Fires of Venus Frequently Asked Questions

What is Fires of Venus?
What kinds of people come to Fires of Venus?
Do I need to bring a partner?
Can I bring my kids to Fires of Venus?
Can I bring my pet?
I heard there were some changes this year. What will be different?
What are the cabins like?
Can my group get its own cabin?
Are there any private cabins?
If I stay in a tent, what do I do for bathrooms?
Is there a discount for staying in a tent?
Can I bring my RV/Trailer?
Can I park my car by my cabin/tent site?
What if I forget something at home? Are there stores near the site?
Can I bring beer, wine, mead, etc. to gathering?
Why do I have to wear a wristband/nametag?
Do I have to buy my meals ahead of time?
Do I need a credit card to register on-line?
I don't belong to a group; can I still come?
Can I get there by public transportation?
What should I bring?
What's the photography policy?
Will my cell phone work?
Is there internet access?
How can I join the staff? Can I get a discount if I become staff?
What are the workshops like? Does it cost extra to attend the workshops?
When will the workshops be posted?
Who do I contact if I want to present a workshop?

What is Fires of Venus?
Created intentionally for the sacred exploration and expression of love in all its forms, Fires of Venus is an event that provides safe space for exploration of the sexual/sensual, brought to you by the same team that brings you Beltane in May. FoV gives an opportunity to experience play, healing, and ecstasy; it's a chance for communion between the people and the Divine. With evening rituals centered on love, sacred sexuality, and authentic expression—and daytime learning opportunities for relationship-building, sexual connection, tantra, energy healing, drumming, fire spinning, and more—Fires of Venus is a place we can touch Spirit, expand our capacity to Love, and create real change in our hearts and our lives.

Attendees have described previous years' events as transformative, incredible, fantastic, transcendent, and more. Attendance will, as in previous years, be capped at 175; in addition, there will be no Vampire passes in 2010.

What kinds of people come to Fires of Venus?
Spiritually curious people who yearn for deeper intimate relationships, people who groove on transformation and personal growth, people who are looking for more meaning in their romantic and sexual life. Monogamous and poly, vanilla and kinky, straight and queer—and anyone in between—you'll find them all at Fires of Venus.

Do I need bring a partner?
Nope. Fires of Venus is for everyone, regardless of your relationship status or whether your partner(s) can come with you.

Can I bring my kids to Fires of Venus?
Fires of Venus is only for adults, so, if they 18 or older, sure.

Can I bring my pet?
Sorry, the Camp's rules prohibit pets, familiars, and animal companions. Of course, service animals are welcome; please drop us a note to let us know you're bringing one.

I heard there were some changes this year. What will be different?
At FoV 2010, we've put a lot of thought into creating an experience that builds trust, creates connection, and deepens the ritual experience for our tribe. As in any relationship, being part of the FoV community is much more fulfilling when we are all committed to creating something beautiful together. This year's changes are designed to help create a feeling of close community. In 2010, you will find:

• Evening activities have been integrated into the Temple of Venus. The fun that you had in last year's dungeon, Temple of Babylon, and Sexperiments can now be had around the fire instead, drawing the entire community to a central location at the heart of each evening.
• Core groups, led by members of the ritual staff, meet each afternoon to deepen your FoV experience.
• Temple Builders—a team of attendees who choose to arrive a day early—will help set up and decorate the Temple of Venus, and enjoy a low-key fire with the staff on Wednesday evening.
• There are no more day passes or vampire passes; the entire community will be on site for the duration of the festival, giving each person who attends the opportunity for a full, immersive three-day experience.
• Indoor ritual space will be set up for Saturday night's Puja, and we may use it at other times if the weather is too cold or damp.

What are the cabins like?
All cabins have shared sleeping rooms and a large shared bathroom. The cabins have electricity, lighting and ceiling fans, hot and cold water, showers and flush toilets. The beds all have single mattresses and box springs. Bring your own pillow and linens/blankets or sleeping bag.

Can my group get its own cabin?
Yes. You'll need to fill the entire cabin to have it for your exclusive use, though. Depending on the cabin, that's between 7 and 14 people. Even if you don't have enough people to take an entire cabin, we can put your group together in the same cabin. If you want to get a group cabin you should drop a line to the Registrar and register your group early.

Are there any private cabins?
There may be a small number of private spaces available, in a cabin located near the Temple of Venus—so expect a lot of late-night noise and activity if you request to be in this space. Cabins have shared sleeping rooms with single beds and a shared bath. If sharing a cabin isn't something you want to do (or if you want the option of privacy for a while), we suggest that you opt to bring a tent. Many people do.

If I stay in a tent, what do I do for bathrooms?
All the bathrooms in the cabins are open to those attendees staying in tents, so you would pick the cabin closest to you and shower, etc there. There are also several bathrooms throughout the camp. Please be considerate of people living in the cabin, though, and don't let the cabin door slam.

Is there a discount for staying in a tent?
Not at Fires of Venus.

Can I bring my RV/Trailer?
We can accommodate a limited number of RVs and trailers at Fires of Venus. Full-size RVs must remain in the parking lot. If you're planning to bring yours, you should drop an email to the Registrar. Please note that your RV needs to be completely self-contained, as we have no hookups for electricity or water. Also, if your generator makes too much noise, we may have to ask that you not run it during all or part of the day.

Can I park my car by my cabin/tent site?
Generally, no. You may drive your car to your cabin/tent site to load in and load out, but we ask that you take your car back to the parking lot when you're done. If you need an onsite parking permit, you should ask us in advance. If it's been wet, we may restrict onsite driving to paved areas.

What if I forget something at home? Are there stores near the site?
While the festival site is secluded, you can get just about anything you need or might have forgotten within a 15–20 minute drive. There are two good-sized supermarkets, a Target, a Home Depot, a Radio shack, and a liquor store or two.

Can I bring beer, wine, mead, etc. to gathering?
Of course. As long as you are are over 21, responsible, and don't give any to anyone under 21 years old. However, public drunkenness or giving alcohol to those under 21 will get you ejected from Fires of Venus without a refund.

Why do I have to wear a wristband/nametag?
Wristbands and/or nametags let us know that you are an attendee and belong on site. If you are found without a wristband/nametag you will be escorted to registration for a replacement. They also let folks know who's over/under 21 for alcohol-related activities.

Do I have to buy my meals ahead of time?
No, you are free to purchase meals at the dining hall on an as-needed basis; just show up and pay for the meal at the door. Note that each meal costs more than if you pre-pay, and dealing with meals ahead of time can be more convenient. Please be aware, though, that we can't refund you for meals after we've given meal counts to the Camp.

Do I need a credit card to register on-line?
Yes (or a credit card-logo bank card). If you want to pay by check or MO, you have to use the paper form, and we strongly suggest using Express or Priority Mail (so that you can track it). The address is:

Fires of Venus Registrar
PO Box 94
Lambertville NJ 08530-0094

I don't belong to a group; can I still come?
Of course. Everyone is welcome to attend regardless of group affiliation or spiritual path.

Can I get there by public transportation?
Yes. There are taxis that run from the Aberdeen train station and the Perryville bus station. The cost to the site is about $30. More information regarding public transportation, including getting here by air, can be found on our Packing & Prep page and in our Location & Transportation section.

What should I bring (and what should I leave home)?
Check our Packing & Prep page.

What's the photography policy?
No cameras, still or video, are allowed at FoV. If we see you with a camera, we will (politely) ask you to put it away in your car.

Will my cell phone work?
Depending on your provider, you will probably have some level of service at camp.

Is there internet access?
There is internet service at Ramblewood, but it's iffy.

How can I join the staff? Can I get a discount if I become staff?
The easiest way to become staff is to just let us know you want to help. Just drop an email to the Coordinator and tell us a little bit about yourself and what area of the gathering you'd like to help with. We try to accommodate people's requests as to where they want to help, but we don't always have openings. If we don't have an opening in your desired department, we'll try to offer you something else. Depending on your level of involvement at Fires of Venus, you may be offered a discount on your registration fee. Most of the staff pays to attend festival; very few get in for free.

What are the workshops like? Does it cost extra to attend the workshops?
Workshops at Fires of Venus tie into the ritual work of Fires of Venus. You'll find workshops to help you in relationship-building and expressing love, such as communication for couples, energy work for lovers, and sacred sexuality and bdsm. We'll also offer workshops to help you express yourself in the Temple of Venus through drumming, dancing, fire spinning, and other artistry and community service. Except for a few workshops that have a materials fee, most workshops don't cost extra; any that do will be clearly marked in the program book.

When will the workshops be posted?
Look at the programming info to see what's available at the moment. We usually post preliminary class and presenter lists as soon as we have enough classes in, and the schedule after it's built in mid-August. The schedule is never final until the program goes to press, though; there may be some differences between what's posted/printed and what actually happens onsite. You can also check out our prior years' classes & schedules.

Who do I contact if I want to present a workshop?
Start here for the presenter guidelines, schedule outline, and forms. Even if you've presented for us in the past, a look at the presenter guidelines is probably a good idea. If you want to ask us about presenting, please drop a line to the P-Team.

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