By Teeebone

The Frolic is coming in August! But did you know that The Frolic is based on an event from the past? It was called "Wet Spot in Paradise: The Gathering of the Tribes," though subsequently the name would be shortened to just "Paradise." It was first held on Labor Day weekend (August 30 to September 2, 2002) at the Longhouse. Four days and three nights of sex-positive camping fun! It was an ambitious project with an equally ambitious goal. Here are the details that were posted on the event website:

"The event will serve as the Wet Spot's Capital Campaign Fund Kickoff. The Wet Spot will be raising funds over the next several years to apply toward purchasing a building of our own. Our plans are to acquire a facility approximately three times the size of our current building so we can offer simultaneous functions and an expanded selection of events for our members and constituent communities. All proceeds above expenses from this event will go directly to the Wet Spot Capital Campaign Fund. More information about The Capital Campaign and future fundraisers will be coming your way over the next few months."

With an admission price of $100 per person for the full four day weekend and one-day passes (11 a.m. to 11 p.m.) for $50 (Saturday and Sunday) and $25 (Friday and Monday) respectively, it was a pretty good deal. By the way, did I mention there were also meals included? Once again, from the website:

"To begin the celebration with a sense of community and sharing, Friday Dinner will be a potluck. Please bring your favorite dish and share it with us. We'll furnish water, coffee, juice, tea, dessert, and plenty of marshmallows for roasting over the gathering fires that evening. Saturday morning you'll awake to a continental breakfast and Saturday evening we'll be hosting a classic cookout at the facility's new outdoor cook shack. Sunday morning, continental breakfast will again be served, then Sunday evening we'll treat everyone to a delicious country BBQ dinner and desserts. Monday brunch will be our final common meal. A hospitality area will be maintained with snacks and beverages throughout the duration of the gathering. Communal cooking areas and common grills will also be available for those who want to prepare food at times other than common mealtimes."

The venue itself was 90 acres of beautiful and secluded land well suited for camping. The grounds were clothing optional and included an indoor heated pool, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, inside and outside areas for play and sex, and grassy lawns for sunbathing or lounging. The property was wooded and had many trails to hike and several lakes. In addition to the open campground and reserved group areas, there were men-only and women-only spaces for both camping and playing. There were also dedicated spaces for BDSM play, sex play, a Venus/Aphrodite Temple, an outdoor stage for live music, and many other unique forms of entertainment.

On the topic of entertainment, it was a bit of a free-for-all back then. I'm not sure there were even classes or workshops on the schedule, maybe there were a few. I seem to remember some live music performances…. By the following year though, things would get more organized, and a planned schedule that included classes, workshops, concerts, and speakers would steadily improve the quality of future iterations of Paradise.

As you can see, this event had humble beginnings that would gradually expand over time, from a long weekend to a full week. Considering that Paradise was a consistently excellent annual event that ran for 13 years, that's impressive. And today we have The Frolic, which is clearly taking a similar path of gathering kinksters to go camping, have fun, and live their best lives.

Be a part of history in the making and join us at The Frolic August 15-20!