The 26th annual McAdams Family Reunion was held July 11 and 12, 2025, in Tightwad, Missouri. This year’s theme was McRenaissance and several family members dressed the part.
Barbara McAdams, right, was honored for having celebrated her 60th birthday this year. Several family members, including Amy (McAdams) Sielaff, left, shared memories of growing up with Barb, who family members used to call Bambi.
A scavenger hunt with clues written on scrolls led team members, including Andrew Brown and Patty (McAdams) Russell, above, to fun games, including a water-balloon-on-a spoon race, demonstrated by Erica Taylor, below.
Ryder Dean, above, is a knight in McAdams armor and Mindy (McAdams) Brown, below, portrays the Mona Lisa.
For the 26th year in a row, the McAdams clan gathered in a backwoods campground of Tightwad, Missouri, July 11 and 12, 2025. This year’s theme was McRenaissance. Although it was a bit warm and one night’s campfire festivities were diminished due to rain, the ladies and lords of the Hickory Hollow manor had a splendid time.
Those in attendance were descendants and friends of the late Chub and Margaret McAdams of Tarkio, Missouri: Steve and Betty McAdams, Webb City, Missouri; Stephen McAdams and Catrina Hyde, Austin, Texas; Mindy, Andrew, Erin and Nicole Brown, Rockledge, Florida; Dylan McAdams and Ashlee Mammen, Chillicothe, Missouri; Evan McAdams, Austin McAdams, Barbara McAdams and Carson W., and Joe McAdams, all from Independence, Missouri; Rusty and Mel McAdams, Smithville, Missouri; Charlie McAdams, Wellington, Missouri; Steve Riska and Cindy Dean and Ryder Dean, Warrensburg, Missouri; Jeremy and Sandy Dean, Lee’s Summit, Missouri; Mary McAdams, Tarkio, Missouri; Frank Simmonds, Falls City, Nebraska; Maggie and Ryan, Joe, Sam, Cate, and Ellie Crawford, Liberty, Missouri; Jamie and Abby and Emma McAdams, Kansas City, Missouri; Finn McAdams and Claire Hasty, Nevada, Missouri; Kathy and Glenn Smith, Gretna, Nebraska; Alex Smith, Dan McAdams, Sandy and Mike Sundberg, all from Omaha, Nebraska; Amanda Sundberg and Kim Mozley, and Brooklynn P. and Braxton M., Claremore, Oklahoma; Mary Plummer, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Tiffany Plummer and Derek Gall, Harrisburg, South Dakota; Craig and Patty (McAdams) Russell, Denver, Colorado; Charisma Escala, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Amy, Troy, Cooper, and Roger Sielaff, Kansas City; Erica Taylor, Rock Port, Missouri; and Megan McAdams, Tarkio.
The family gathered ’round the campfire on Friday evening for hot dogs, brats, and s’mores and the children were treated to craft making, including potions and swords and shields while the adults drank mead from their goblets and chalises. Saturday morning, everyone participated in a scavenger hunt with clues inked onto scrolls and Renaissance games fought in a battle for knighthood. The last game included fun family trivia where facts about the Magnificent Seven siblings (children of Chub and Margaret) had to be matched with that particular individual. Following the games, the families each enjoyed venturing through the forests, glens, and lakes of west central Missouri before returning to Hickory Hollow for a feast fit for kings and queens provided by Rollin’ Smoke BBQ and Catering, LLC (made to perfection by Steve Riska and Cindy Dean). After dinner, family members who were dressed in their Renaissance attire were recognized and the knighting ceremony took place. Barbara “Bambi” McAdams was also celebrated for having reached her 60th year. Saturday night and into early Sunday morning, the family gathered round the campfire to talk, drink, sing, and guffaw in that cozy backwoods campground in the middle of Tightwad.
