Sunday, October 9, 2022
Hello Friends, thank you for stopping by my Self-care Sundays B.R.E.A.T.H.S. blog where I share a variety of self-care strategies that bring me joy. Last week, I shared about my family visiting Halloweentown in St. Helens, OR. This week, I am sharing about my friends and I enjoying our time celebrating the completion of our McMenamins Passport at the exclusive Cosmic Tripster Party.
What is the Cosmic Tripster Party?
A few Sundays ago, I shared about how my family, friends, and I consider McMenamizing a self-care strategy by driving around to all the locations to collect stamps in our McMenamins Passports trying to complete about two passports a year (according to the rules). Upon completing the passport, the prizes you get are three hotel stays, a pair of concert or movie tickets of your choice, a Cosmic Tripster t-shirt, pint glass, key chain, and an invite to the next Cosmic Tripster Party (that’s not including all the amazing prizes you collect along the way). Historically, there have been about two parties a year, but Covid put a pause on that for a few years. The parties have a few different musical acts, several food and beverage trucks, winners raffle tent, outdoor games, a photo booth, taster stations, a keepsake poster, and more just for fun stamps to add to the back of our passports.
My First Cosmic Tripster Party XI
In the middle of 2019, I found out about the McMenamins Passport program and wanted to finish as fast as I could right before summer when I would be traveling and possibly moving. I completed my passport in 59 days between May and June, and was invited to the Cosmic Tripster Party XI in September at their Edgefield concert location. I didn’t know I was supposed to dress in anything special, but I saw a couple people dressed as Ruby and Hammerhead characters. At the very end as I was packing up to leave, I met Kristi, who invited me to the soaking pool where we really hit it off, and became close friends that continue to do the Cosmic Tripster Tour a couple times a year.
My Second Cosmic Tripster Party XII
I decided to stay in Portland for a year, from July 2019 to July 2020, to focus on completing my doctorate in education, AND continue on my Cosmic Tripster Tour, this time we had new friends join us. When Covid hit, many businesses struggled to stay afloat due to restrictions, McMenamins was among them, and adjusted their passport rules to help bring in business and still offer stamps with a small purchase. They also had added QR codes with quizzes, opened tours or happy hours for random stamping opportunities, and extended any concert/movie prizes to when they started up again.
I completed my second passport in just over two years in October 2021, then was invited to Cosmic Tripster Party XII that took place in June 2022 at their Grand Lodge concert location. This time, I was a little clever with my Cosmic Tripster tee and wore it backwards to the party. Both my friends and I had a blast and ended up joining the McMenamins Funn!!!! Facebook Group.
My Third Cosmic Tripster Party XIII
In Fall of 2021, the Covid restrictions lightened up, and the passport rules went back to how they were originally. My friends and I were ecstatic, so I started using my mapping/planning skills to have us finish our next passport in just over two months, about the same time it took for me to finish my first one. On December 29, 2021, I completed my third McMenamins Passport and was invited to the Cosmic Tripster Party XIII just last weekend, October 2, 2022, located at their Edgefield concert location like my first one. I also had a personalized stamp made with my face (see hand stamp pic above) so that I could send people lots of love!
For my outfit to this party, I transitioned a handmade McMenamins Hammerhead skirt (repurposed out of gently used shirts) by Zoe Jones Designs, into a strapless top. I took apart my three Cosmic Tripster key chains and put them on a black necklace. My outfit received a lot of positive feedback. When I went to the merchandise booth, the employees saw my unique conversion and told me there was only one Cosmic Tripster skirt made but they never put it out to be sold. They asked if they could find it if I wanted to buy it, of course I did, and then went to the outhouse for a quick costume change. That was the highlight of the party for me!
Conclusion on McMenamins Cosmic Tripster Parties
Since the Cosmic Tripster Party just passed, I am ready to complete my fourth McMenamins Passport, and get invited to the next party XIV, is TBA. After the cute costume posts on the McMenamins Fun!!!! Group, I made double the amount of friends to continue the Cosmic Tripster Tour. Now, I have to start planning my next creative outfit to celebrate in. What do you suggest I wear?
