Poly camp

[darkhorse]

Hi everyone. I was wondering what you all know about poly camps. I have never been to one and I have a chance to go to one alone, next week. What should I expect and what should I bring? Are there a lot of them going on? What is the difference between camp and a convention? They seem similar to me, but I have been to neither.

Thanks in advance

[ImaginaryIllusion]

Would that be the one in WA?

Camping is camping, so that should take care of most of what to bring.
Other than that...it's hard to say. It can all depend on the camp organizers and the community that is hosting it.

If it is the one in WA, I'd be expecting something akin to the panels at Cons'...although likely less formal. It's camping after all.

Hope you enjoy it.

[Anneintherain]

I haven't been to one, I don't know if this will help at all, since I haven't been to burning man either but I know they both involve camping
I really thought I'd be able to google polycamp packing lists and somebody would have something up there. Alas no, but if I do ever make it to polycamp I'll probably follow this list somewhat.

http://lovelivegrow.com/2010/08/burn...-packing-list/

[Derbylicious]

I think poly camps are as varied as poly communities. It all comes down to who is on the committee planning the camp. Have a look at the materials that are describing the programming. Talk to people who know the people who are putting on the camp as well to get a feel as to what their views on poly are. If their views of poly don't mesh with yours a camp could be a dissapointing experience.

[darkhorse]

Thanks for all the posts! I looked at the link. Is poly camp like a burn event?

[Derbylicious]

Describe burn event? I've never been to one so I'm not sure.

[Anneintherain]

I don't think it's like a burning man at all - but as I said, I've never been to either.
I have heard that there can be a lot of making out and a good amount of sex, including casual, at the polycamp here in WA anyway.
I have never heard anybody talk about drugs at poly camp though, and sure wouldn't personally combine those two particular things, though I can see combining drugs and burning man.

[Derbylicious]

Originally Posted by Anneintherain

I don't think it's like a burning man at all - but as I said, I've never been to either.
I have heard that there can be a lot of making out and a good amount of sex, including casual, at the polycamp here in WA anyway.
I have never heard anybody talk about drugs at poly camp though, and sure wouldn't personally combine those two particular things, though I can see combining drugs and burning man.

There was a fair amount of drug use at the last camp I was at. It made me pretty uncomfortable because there's a big court case going on here at the moment and if the media caught wind of poly camp and drug use you can just imagine how damaging that would be for the poly reputation.

[Anneintherain]

I'm guessing that there is probably a drug and alcohol policy of some sort for any poly camp, but for the life of me I'm having trouble finding one.
Probably if you email the people running the camp they can give you more advice, what to bring, etc.

Originally Posted by Derbylicious

There was a fair amount of drug use at the last camp I was at. It made me pretty uncomfortable because there's a big court case going on here at the moment and if the media caught wind of poly camp and drug use you can just imagine how damaging that would be for the poly reputation.

Knowing that makes me a bit more reluctant to ever go to one - negotiating poly relationships and meeting new people is hard enough without trying to do it under the influence of anything, I don't really like being around people who are high/drunk/partying unless I know them pretty well.

Anyway to answer more of the OP (I'm surprised for some reason more people haven't been to to them to give more advice!) I imagine the camps have more of a workshop focus, conventions do that but have art, stories, movies etc, and maybe not as many learning opportunities, but that's just secondhand guessing.

[redpepper]

Wow, timely. I am heading to poly camp in washington. Good to know in advance what to expect. We are all going, even our child. Hmmmm. Not sure its very appropriate for him now although I was assured there would be structure for families as it was important to the organizer that families were welcome and respected in terms of poly kids feeling a sense of belonging with other kids. It worries me that that sense of belonging might revolve around sex and not the love part of poly.