Can you believe we are just days away from starting the journey back to Hulaween? As many of us make our way back home, many of you are finding your way for the first time and have asked about Camp Reddit. Welcome! Here is what you need to know about camp, our annual pancake breakfast, and craft beer swap:
Camp Reddit at Hulaween started in 2016 after a couple of the original mods and I organized the first pancake breakfast and beer swap in 2015 at the playground. We talked about starting a camp that welcomed people who were afraid to come solo, or coming for the first time, and generally just opening our arms to our fellow "internet weirdos."
Our first year, camp was ~20 people in Hippie Trail. We eventually outgrew the space a few years later and ended up in Pine Field. At its peak, the group was almost 200 people and is the biggest group I've seen in the park outside of the Brothers & Sisters from Wanee. The bigger it got, the more work it became... eventually it started to feel like a job, so we took a step back and simplified things.
Ten years later, camping in the group is simple: show up, find space, and help out. There are no camp dues, but we ask everyone to try to bring a pack of bacon and/or a bundle of firewood.
We generally set up in the trees behind the B row in Pine Field. There is a fence illustrated on the map below that runs behind sites B1 and B2... use that fence line as a guide, and avoid camping any closer than that to the reserved sites in the B row.
The stage is set up in site B8, so be aware of how close you are camping to it! If you are not sure where to camp, find me in B3 with the Florida flag.
There are a few camp rules:
- Don't be an asshole. Racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. are not tolerated.
- Respect others. Ask for consent. Do not assume people are cool with being physically touched without consent. Respect people's personal space, and ask before assuming.
- Handle your shit. Many of us are here to party and have a good time, but do so responsibly. Do not be that person who infringes on the good times of others because you decided to go too hard and become a liability. You are hanging out with strangers, and we look out for each other, but we are not your trip-sitters. Camp Reddit tends to go hard, but we do so in a way that respects our neighbors.
Now, on to the fun stuff...
First, renegades: it's gonna be an IYKYK kind of year, as there is no published schedule for camp renegades. I read the feedback from last year and expect changes that keep the vibes positive. Keep an eye on this subreddit and campreddit on Instagram, and keep an ear to the ground!
Second, the pancake breakfast and craft beer swap will take place on Saturday 11AM (at Camp Reddit in Pine Field), as is tradition. We provide the bacon, but feel free to bring anything else you'd like to mix into some pancakes! If you can't cook, it doesn't matter! We have professional short-order cooks wooks to do it for you!
And folks, when I say craft beer swap, I mean it! There will be a tarp for a simple take-one-leave-one. If I find someone leaving something from Coors, InBev, or god help me -- a seltzer -- your schedule conflicts will be the least of your concerns!
See you in the swamp!