RECESS PRODUCTIONS
  • About Recess
    • Our Mission + Values
    • FAQ and First Timer's Survival Guide
    • Working With Recess: What To Expect
    • Our Braver Spaces Policy
    • Recess Organizer Team Relationship Agreements
    • Attendee Demographics
    • Where Does My Ticket Money Go?
    • Recess Public Documents >
      • Recess Productions LLC Operating Agreement
      • Values Governing Recess Accountability Processes
      • Recess Sexual Assault Response Protocol
      • Recess On-Site Accountability Support Document for People Who Have Caused Hurt
      • Public Statement and Q&A
  • Upcoming Events
  • Mailing List
  • Past Recess Events
    • Post-Recess Events >
      • Lake Powell Houseboat Party
    • Recess 2022
    • Recess 2018 Events >
      • Northwest Recess 2018: Bellingham, WA (August 16th-19th)
      • Tinto de Recess: Northern Spain June 22-25
      • Recess Community Campout: CA, May 25th - 27th
    • Recess 2017 Events >
      • Northwest Recess 2017: Bellingham, WA (August 10-13)
      • Aspen Recess 2017: Recess's 10 Year Anniversary! Boulder, CO (August 3-6)
      • Recess Teen Unschooling Program: Colorado, (July 30th - Aug 7th)
      • Shakori Hills Recess 2017: Durham, NC (July 20-23)
      • Tinto de Recess: Southern Spain June 22-25
      • Old World Recess 2017: Austria June 29-July 3
      • Adventure Fest * Valencia Blues&Fusion Exchange 2017
      • Wild Forests Recess: Scranton, PA (May 19-21)
      • Cascadia Creek 2017: Olympia, WA (April 7-9)
      • Global House Party 2017 Racial Justice Fundraiser! (March 25: Worldwide)
      • Gender Bender 2017: Gig Harbor, WA (Jan. 27-29) >
        • Gender Bender 2017 Workshop Schedule + Instructor Bios
    • Recess 2016 Events >
      • High Sierra Recess Massive: Yosemite National Park, CA (Sept 12-18) >
        • High Sierra Massive: Yosemite Registration Page
      • Northwest Recess: Bellingham, WA (August 18th -22st) >
        • Northwest Recess Registration Page
      • Old World Recess: Near Milano, Italy (June 9th - 13th , 2015) >
        • Old World Recess Registration
      • European Blues Experience (EBX) May 26th - 30th: Spain
      • European Gender Bender (May 20th - 22nd), Northern Spain >
        • Spanish Gender Bender Registration Page
      • Cali Creek: Mendocino, CA (April 29th - May 2nd) >
        • 2016 Cali Creek Registration Page
      • New Orleans Clandestino Recess: New Orleans, LA April 15th - 17th
      • Global House Party 2016 >
        • Facebook Event Page (2016)
        • Host and DJ Info
      • Appalachia Recess (April 8th - 11th, Asheville, NC) >
        • NC Appalacia Recess Registration Page
      • Gender Bender Action Camp (April 6th - 8th, Asheville, NC) >
        • Action Camp Registration
    • Recess 2015 Events + Earlier
  • Contact Us
  • Testimonials
  • Make A Donation

Northwest Recess 2018
August 16th - 19th
​Lookout Arts Quarry | Outside Bellingham, WA

Northwest 2017, photo by Kai Hayashi

 Northwest Recess is happening, and it could be the last one! 
August 16th - 19th

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
2018 has been a difficult year for Recess, one filled with conflict and hardship, but one also filled with many lessons, growth, and diving deep into relationships.   While the decision to have Northwest this year was not a simple nor easy one, it feels good to be offering something so important to us and so many others in the community. We are excited to come together at Northwest this year armed with new lessons and even better at the things we care most about.  Northwest, our return home, and in a year and time where "us" and "home" is so dearly needed in the Recess community. 

The future of Northwest and Recess generally is unclear. After the event we will be sitting down and making broader decisions for what is to become of Recess and Northwest.  Northwest Recess might be a fresh start and the beginning of something new or it could be a sweet goodbye. Be sure to make it to Northwest this year.  ​

Northwest is and has always been our favorite Recess.  As usual, the inspiring Lookout Arts Quarry plays our host: a magical setting of an 86 acre rock quarry turned circus community south of Bellingham, WA. The days will be filled with swimming and cliff-jumping in the flooded quarry and hiking in the thousands of acres of surrounding national forest! The nights will be filled with dancing in the circus warehouse, the Recess Bus, as well as the legendary floating dance floor that Recess helped custom build years ago.  This, all alongside the usual hallmarks of Recess: artistically-driven parties with Fusion and Blues music bumping until well past sunrise  and a radically inclusive ethic that can't help but inspire.

This year's northwest is in the wake of a inter-team conflict that resulted in members of the Recess Organizing Team leaving. If you would like more information on that conflict and/or on Recess's actions in relationship to it, we recommend you to Erin Adam's blog she is keeping in regards to the conflict.  Erin is a skilled and concerned community member working with Recess as a consultant and support through needed changes and growth in the wake of the conflict.  She will also be facilitating community discussion forums regarding the conflict at Northwest for those interested. 


Our hopes in having Northwest are many, and even among the team there is a lack of clarity and agreement on best actions.  However, for transparency of motives, we hope that having Northwest this year will provide the following: 
  1. Provide a space for in-person participation and leaning-in for the community around this conflict: grieving, creating deliberate spaces for more voices to be heard, for one-on-one dialogue. 
  2. This conflict has left Recess is over $17,000 in financial debt and the remaining organizers do not have the finances to service this debt.  Northwest hopes to help support some of this financial liability to the remaining organizers. 
  3. To help eliminate that myth that there are "sides" to this conflict.  Conflict is not to be won, it is to be grown through. 
  4. To provide a space to enact some of the changes we've made as an organization in response to this conflict. 
  5. To be together when its most needed:  to hold each-other and grieve together, to create and eat together, to dance and celebrate together, to be together at Northwest, one of our favorite weekends, spaces, and events we know!

Event Pricing

Can't Afford A Low-Income Ticket? Submit a scholarship form during registration!
Low Income Ticket $175

Mid-Low Income $215
Mid Income Ticket $255
Upper Income $315 
Benevolent Gentry Ticket $360

Day Pass - One Day $70 (24 hrs + food)
Day Pass - Two days $140 (48 hours + food)​​

Recess Food Co-op Prices 
$38 veggie meals for your entire time at the event
$32 (in addition to above veggie ticket) for 2 portions of meat/day with your meals

Tentative Event Schedule

Thursday Event Arrival Information: Dinner and opening circle at 7pm. Feel free to arrive anytime after 5pm, but know that we'll joyfully ask (and expect) you to help us set up! Music starts at 9pm. 
Daily Meal Times: (All heavy on the "ish") 12pm brunch, 7:30pm dinner, midnight late night snack.
Dancing Nightly: 9pm to when we stop. With venue changes and transitions..
Monday Noon: We miss you already, thanks for the beauty! Now let's clean up!
Daytime during skillshare slots: Community Discussions regarding the ongoing Recess conflict. 

Venue Accessibility

We acknowledge that the venues we utilize are not accessible to all bodies. At our events we will do our best to adapt the limitations of the venue to the needs of the people who would like to attend. 
​

Event Accessibility Details:  Porta Potties (one ADA). Camping with option for parkable camper sleeping. Access to electricity only at main dance space. No stairs, but gravel and dirt roads between venues, main evening dance space, kitchen area, and camping spaces. Outdoor dancing each night.  Email [email protected] for details or specific needs requests. ​
​Rideshare Board | Map |​ Facebook Event
Feeling new? FAQ and First Timer's Survival Guide
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  • About Recess
    • Our Mission + Values
    • FAQ and First Timer's Survival Guide
    • Working With Recess: What To Expect
    • Our Braver Spaces Policy
    • Recess Organizer Team Relationship Agreements
    • Attendee Demographics
    • Where Does My Ticket Money Go?
    • Recess Public Documents >
      • Recess Productions LLC Operating Agreement
      • Values Governing Recess Accountability Processes
      • Recess Sexual Assault Response Protocol
      • Recess On-Site Accountability Support Document for People Who Have Caused Hurt
      • Public Statement and Q&A
  • Upcoming Events
  • Mailing List
  • Past Recess Events
    • Post-Recess Events >
      • Lake Powell Houseboat Party
    • Recess 2022
    • Recess 2018 Events >
      • Northwest Recess 2018: Bellingham, WA (August 16th-19th)
      • Tinto de Recess: Northern Spain June 22-25
      • Recess Community Campout: CA, May 25th - 27th
    • Recess 2017 Events >
      • Northwest Recess 2017: Bellingham, WA (August 10-13)
      • Aspen Recess 2017: Recess's 10 Year Anniversary! Boulder, CO (August 3-6)
      • Recess Teen Unschooling Program: Colorado, (July 30th - Aug 7th)
      • Shakori Hills Recess 2017: Durham, NC (July 20-23)
      • Tinto de Recess: Southern Spain June 22-25
      • Old World Recess 2017: Austria June 29-July 3
      • Adventure Fest * Valencia Blues&Fusion Exchange 2017
      • Wild Forests Recess: Scranton, PA (May 19-21)
      • Cascadia Creek 2017: Olympia, WA (April 7-9)
      • Global House Party 2017 Racial Justice Fundraiser! (March 25: Worldwide)
      • Gender Bender 2017: Gig Harbor, WA (Jan. 27-29) >
        • Gender Bender 2017 Workshop Schedule + Instructor Bios
    • Recess 2016 Events >
      • High Sierra Recess Massive: Yosemite National Park, CA (Sept 12-18) >
        • High Sierra Massive: Yosemite Registration Page
      • Northwest Recess: Bellingham, WA (August 18th -22st) >
        • Northwest Recess Registration Page
      • Old World Recess: Near Milano, Italy (June 9th - 13th , 2015) >
        • Old World Recess Registration
      • European Blues Experience (EBX) May 26th - 30th: Spain
      • European Gender Bender (May 20th - 22nd), Northern Spain >
        • Spanish Gender Bender Registration Page
      • Cali Creek: Mendocino, CA (April 29th - May 2nd) >
        • 2016 Cali Creek Registration Page
      • New Orleans Clandestino Recess: New Orleans, LA April 15th - 17th
      • Global House Party 2016 >
        • Facebook Event Page (2016)
        • Host and DJ Info
      • Appalachia Recess (April 8th - 11th, Asheville, NC) >
        • NC Appalacia Recess Registration Page
      • Gender Bender Action Camp (April 6th - 8th, Asheville, NC) >
        • Action Camp Registration
    • Recess 2015 Events + Earlier
  • Contact Us
  • Testimonials
  • Make A Donation