Parents Guide to Camp Tasty 2024

Dear Tasty parents,

We’re so glad you and your kiddos are choosing to attend Camp Tasty.  We have an array of fun activities this year, along with the opportunities for kids to explore nature, experience the Art Teepees, dance to music, make arts and crafts, and create lasting memories with new and old friends.  

Kid Friendly Activities!

  • Art Shack- Anyone is welcome to use materials on the tables to get creative and make a project.  We’ll have a mix of paints, brushes, markers, paper, stickers, tape and other items to use.  If you have any to share/donate, please drop them off Friday or whenever you arrive.  We’ll have this available all weekend long.
  • Campfire S’mores – Friday and Saturday eve around 9pm, huddle around the big firepit amidst the teepees for the classic camping snack all kids love.
  • Paper Lantern Making – Saturday morning from 10-11:30am, come on down to the art shack to decorate your very own paper lantern.  Once completed we’ll hang these somewhere everyone can see and light them up at night!
  • Costume and Jigsaw Puzzle Swap – Saturday from 10:30am – 1:00pm during brunch, swing by the art shack to drop off any unwanted costumes (kid/adult) or puzzles in exchange for fresh digs and new puzzles
  • Bubble Olympics – Head to the Big Top at 1:00pm Saturday to try your hand at making the biggest bubbles Camp Tasty has ever seen.
  • Saturday Social – The Rainbow Stage will host several tasty treats, beats and special portraits, along with ice cream at the hottest part of the day 3:30pm. You know we all scream for ice cream!
  • Teepee Crawl – Help your kids dress up and get excited for the legendary Teepee Crawl Saturday 7:30-9:30pm.  Enter the Enchanted Realms of different teepees and savor their unique treasures, treats and libations, both boozy and non-alcoholic. Bring cups. Don’t miss Forest Glimmers teepee for evening storytime!
  • Enchanted Walking Stick and Magic Wand Workshop – Come down to the art shack Sunday from 10-11:30am for a whimsical crafting journey to create your very own walking stick or magic wand.
  • Cyanotype Photography – Sunday at 1:00pm starting at the art shack, scavenge around the festival grounds for items from nature to make into a unique photograph.  Completed cyanotype photos will be hung up to dry and taken home
  • Bicycles – Not essential but it is a bike friendly space if you want to bring them

Important Things to Note:

  • Friday dinner is not until 7p. Some snacks will be available in the Dish Room (supplies are limited), but if you’re accustomed to eating early, plan accordingly.
  • Brunch is not until 10:30am each day.  If you or your kids are hungry feel free to grab DIY breakfast snacks from the kitchen washroom in the morning.
  • If you need to store a few refrigerated items, feel free to use the fridge in the kitchen washroom but please bag and label them.
  • If you’re looking for quiet, Kids Camp is the camping area farthest from the Big Top, on the other side of the kitchen.
  • Please help participate in cleanup of the Dining Commons area after each meal.  Get your kids involved too! Trash bags will be provided to you.
  • The Welcome Table will have necessities including first aid kit, calamine lotion, earplugs, Advil, etc.

Bounce House

  • We’ll have a bounce house set up throughout the weekend for kiddos to play in
  • Maximum 6 kids at a time
  • Bounce house can be turned on in the morning (ideally after 10am so as not to disturb folks sleeping) and should be turned off before dinner at 6pm 
  • Please review and sign the waiver below- it is YOUR responsibility to look after your kids in the bounce house and intervene if there is unsafe behavior

Kiddie pools

  • We’ll have a shallow and deeper kiddie pool set up for kids to cool off and splash around in from 1-4pm on Saturday and Sunday. Bring a towel! 
  • Please review and sign the waiver below – it is YOUR responsibility to monitor your kids or arrange to have someone watch them.

Other general information:

How to identify poison oak:

Poison Oak has three leaflets that connect to a single stem. Its leaves resemble oak tree leaves. Poison Oak grows as a vine or shrub.

If exposed to Poison Oak:

  • Immediately rinse your skin with lukewarm, soapy water
  • Wash your clothing
  • Wash everything that may have the oil on its surface
  • Do not scratch, as scratching can cause an infection

It’s unlikely any bears will come into camp, but if you decide to go hiking (there was a sighting last year)…

What to do:

  • If you encounter a bear while hiking and it does not see you. Back away and increase your distance. Clap hands or make noise so the bear knows you are there and will move on.
  • If you encounter a bear on the trail and it sees you. Do not make eye contact. Back away, do not run. Let the bear know you are not a threat. Give it a chance to leave.
  • If a bear approaches you, make yourself look bigger by lifting and waving arms. Use noisemakers, or yell at the bear. If small children are present, keep them close to you. Carry and know how to use bear spray as a deterrent. In the event of a black bear attack, it is usually recommended to fight back. However, each situation is different. Prevention is the key.

Camp Tasty 2024 – Required Reading: Things to Know, Bring, and Do! 

Hey there fellow campers!

We are just about one week out from Camp Tasty – Enchanted Realms. That last email had a lot packed in, but so does this one as well. So let’s just dive right in.

In this edition…

Things to bring or do:

  • Volunteer for open roles
  • A strange brew
  • Wine, cheese, or charcuterie for Sunday Social
  • Any other beverages you want
  • A cup to drink said bevvies
  • Puzzles and costumes to swap 
  • Yoga mat
  • Answer the Framily Feud survey
  • Determine where you are sleeping
  • Read our Cheat Sheet

Volunteers Needed

Friendly reminder THAT WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS! It goes without saying that everyone is a contributor to making Camp Tasty a success. Specifically we need help in the following open roles:

  • Co-pilot to drive truck with Jeremy
  • Cow bell ring master!
  • Updating our white board schedules
  • Supervise ice cream social
  • Refill drinking water for Big Top
  • Ice Meister – restock ice
  • Help with Chill teepee setup

Please sign up here.

BYOB (Strange Brews, Wine, Cheese, and Cups)

Since it worked out so well the last few years, we’re going to keep with our BYOB idea, with of course the intention to share with your fellow campers. We’ll have a welcome drink when you arrive, a keg or two of beer, and Tiki Bar on Saturday, but other than that we will have our usual bar infrastructure including ice and coolers for your booze, non-alcoholic drinks, and mixers. 

We’ll host Strange Brews again on its usual Friday night 9-11pm spot. Bring a bottle of something exotic, hard-to-find, or just hard-to-drink, for your fellow campers. Come prepared with a little knowledge about what and where your drink originates so you educate while you imbibe! 

We’re also hosting a Sunday Social where we ask everyone to bring either wine, cheese, or charcuterie to share, sip and eat while listening to some HOT LIVE JAZZ by the Radio Gatsby Duo.

And a friendly reminder to bring your own mug/cup for coffee and beverages. We’ll provide plates, cups, and utensils for meals, but please bring your own drinking vessels for party-time.

Swaps!

We are going to be hosting not one, but TWO swaps this Camp Tasty! One for puzzles and one for costumes. We all know that many of you have amazing puzzles that you adore but are also tired of looking at in your closet. Why not swap them with others so you can each go through the same joys of finishing a brand new (to you) puzzle? Likewise, most of your kiddos probably have outgrown their cherished Halloween costumes and would probably love to parade around in someone else’s Spiderman suit or Princess dress. Bring any old costumes you may have (yes adults are invited too!) and exchange for something fresh.

Yoga w/Monica

Get your flow on. Moni will be hosting a morning yoga session. If you want to participate, please make sure to bring the appropriate clothing and your own mat!

Framily Feud Survey Reminder

We are still looking for folks to fill out our short survey to make Tasty Framily Feud a success! We want 100% participation, so please make Richard Dawson proud and answer this short survey NOW!

Sleeping arrangements

There are three possibilities to get your sleep on: 1) sleep in a teepee, 2) sleep in your tent, or 3) sleep in a vehicle, with caveats. 

  1. If you requested to sleep in a teepee in your registration you have been assigned to one. We will follow up shortly with teepee assignments. 
  2. There is ample space at Camp Tasty for tent camping and the grounds are well shaded. This is the simplest option.
  3. As stated in the previous email, there is LIMITED SPACE in Tony Town for camper vans / trailers. If you requested, we got you. If not, the space is now filled. No camper vans / trailers are allowed in the main camping area. But anyone is allowed to sleep in their vehicle in the parking area if they wish.

Cheat Sheet

As we always do, we’ve created a handy dandy cheat sheet with a TON of info to make your Camp Tasty prep and experience the best it can be. Refer back to this as it has all the essentials.

That’s all for now folks. We’ll send one last email next week with all the final details. In the meantime, if you’ve got any burning questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. 

Happy trails!

 Jen & your Camp Tasty Captains 

2024 Camp Tasty Gazette Vol. 4 – Register NOW to avoid late fees + LOTS of new details 

Happy Trails Tasty Campers!

Welcome to the 4th edition of the Camp Tasty Gazette. This email is packed with a lot of new details so please take a moment to read it thoroughly, even if you’ve already registered. And for anyone new to the thread, a reminder that Camp Tasty is Sep 27-30 at Black Oak Ranch, about 3 hrs north of San Francisco. 

We strongly encourage you all to stay through Monday as we had SUCH a blast last year Sunday afternoon and evening. Some things on the docket for Sunday that should entice you: “Todd Talks”, jazz show/wine/cheese happy hour, and an epic Cobo/Kris Viera B2B DJ set Sunday night. Now without further adieu, the details in this massive email.

In this edition…

  • Registration Reminder
  • Items Needed
  • Volunteers Needed
  • Teepee Crawl
  • Family Feud
  • Rideshare + Camper Van / Trailers

Registration Reminder (prices go up Sept 16)

If you haven’t signed up yet, we encourage you to do so now! A reminder that starting Sep 16, prices go up! Besides saving you a bit of cash, registering now helps us with planning as we’re less than three weeks away. And swag will be prioritized in order of registration. Supplies are limited. If you already registered but haven’t sent a payment yet, please do that ASAP! To send payment, PayPal the total amount as a PERSONAL payment to: https://paypal.me/tastysf. To make alternate payment arrangements, please email tastytastysf@gmail.com. And if you need help calculating your camp dues, we’ve made this handy dandy calculator to help you out.

  • Adults 18+: $295 until Sep 15. $330 afterwards.
  • Youth 6-17: $160 (No late pricing for youth.) 
  • Kids <5: $0
  • Tasty hat add on: $35 ea (limited supplies left)

Items Needed

Our Camp Captains have been hard at work planning some amazing things for this year. But we need your help with any items you can lend. Below is a list of what we are in search of so far. If you have any of these please either fill out the contribution form or email our captains at camp-tasty-captains-2024@googlegroups.com. 

Photo booth needs

  • Diffused lights with stands

Activities needs

  • Clothing racks
  • Washable paint
  • Small paint brushes 

Ambiance / Chill Teepee Needs:

  • Blankets & sheets
  • Electric blankets
  • Hammocks + quilts for under the hammocks
  • Inflatable decorations (think wacky wavy, etc)
  • Inflatable furniture
  • Inflatable round swimming pool
  • Portable electric heaters
  • Cushions
  • Black lights
  • Electric balloon pump 
  • Large zip ties
  • Neon/white fabric 

Volunteers Needed

In addition to general volunteer needs, for those who wanna show off their love of food, we’re looking for folks to both lead and help with the following food activities. If you are interested, please either fill out the contribution form or email our captains at camp-tasty-captains-2024@googlegroups.com.  

  • Bloody Mary Bar
  • Mimosa Bar
  • Smores
  • Chai/tea station
  • Ice cream social

Teepee Crawl

A reminder that there is still time to submit your idea for our teepee crawl. We have stipends left to make your vision come true! And if you don’t want to start one yourself, consider pairing up with people who already have an idea and need help executing. If you are interested, please either fill out the contribution form or email our captains at camp-tasty-captains-2024@googlegroups.com.  

Framily Feud

This year Pub Quiz is out and Tasty Framily Feud is in! But “survey says” this game will only work with your answers. We want 100% participation, so please make Richard Dawson proud and answer this short survey NOW!: https://forms.gle/XEpX4X9vdXdHL9Qo8 

Rideshare + Camper Van / Trailers (limited space)

Camp Tasty is about three hours north of SF / Oakland, in Laytonville, CA. Carpooling is highly encouraged! We’ve set up this spreadsheet where you can coordinate rideshares. Also, please note that there is LIMITED SPACE in Tony Town for camper vans / trailers. There are no camper vans / trailers allowed in the main camping area. Priority will go to planners / setup crew. After that, it will be in the order which people register and inform us they need space for their camper van/ trailer. If you haven’t already told us, please reply to this email so we can plan accordingly. Note that anyone is allowed to sleep in their vehicle in the parking area if they wish.

That’s all for now. Remember to register! We’ll be back next week with even more details. 

Happy trails!

 Jen & your Camp Tasty Captains 

2024 Camp Tasty Gazette Vol. 3 – Reminder to Register and Contribute! 

Hello again!

We’re less than a month away from Camp Tasty and we wanted to send a friendly reminder of how to register, pay your camp dues, and contribute!

 Registration & Camp Dues

Please complete the registration form and submit payment by Sept 15 to avoid late fees.

  • Adults 18+: $295 until Sep 15. $330 afterwards.
  • Youth 6-17: $160 (No late pricing for youth.) 
  • Kids <5: $0
  • Tasty hat add on: $35 ea (limited supplies left)

 Paying Your Dues

After you’ve completed registration, please PayPal the total amount as a PERSONAL payment to: https://paypal.me/tastysf. To make alternate payment arrangements, please email tastytastysf@gmail.com. If you need help calculating your camp dues, use our handy dandy calculator to help you out.

 Contributions

A reminder that Camp Tasty is made possible (and FUN!) but everyone’s contributions. Please submit yours via this form for any of the following categories:

  • Art projects
    • Past art includes: Bear Car. The Moth. Dreamcatcher. Fluffy clouds. Disco dancefloor.
  • Dining Delights (Food & Drink)
    • Past food includes: Ice cream social. Tiki bar. Coffee bar. Lumpia rolling. Chai. Big top snacks. Dang’s famous Bamboo Lantern!
  • Lead an activity
    • Past activities include: Trivia. Talent show. Todd Talks. Aerial lessons. Bubble Olympics. Lash Bar. Dance floor Sign Language. Karaoke Lounge. Walking stick making. Kiddie pool. Bounce house.
  • Tasty Tunes (Music / DJ)
    • It wouldn’t be a Tasty event without music. Please note that there are a lot of DJs in this group. So we’ll do our best to place as many of you as possible. 
  • Themed teepee for the Teepee Crawl
    • This year’s teepee crawl theme is“Enchanted Realms.” Modest stipends are available to help teepee hosts bring their ideas to life. If you don’t have your idea totally fleshed it’s ok, submit one anyway! Note: If you wait too long to submit your idea, stipends will not be guaranteed after a certain point. 
  • Camp Champs (Volunteers)
    • Many of you know that Camp Tasty is a community event that is made possible by every single person who volunteers a bit of time. From ambiance and lighting to karaoke and kids activities, we’re putting out our call for Camp Champs to help bring this year’s event to life! Our team captains thank you in advance! 

We’ll be back soon with more details including rideshare and more.

Happy trails!

 Jen & your Camp Tasty Captains