Frequently Asked Questions
What food should I bring?
Will there be food for people with particular food needs?
What kitchen facilities are available?
I like to grill things or cook big dishes and am not sure what to make.
What is the meal schedule?
Who does the dishes?
What about beverages?
What do I need to bring?
Can I put an event on the schedule?
When does the Awesome begin, and end?
Where is the Awesome going to happen?
Is it really down this dirt road?
Can I use my cellphone and interwebs on site?
Can people reach me on site? (AKA In Case of Emergency…)
What should I wear?
Are children welcome at the event?
What about bringing my pet pupper, kitter or snakey floof?
Is this event open to the public?
Can I invite my friends?
Do I have to pay for this?
Why are there no pictures of this on facebook?
How many people will be there?
Where am I going to sleep?
How do I next-level my awesome cabin experience?
What are the cots like?
What are the bathrooms like?
What are my housing options?
Awesome Food
What food should I bring?
Here's the simplest way to think about it: Awesome is a big potluck the whole time.
Do you like cooking? Plan to make one dish to share for 10 or 20 people. Please tell us what it is, and maybe when you will be sharing it, here. Sign up. Change your mind later, we don't mind; Just writing stuff down will help new attendees get a feel for the food situation. If you are coming for the whole time, sign up to make 2 dishes.
Do you not like cooking? Don't cook. Maybe bring some chips or fruit, some treat that is easy to share. Or bring nothing. It's totally fine. There will be too much food and it will be nice food. Spend a few extra minutes doing dishes and we'll be square.
We will have: coffee, olive oil, salt, some spices, hand towels, aluminum foil. No need to bring more, except, sigh, we could always use more hand towels.
Will there be food for people with PARTICULAR FOOD NEEDS?
Do you have special dietary restrictions or children who need to eat particular things at particular times? You, friend, might want to bring some backup food, at least for the kids. Meals are delicious and plentiful but not always timely. There is usually a good mix of meatsy, vegan and non-gluten options but we can't guarantee every food restriction will be satisfied at all meals. We will do our best to communicate to the kitchen elves about allergies on site and provide labels, so please let us know about your allergies during signup.
What kitchen facilities are available?
It's an industrial quality kitchen setup, open to the main hall, conveniently located between the firepit and the dance hall. It is the beating heart of the awesome party. There are plenty of pots and pans and plates and utensils and little plastic camp cups.
There are about twelve gas burners, a gas griddle, 4 gas ovens, 2 convection ovens, an ice machine, and a six gallon hobart mixer. Also a walk-in refrigerator where you can put things on the share shelves or store your own private cooler.
The kitchen does NOT have appliances such as a blender, a food processor, an Instapot, a spice grinder — you will have to bring these things yourself if your recipes require it. The BBQ is a charcoal grill and we usually just fire it up on Saturday night since it’s a bit of a project.
I like to grill things or cook big dishes and am not sure what to make.
We require some committed cooks, one for Friday night to make dahl and rice, two for Saturday night to hang out at the grill and flip things. If this could be you, please let us know in the "Awesome I will bring" part of registration.
What is the meal schedule?
Somebody likes to get up early mornings and make breakfast. Is it you? Mind putting your name on this sheet?
Lunch, well, lunch is a bit informal. There will be food, we can't really promise what it is or when. You can help by adding lunch items to the meal signup.
Usually we do dinners as potlucks with a theme. The theme is a suggestion, not a mandate.
Wednesday night we are up to our eyeballs in casserole and cookies. Don't even think about food.
Thursday is taco night.
Friday night theme is 'Indian potluck'. We could use someone to bottom-line the dhal. Is it you? Sign up! Is that taken? Do you cook and want to make a dish for 10-20 people?
Saturday night is 'barbeque' so we'll bring some buns, ketchup, relish, veggie/non-veggie burgers, etc and you bring something to grill or your famous potato salad, your best spicy stew, cornbread, collard greens, slaw, or pie.
Who does the dishes?
Expect to spend at least one hour every two days keeping the kitchen under control so that it will remain useable for everyone over the week. The kitchen is generally pretty hoppin' so this is fun, we promise.
What about beverages?
Fresh water, chai (optional caffeination) and coffee should be available at all times. We will have a couple kegs of beer and kombucha on tap for as long as they last. There's generally a bar that acts a liquor depot for whatever folks want to share with the camp. If you like making cocktails, bring your own ingredients — the liquor contributions can be quite eccentric.
Awesome Logistics
What do I need to bring?
Bedding is NOT provided. YOU MUST BRING YOUR OWN BEDDING. For other important things to bring, check out this handy LIST.
Can I put an event on the schedule?
The schedule is crowdsourced. About half of it is created onsite. If you want to add something tothe schedule in advance, go for it!
When does the Awesome begin, and end?
AWESOME starts on WEDNESDAY! We get access to the camp on Wednesday afternoon, the supply van should get there about 2pm. Set up for the weekend will begin on Wednesday and there is plenty of setup to do. You want to help decorate the woods, the dance floor, the dining hall? Come early, it is really fun.
We have to be off the property and all cleaned up on Sunday at noon, so Sunday AM is pretty much teardown and cleanup time. Feel free to show up anytime between those two points, but really, come before Friday night. Friday night is a very big night and you don't want to miss it.
Check-in station is self-serve and 24/7. If you arrive very late at night there may some hunting for your cabin in the dark but we have blind trust in your capacity to handle basic logistical tasks.
Where is the Awesome going to happen?
At the lovelyMendocino Woodlands State Park. We'll be in the first Camp, Camp 1, once you enter the park. Surrounded by redwoods, the camp is about 10 miles from Mendocino, CA and some of the most gorgeous natural beachfront around. The drive from the Bay is 3 ½ hours and sure is pretty. You can coordinate carpooling here.
Is it really down this dirt road?
Yep, it is. It's only 3 miles or so down a dirt road but if you haven't been down this road before, you are going to question the wisdom of continuing to drive deeper into a primeval redwood forest. It's there, we promise!
Can I use my cellphone and interwebs on site?
Welcome to a weekend offline, communing with fellow humans in person! There’s no internet on site, and cell phones don’t work at the camp. There’s spotty reception in the town of Mendocino and on the rural roads driving to the area.
Can people reach me on site? (AKA In Case of Emergency…)
It’s very difficult to contact people at the site, but if it’s absolutely urgent, you can call Camp #1 (our camp) at 707-937-9962 or 707-937-4023. Let it ring—these are outside phones and it may take awhile for someone to notice it’s ringing and get to it. You might be able to leave a message, but don’t count on it. You may also be able to reach camp staff at the general office number: 707-937-5755. Please note that these numbers are for emergencies only. Please don’t use them to ask us if we need you to do a beer run on the drive up. OK wait, that might be considered an emergency…
What should I wear?
The temperature can vary significantly year to year — make sure you check the weather before you come up to plan your Awesome wardrobe. Many people wear ridiculous costumes the whole time. There is a shared costume cupboard if you want to explore beyond your own collection.
Generally, bring warm outer clothing for nighttime. Days are usually pretty comfortable, sometimes on the chilly side. Redwood forests don't get a lot of direct sunlight. Also, occasionally, it rains. Bring a proper coat or umbrella or something.
WHO COMES To Awesome?
Are children welcome at the event?
This event is family-friendly but not family-oriented. If your child is comfortable at a festival event where adults may behave oddly at times, this will be a jolly time for them.
Many children have attended in recent years and we are delighted to watch them having their own awesome times. There is also significant planning that goes into creating events that children and adults can all enjoy. If you are interested to help plan/run such an event, put it on the schedule, or note that you'd like to help in the "Awesome I will bring" section of registration.
This year, we are asking that folks buy tickets for kids 5 and over-- just modify the sliding scale price so this is reasonable for you. If you are under 18 and would like to attend this event, please find a guardian-type to bring along.
What about bringing my pet pupper, kitter or snakey floof?
Absolutely no pets are allowed at the site. It’s not our rule, sorry, it's a forest with its own local wildlife. If you have service animal paperwork for your animal and you bring it, service animals are allowed.
Is this event open to the public?
Nope. For legal and insurance purposes, this is a family reunion. Many people have key experiences with chosen family, and this is a time to reunite them. If you are invited, you are welcome, barring objections. If an organizer contacts you to follow up, just put us in touch with the person who invited you.
Can I invite my friends?
Yes! This party is a lot more fun when you have more friends in attendance! We are attempting to cultivate a body-positive, queer-positive space for people from all backgrounds to experiment with image, identity, relationships, and redwoods. Please bring friends who are into that stuff.
Do I have to pay for this?
If you can, please do. The real cost for each camper is $175. Your donation helps cover the location rental, basic supplies and a cargo van for hauling things to Mendocino. Tickets are sliding-scale, anything from $50 to $215 is great, depending on your means.
Why are there no pictures of this on facebook?
Awesome is a space for experimentation and we ask that photos taken remain personal and not shared publicly. There is a photo booth for you to snap your glamour shots.
How many people will be there?
We have capacity for about 200 people in cabins. Historically, we have 70-100 attendees at Awesome. It's a community, expect to meet some new people!
Glamping At AWESOME
Where am I going to sleep?
Our camp at Mendocino Woodlands is home to about 50 little cabins with 4 cots each and no electricity. You will sleep in one of these. YOU MUST BRING YOUR OWN BEDDING. Communal bathhouses, with electricity and hot water, are a short walk from your cabin. Couples and other co-sleeping groups can push the cots together. It can get a bit chilly at night so please bring warm blankets.
Some people like to be in cabins as far away as possible from dance hall noise, others like to be in the heart of the action. We usually have enough space so that we don’t need to fill up 4 people to a cabin. Please register early and note on your registration form who you want to share a cabin with and if you have a preferred location for your cabin.
If you have a young infant or medical needs such that you need to sleep somewhere closer to a bathroom or with electricity, please let us know and we can try to hook you up.
How do I next-level my awesome cabin experience?
Strings of battery-powered holiday lights are really nice, at least one for inside light and, if you're ambitious, one for marking your cabin in the dark redwood forest. A sheet or sarong to hang as a curtain over the giant plate glass window right by your bed can give privacy and some protection from the blazing light of day if you are a sleep-in kind of person. Finally, some flip-flops or slip-on shoes for ambling to the bathroom in the dark are helpful in keeping the pine needles out of your sleeping bag.
What are the cots like?
Each metal-framed cot has a plastic-covered foam pad that’s decently comfortable, but bring something more cushy like an air mattress to put on top if you want. Bedding is NOT provided, so bringing sleeping bags or sheets & blankets is absolutely necessary.
What are the bathrooms like?
Gender-neutral communal bath houses that you’d expect to find at a rustic camp. Cement floors, wooden demi-walls, couple of shower stalls, row of sinks, hot water. Because of drought, they ask us to conserve water and take very short showers, if any at all. There are two single, private bathroom stalls near the kitchen.
What are my housing options?
All of the cabin housing is kinda far from center camp, but in general there are 3 sections -- kitchen section, dance hall section, and meadow section.
Also, if you have special requirements, such as needing to sleep with an electrical device, there is a small amount of electric-enabled housing with bathrooms in the same building.
Also, there's a lot of space where folks can tent camp or park your camping-enabled vehicle.