Day 4 of An Adventure in the Daddy Zone With My Father

Today was a day for lazing around in the hotel room until it was time to visit Evermore Park, which opened at 6:30 p.m.

Mostly we watched a couple of movies on HBO, then got a late lunch/early dinner.

Dad (Jim Eades) warms himself by the fireplace in the Tavern at Evermore Park in Pleasant Grove, Utah.

Then we bundled up for our visit to Evermore, as it is definitely November around the Pleasant Grove, Utah area, and it is a might cold. Cold enough to turn the leaves a very bright yellow on some of the nearby trees.

Bright fall colors explode forth in the evening sun in Pleasant Grove, Utah.

Evermore Park is a unique themed entertainment experience. There are not rides, it is more like a themed village with real people – actors – playing roles in the village.

Pumpkins dot the landscape around Evermore Park for Halloween.

Because it was still Halloween, the park was decorated for the season, and the storyline – about how “the dark” could take over people and the village – was something to dig into and find out about from the townsfolk.

One of Evermore’s “residents” chats with some visitors.

The first hour and a half of the three-hour time is more about exploring the village.then the second half is when the actors get more active about problems they are encountering, and seeking help from us visitors.

An owl and its caretaker give visitors to Evermore a chance to get up close and personal and say “Who?”

We went into one building where there were several live critters, including an owl.

Dad liked spending time sitting at the bar in the Tavern, talking with “the wench” behind the bar.

Of course, Dad loved chatting with the ladies.

This young lass spent some time warming herself by the fire – and Dad joined her.

When you walk around the village you might see a few creatures that are not too friendly.

You do not want to touch, nor let this creature touch or bite you in Evermore. You could get “the black.”

The second half is when the actors get more active about problems they are encountering, and seeking help from us visitors.

A villager tells others of her scary encounter with “the black” while others in the Tavern look on.

At one point I encountered a knight who challenged me to a game of chess – I defeated him with a checkmate move by my queen. He honored me with a “Well played, good sir.”

I defeated this knight with a brilliant move of my queen to checkmate his king.

Part of the evening’s entertainment were these two ladies doing a thrilling and twirling routing with fire.

A pair of fire dancing lasses entertain visitors to Evermore.

You had to be careful walking along the trails and streets of the village, or you could be infected with “the black.”

We think this villager might have been infected with “the black.”

Dad was just walking along but it was claimed he might be a spreader of “the black” and he was put in the gallows for a few minutes to make sure he was not and was pure of heart.

It was thought that Dad might be “infected” and was put into the gallows until it was determined he was not.

I met up with Evermore’s creative director, Josh Shipley, who is also a former Disney Imagineer I’ve known for some time. He seemed to be enjoying himself immensely in this new career of his.

Josh Shipley (left) is the creative director of Evermore Park in Pleasant Grove, Utah. I’m on the right.

He also told he that kids loved the big scary monster near the park’s entrance almost more than the adults – something they didn’t think would happen as they had originally planned to put the creature more towards the back of the park. He even offered how people were asking for souvenir T-shirts with the creature on it.

This large scary looking creature will ask you your name, then send you on a quest.

Well it was an enjoyable evening, though cold. So we went to bed early to continue the adventure on the morrow.

The mill and mausoleum in Evermore.

Here is a link to Day 3.