Kindle Northwest 2023

Kindle Northwest is a reunion of the circus and juggling community, a celebration of flow arts, a gathering for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners, and a decompression of the summer on the coast as our seasons transition to misty autumn.  We are nestled into a beautiful temperate rainforest on the edge of the Pacific ocean, at a boy scout camp called Camp Meriweather which includes a large lodge, camping platforms and structures, and an outdoor fire circle at night. Our annual event is made up of workshops, performance, live music, volunteering and an outdoor camping experience through the weekend. We invite you to return to Camp Meriwether for the first time or the 10th time.
We hope to engage with you in the practice of “how to be better in community” through workshops and through the cultivation of the relationships we make with each other. You will learn about circus/juggling/flow arts and maybe also how to better ourselves and the world around us in tandem. At Kindle NW, we preach the magic of practice, and showing up for yourself and others in a community.

Upon arrival, you can expect to be checked in at the gate where you will park your vehicle and a shuttle will deliver you near to your campsite or to the main lodge area so you can take time to navigate towards a campsite of your choosing. Thursday is a calm day where most folks are getting comfortable and unpacking, meeting on the beach for our opening ceremony in the evening. After the opening ceremony, there will be a fire walk (fill out a waiver at the gate to participate!) Afterwards, the music starts and the fire spinning begins. 

Friday and Saturday, workshops begin at 10am in the morning, with 5 slots per day and a break for lunch. Depending upon the year, we typically have 8-10 workshops to choose from at any given time. They can span from introductory fire and circus workshops to wild foraging and harm reduction. You do not have to pre-register for a workshop, just show up a few minutes early. Typically the instructor arrives early and introduces themselves, offers props to borrow, etc. Schedule for our event with specific workshop details will be released a week or so before the event so you can plan your weekend out!  In the evening, we recommend seeing a show (our gala), exploring our complimentary teahouse by the fire circle, spinning fire on the beach, hanging out to see the late night scene in the lodge, and of course dancing by the fire circle and taking in all of the talent. Weather depending, there are often competitive games (all levels welcome) held during lunch. Occasionally, a mystery renegade show can be found late night on Saturday. 

Sunday morning is pack out day, so please plan accordingly. All attendees should be out of the festival by 3pm. Many folks like to get coffee in the lodge and participate in our closing ceremony. This is a great place to reconnect and say goodbye, share contact information and make a plan! Many folks who attend Kindle NW stay in the PNW for Portland Juggling Festival which happens in late September. While Kindle NW doesn't plan any specific events in Portland, fire and juggling jams are blossoming this time of the year with talent from folks traveling from all over the country. We encourage you to stay a while and participate in any of the awesome jams that occur year around in Portland.