Fires of Venus Policies

Fires of Venus Policies

Please take a moment to refresh your memory of our event policies. If you violate any of these policies, you risk ejection without refund.

Our events at Camp Ramblewood are clothing-optional. This means that you can wear as much, or as little, as you feel comfortable wearing, and that nudity is fairly common. Just because someone’s nude, however, does not mean he/she is inviting you to have sex with, harass, touch, or leer at him/her.
If someone’s behavior makes you uncomfortable, please consider first speaking directly to that person. If you don’t feel that you can resolve the issue with that person on your own, please bring your issue to the attention of a staff member or the ombudsperson in a timely fashion. We will investigate and take appropriate action. Please note that we can do nothing if you do not tell us, and if you wait until after the event is over, we can do very little.
Respect others’ personal space, privacy and possessions. In particular, ask permission before touching anyone else’s magickal items—drums, staffs, athames, swords, bells, chef’s knives, whatever—and if the owner refuses permission, accept that refusal politely and with good grace. By the same token, while we have had very few problems with thefts at our events, please use common sense with your personal property and valuables, as neither FSA, THE, nor the Camp can be responsible for them. If you have a question or problem, please see a staff member immediately.
Please wear your nametag all the time. It lets us know that you belong onsite, and that you’re not, e.g., sneaking in to steal everyone’s left shoes. If we find you without your nametag, we will escort you either to your cabin/tent to retrieve it or to Check-in for a replacement.
Do not bring illegal substances to Camp. Do not share alcohol with folks under 21. By the same token, if you’re of legal drinking age, please be responsible with your alcohol use. Please note that giving your 21+-identified nametag to someone under 21 is considered the same as offering her/him alcohol, and will get both parties ejected.
Do not smoke inside or near cabins, on porches, or in buildings. This includes the Dance Pavilion. If you smoke, please dispose of your butts properly; a recycled Altoids tin with sand in it makes a reasonable portable ashtray. Throwing butts on the ground does not constitute proper disposal.
Do not use grills or camp stoves inside cabins or on porches. Also, you may not dig your own fire pit; you may, however, use a portable fireplace.
Do not burn incense, burn candles, smoke, or cook inside cabins or on cabin porches! The local Fire Department charges a substantial fine for false alarms. If you cause a false alarm, you will be responsible for paying the fine.
Please respectful of and courteous to your fellow attendees—your cabin-mates in particular when indulging in adult activities.
Our events are off-limits to all media personnel acting in a professional capacity without our prior written consent.
Cameras and other visual recording devices are prohibited.
Please also be aware of, and prepared to abide by, the Rules for the Fires and the Play Space Rules.
You are fully responsible for your own actions.

One more note: if you order pizza for delivery, please be up at the white house 10–15 minutes after you place your order. If you’re not there to pay the driver when he/she gets there, and we can’t get you on your mobile, we may auction your order off to the highest bidder, or we may pay for it and charge you a handling fee. What we really want not to do is annoy the pizza place so badly that they stop being willing to deliver.

You may be wondering what’s up with all these rules and guidelines. Pretty much every line here (and in the front of every event’s program book) was occasioned by someone’s bad behaviour. Someone did actually try to jump the big fire (and get badly burned). People have engaged in loud public sex on the family side of Camp at FSG. People have had sex loud enough to register a 3.0 on the Richter scale at 3:00a (and 4:00a and 5:00a and 6:00a) in their cabin. Parents have put infants in the pool butt naked. People have seriously overindulged in alcohol and/or various other substances (and we’ve had messes to clean up). People have used mattresses as candle-holders and set them on fire. People have ordered pizza and never showed up to pay the driver. What we’re asking here is: please don’t take off your common sense along with your mundane clothing. A modicum of manners, self-responsibility, and thought will go a long way towards helping you—and your friends and community—have a good gathering.

We’ve said this earlier, but it bears repeating: If you have an issue with someone’s behavior, and you’re not comfortable addressing that person directly, please bring your issue to the attention of a staff member or the Ombudsperson while we’re in a position to do something about it. You’re not bothering us; that’s one of the things we’re here for. If you tell us about an incident months, weeks, or even days after it happens, you sharply limit our ability to assist you in finding a solution.