Epic Final Details for 2016!

Dearest and Most Epically Skilled Swappers,

We’re closing in on Epic Skill Swap(s) 2016 and we are so tremendously excited! This email has some final logistical details. It’s a long one, but everything in here is important (including information about the site, food, transit, packing, alcohol, etc.), so bear with us.

First, our site! Camp Wilmot, our home for the last four years, is a wonderful place, boasting a pond for swimming, cabins, camping areas, a barn with fireplace, a spacious dining hall with a commercial kitchen, and beautiful woods. A few things to remember:

  • It is located on N. Wilmot Road in Wilmot, NH. Here’s a map. GPS has been known to be unreliable in the woods of New Hampshire, so we recommend these driving directions.
  • It is a summer camp. That means rough surfaces, shared bathrooms, etc.
  • There’s no ATM in the vicinity, so bring cash with you if you anticipate needing it for any reason (the only reason we can think of are a few modest materials fees for workshops).
  • It’s a bit of a hike to the nearest grocery store, so if you think you will need snacks, be sure to provision before you arrive.

Second, registration! If you have registered and can’t come, please notify us ASAP so that we can plan accordingly. We take cash or check for registration fees upon arrival. If you know someone who wants to come, but didn’t register, have them email us.

Third, packing! Here is our recommended packing list:

  • Layers! June in New Hampshire can be unpredictable.
  • Rain gear (which you hopefully won’t need)
  • Sunscreen/insect repellent
  • Bathing suits and towels
  • If you are teaching a workshop, anything you might need in order to do so
  • Anything you might need for participating in workshops (for example, if you’re planning to take a movement workshop, you’ll want to have appropriate clothes; if you want to take the graphic design workshop on weekend A, bring a laptop if you have one)
  • A pen and a notebook, because more likely than not, you’re going to want to take down some notes about something you learn over the weekend
  • Musical instruments if you want to jam/teach/whatever
  • A tent, if you’re planning on tenting
  • Sleeping bag/bedding for tent and cabin alike
  • Headlamp or flashlight
  • A water bottle
  • A blanket or camp chair for sitting on the ground
  • Snacks, if you anticipate wanting them
  • Your wonderful selves, your bright smiles, and your village-building attitudes!

Fourth, food! We will provide meals three times a day on Saturday and Sunday, and breakfast on Monday. All meals are vegetarian and vegan friendly. Most of the meals are also sensitive to gluten- and dairy-free folks. Feel free to supplement this bounty with your own ready-to-eat snackies. If you have specific dietary needs and opted out of group food when you registered, a small refrigerator will be reserved for you. Please note, however, that group meal prep will take priority in the hours directly before meals. If you are preparing your own food, please take that into consideration. You may want to bring a camp stove.

Fifth, potluck: Friday evening is a potluck dinner. Please bring a dish to share, and please remember to label what’s in it for those with allergies and dietary restrictions.

Sixth, carpooling! If you’re able to offer, or are looking for, a ride, we’ve got you covered. We have a great rideboard system, and are especially looking for folks to connect to/from the Boston area. Check ‘er out:

Seventh, skills! Every year, we intentionally leave space in our schedule (here’s weekend A and here’s weekend B) for last-minute workshop additions. We do this in order to ensure that people who may have heard about Skill Swap recently can have a chance to teach, and to make space for inspiration as it strikes. This space will be given out to teachers on a first-come, first-serve basis, starting on Friday afternoon. If you’ve got an idea for a workshop, please find Meghan after you arrive.

Eighth, Sunday night & cost! We were able to negotiate a deal with Camp Wilmot to pay half price for Sunday night on both weekends, so ESS will conclude on Monday morning as originally planned. Since we know only a few folks plan to stay until Monday morning, we’re going to ask everyone to chip into a clean up session on Sunday evening. It’s going to be a big ole cleaning party, and it’s going to be epic.

With the discount, plus some additional registrations that came in last week, this puts us at approximately $70 per person, and as ever, we will operate on a sliding scale.

Finally, other notes:

  • Dogs: We love our furry friends, but there is a no-dogs policy in place at Epic Skill Swap (except for service animals).
  • Interwebs: There is spotty wireless internet at Camp Wilmot and the password will be available; however, please be conscious of helping us cultivate mindful interactions between people, and limit your web use to the physical spaces we’ve set aside for it.
  • Kids: We love kids! Kids are the future! They should teach and learn with the best of ‘em. We have a number of workshops that are kid-friendly! However, we are not set up to provide childcare at this juncture. You are welcome to bring your children–we love it when people do–but if you do, they remain solely your responsibility. If you are under 18, you must attend Epic Skill Swap with a parent or guardian.
  • Alcohol: Alcohol is permitted at Epic Skill Swap due to a gracious flexibility in policy on Wilmot’s part, but please drink responsibly.
  • Drugs: Illegal drugs are absolutely not allowed at Epic Skill Swap. If you use illegal drugs, you will be asked to leave. Please understand that failing to observe this puts the organizers in a very awkward position, and there will be no exceptions here.
  • Legal Stuff: When you check in, you will be asked to sign a waiver. This basically indicates you understand what you’re getting into and you won’t hold the organizers or Camp Wilmot responsible should something go amiss. We also have event insurance for the weekend. That said, please take care of yourselves and be safe.

With anticipation for imminent epicness,

Meghan, Alison, Jamie, Onnie, Dana, Eric, Ethan, Annie, and Marvin ESS 2016 Core Organizers