Should we start a Theme Camp?

[MN-Nice]

So i am from Minnesota and it will be my second burn this year. I have about a dozen friends from here that are set on going 2010. I was thinking of registering as a theme camp something along the lines of "Minnesota Nice" and we will serve Leftsa! and Hotdish! I guess my main dilemma is i'm not sure what is expected from a theme camp, and if this is the right way to go about it.

[gaminwench]

First, welcome!
You don't have to be a registered ThemeCamp to offer your bounty, the only benefit is getting pre-placed, with a possibility of early entry for a few camp members to set-up before Monday. The expectation is that your Themecamp will be interactive 24/7... most are, more likely, hosting burners 12-15 hours a day. Setting up a cozy chill space does NOT a Themecamp make (not that this is your plan), the point is interactivity round-the-clock... games, workshops, performances, seminars, musicians, bar, etc. Giving away food requires permits from the State Health Board.

Many, many folks set up a camp that offers these things, but on a more limited basis, allowing them time to get out and enjoy the city - these are not registered, are not pre-placed, and have no guidelines or approval process to adhere to.

In my eleven years at BRC with themecamps, I have watched many folks 'go down' under the pressure of constant traffic through camp, requiring round-the-clock monitoring, mooping and burner-sitting; it ain't for the faint of heart!!

Read the Theme Camp section thoroughly on the main site for complete info.

[oneeyeddick]

First off, you are not required to do a "24/7" routine if you register a themecamp.

Only the camps on the Esplanade are "required" to have 24/7 activities, but you will find that most of them don't, and there is no one to enforce that "rule" anyways.

Do what you want to do, when you want to do it, register your camp if you want it listed, don't register it if you don't care about that.

Do get a food permit if you are gonna be passsing out food to passersby,
but if everyone is your "friend" or campmates, there is no need for that either.

Registering your camp as serving food just increases your chance of getting in trouble with whoever checks up on whether or not you are following the rules regarding health guidelines with the food you are serving.

[pinemom]

....and, if you plan on serving alcohol, keep in mind to card EVERYONE even your grandma!!!!

You dont need to register the bar, but you do need serving ice in a dedicated ice chest with a dedicated ice scoop THAT IS NOT left in the ice chest. In other words:

Must be kept on a clean surface out of the ice bin. Handle must not touch the product, cause your hands touch it. Unsanitary. Major health dept. no-no!

[Ugly Dougly]

"Left"-se, that's funny.



Ya, sure, you betcha.

[Here and there]

I guess my main dilemma is i'm not sure what is expected from a theme camp, and if this is the right way to go about it.

I've heard that it's a lot of work. One obvious problem - every camp is responsible for its own moop removal. With a food giveaway, people will go walking off, drop pieces here and there, trample them ... Think of membership in a big camp as being an insurance policy. If you've got only a few people, and there's more moop than you expected or something else goes wrong, there are only a few of you to handle it, and you can get overwhelmed. But with a big camp, the bad luck that shows up here or there gets split up and spread around, because everybody helps everybody else.

Have you considered the possibility of hooking up with a pre-existing camp, and grilling your pancakes there? Camp Herring has a Scandinavian theme. Maybe you'd be a good fit with them? Their homepage has a contact form.

[teardropper]

Minnesota Nice. Yep. Lived in a couple of places in MN, best was Holyoke. Know where that is? Don't know if you're big enough for a theme camp, but a fine camp you would make. Are your friends virgins? Wouldn't want them to think that was all BM was. Let 'em look this year. Give your fine Minnesota delicious to your friends, and campmates. Too bad it's impossible to find anyone once they're on playa. No communication. Or I'd love to sample you goodies.

[CLARKcon]

Have had an urge/hankering to register COFFEE CAMP(Est. in 2003, BM 2009 was 6th time as a camp) a few times, but after much thought & feedback from members, have went against it.

THE IMAGINED PRO: If you register, you have the glitz of having camp in on-line reading, as well as camp location posted in map & What guide. Also, can access on Early Arrival Team (EAT) & set-up camp before the event & etc.
THE IMAGINED CON: The possibility of feeling obligated to stay at camp to offer services, traffic flow (read preceeding posts) & etc.

We have established a firm contact with our neighbors by having a "same bat time, same bat channel" location each year (about 8:05 & "C"---same shot for 2010 !). We see all our old friends from years past,as well, make new week-long buddies. We make coffee all week long (day & night) & have been seen as a b l e s s i n g from fellow caffeinator's who don't want to $ and make the trek to the Center Camp Cafe. We have the capabilities to comfortably serve our respected block, buuut, not the possibility of 50,000 folk ! I have heard horror stories from other smaller like-based registered camps: being out of supplies by Tuesday or Wednesday, the constant upkeep & babysitting, general camp meltdown (seems to happen sometimes with unfamiliar 10+ people camp) Just notes of interest/open considerations