attended. ‘COOT’ stands for Certified Original Old Timer, someone who has attended 20 OTRs or more. By last count, our membership includes 341 COOTS. The ‘ROOT’ designation honors those Real Original Old Timers who have attended 40 plus OTRs with 92 ROOTs in our ranks. Finally, the esteemed title of ‘TOOT’ (Terrifically Original Old Timer, or Truly Original Old Timer) is an individual with 60 or more OTRs under their belt — quite an achievement!
Grounds: Tireless volunteer volunteers work hard to maintain our site year-round. Please clean up after yourself and leave your campsite better than when you found it. Dumpsters are provided along Old Timers Road.
Ice: You can purchase ice at the First Aid Station and at the Gate. Ice tickets can be purchased at the First Aid Station, Registration, and the OTR Merch Tent. The Gate Crew accepts only tickets (no cash) for ice purchases, and the First Aid Station accepts tickets or cash.
Lost & Found: It’s located at Registration. Similarly, if you find something, please give it to a member of the Security team or bring it yourself to Registration. And thanks! Most items left behind after OTR will be discarded, although some valuables are retained. If you get back home after OTR and find you’re missing something, contact the Chair (chair@otr.org).
OTR Themes: Starting after the 50th reunion in 1999, the chairpersons of Old Timers Reunion have selected an overall theme as a way to drive the decorations, music, merchandise, and other fun activities outside of the regularly scheduled OTR activities. Some of the themes over the years have been A Look Back, Casino, Pirates of the Carabiner, Light Up the Night, Tex-Mex, Masters of the Night, Knights of the Blue Moon, Oktoberfest, Cavestock, Wild, Wild West Virginia, OTR Christmas, and Steampunk. More recent OTR themes are listed here:
- 2019 – 70th OTR – Celebrating the 70’s
- 2020 – NO OTR DUE TO COVID
- 2021 – NO OTR DUE TO COVID
- 2022 – 71st OTR – Family Reunion
- 2023 – 72nd OTR – The Roaring 20’s
- 2024 – 73rd OTR – Caves, Cavers, and Caving
- 2025 – 74th OTR – Cavers in Wunderland: Down the Rabbit Hole
- 2026 – 75th OTR – TBA
Picnic Tables: OTR does not provide any picnic tables for individual use. The ones you see people take to their campsites belong to them or their grotto. Do not take any of the OTR tables without permission of the OTR Chair. Picnic tables left at campsites after OTR will be considered abandoned and may be sacrificed to the bonfire.
River Activities and Protocol: You want to get wet? We’re fortunate to have a lazy, shallow river where you can splash and play to your heart’s delight. Please use the concrete River Access stairs for ingress and egress — especially on Sunday during the River Party, when the stairs at the River Stage are closed off. Please do not bring GLASS containers to the river, and please leave nothing behind when you leave.
Showers: Our shower buildings continue to receive big and small ongoing upgrades, including a complete makeover, thanks to the efforts of a talented team of TRA Volunteers who possess a variety of construction skills. The showers are closed for an hour each day for cleaning. Be sure to thank any TRA Volunteers or shower cleaning staff when you use the facilities.