Bring a session
Pitch a talk, workshop, walk, demo, confession or debate on anything you love. Campers vote, and the schedule builds itself.
From an earlier camp, 2016Learn something new. Teach what you love. Find your people.
Camp Curious is a weekend that's part summer camp, part salon and part social experiment. There's no pre-set agenda. Campers propose sessions, everyone votes, and the weekend builds itself.
And it's camp, so we sleep in cabins, eat camp food, drink wine with dinner, and stay up too late by the fire. Just 1.5 hours from the Twin Cities.
Register for campPsst: no session required. Just bring a sweater and your curiosity.
Two ways to come
Some campers lead a session. Some just wander in and ask great questions. Every session needs both.
Bring yourself
Wander in, pick what looks interesting, ask good questions. Somebody's got to be the audience, and it's the best seat in the house.
From an earlier camp, 2016
Then we camp.
Between sessions: cabins, camp food, wine with dinner, campfires, the lake, and conversations that run long.
You'll leave smelling like bonfire and full of new ideas.
From an earlier camp, 2016What might happen?
Sessions are proposed by campers and voted on before camp. Expect anything from a hands-on workshop to a walk in the woods. A few ideas to get you thinking:
- How to forage for mushrooms
- Writing your memoir
- Birdwatching for beginners
- Post-burnout work lives
- Career ideas for slackers
- Getting started in genealogy
- Wildlife photography workshop
- How to become an artist, now
See proposed sessions
Got an idea of your own? Register and we'll send you the session suggestion form.
A weekend at camp
Camp Icaghowan sits on a peninsula in Amery, Wisconsin, run by YMCA of the North and built for exactly this kind of weekend.
The honest truth about cabins
This isn't a luxury retreat. No private cabin, no monogrammed robe. You'll bunk in a shared cabin, probably six to a room, and brush your teeth in the morning chill next to a stranger who might teach a session on mushroom foraging.
The food is classic camp fare, served hot and with love, plus wine with dinner. It's cozy, simple and real. Not about comfort. About aliveness.
Extracurriculars
- Axe throwing
- Zip line
- Sauna + cold plunge
- Canoeing
- Campfires
- Climbing tower
- Leap of Faith
- Archery + slingshots
- Nature hikes
- Birdwatching
- Crafts
- 9-Square
(weather permitting)
Is this for me?
Consider coming if…
- You've got a hobby you can't stop talking about.
- You've been sitting on a question and haven't found the right room to ask it.
- You wonder about the meaning of life, and why the present moment has gotten so spectacularly weird.
- You've got a story from your own life that quiets the room every time you tell it.
- You've picked up some hard-won wisdom and want to pass it along.
- You'd rather listen than lead, and you ask great questions.
- You've got kids and remember when you "used to do things."
- You're post-kids and wondering what to do with yourself.
- You just like spending time with curious people.
Costs & stuff
$415
per person, all in
- Includes
- Lodging, meals, wine with dinner, sessions and activities
- Dates
- November 13–15, 2026
- Where
- Camp Icaghowan, Amery, WI, 1.5 hours from the Twin Cities (map)
- Size
- 40–60 campers
This isn't a for-profit business. It's just for fun, so we've kept costs as low as we can.
Register for campQuestions
Do I have to lead a session?
Nope. Plenty of campers come to soak it all in. You don't have to prepare anything, which is kind of the point.
How do sessions get picked?
Campers propose sessions ahead of time, then everyone votes on what they'd like to attend. The votes tell us which sessions are most popular and need a bigger room.
Do I need to know anyone?
Not at all. Come solo or bring a friend. Meeting new people is the whole idea.
What are the cabins like?
Shared cabins with bunk beds, probably six to a room, and a shared bathroom. Cozy, simple, real. Bring earplugs; someone will snore.
Can I bring my own drinks?
Wine is served with dinner. You're welcome to bring a bottle of wine or a six-pack to share. No hard liquor (YMCA rules).
What should I pack?
It's fall in the Midwest. It could be 35°F or 75°F, or both in the same day. Think layers.
Wearable things
- A warm jacket or fleece for evenings and early mornings
- Hiking shoes or boots (mud likely)
- Campfire clothes (your "I don't care if it smells like smoke" outfit)
- Pajamas you're okay wearing in front of near-strangers
- A rain jacket, just in case
- Warm socks (pack extra, your future self will thank you)
- Optional: a costume piece, funny hat or power accessory
Toiletry stuff
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant
- Towel, washcloth and shower sandals
- Meds, contacts stuff, earplugs
If you're leading a session
- Notebook, pens, markers, Post-its
- Anything you need to teach or share (instruments, craft supplies, weird diagrams)
Optional, but fun
- A bottle of wine or six-pack to share
- A musical instrument, a book, or a game to lead
- Something warm and woolly for sitting under the stars
How do I register?
Fill out the registration form. A $100 deposit holds your spot, and the $315 balance is due before camp.
Who's behind this?
A few friends who wanted a new way to meet interesting people in real life, teaming up with YMCA of the North. Questions? Email Don at donmichaelpelota@gmail.com.
A note from the organizer
Hi, I'm Don. A few friends and I started Camp Curious because we wanted a better way to meet interesting people: off our screens, out in the woods, learning from each other.
It isn't a business. We've kept the price as low as we can, and we've partnered with YMCA of the North, whose camps were built for exactly this. If you have questions, email me at donmichaelpelota@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.
— Don
Grab a bunk
November 13–15, 2026 at Camp Icaghowan. Room for 40–60 curious people.
Register for camp