Frequently Asked Questions about Clown Camp®
Travel Questions
Q. How do I get to La Crosse?
A. You can fly (yes, La Crosse has an airport serviced by major carriers), use bus service, come by train-Amtrak services La Crosse, or drive your own car. If you drive your own car, parking is available adjacent to the residence hall. On campus parking for summer residents is free.
Q. If I fly to La Crosse, how do I get to campus?
A. Taxi service, which charges a modest fee of approximately $15.00, is available from the airport to campus. Many persons share taxi expenses with other clown travelers arriving at the same time.
Q. Will I need a car while in La Crosse?
A. No, it is not necessary to have local transportation. Campus events are all within walking distance. Anything taking place off campus will have bus transportation provided for you.
Q. How do I find the residence hall?
A. At the time of this writing we have not been assigned a specific residence hall. In mid April a packet of information will be sent to each registrant. Included in that mailing will be the name and address of your residence hall, as well as a campus map.
Arriving and Departing Questions
Q. When should I arrive?
A. On-site registration begins at 2:30pm on Sunday. While you can begin checking into the Residence Hall by noon on Sunday, there is really no need to arrive that early. The camp store will also open at 2:30 PM. The first meal service will be Sunday evening, and the first general session will take place at 7:00pm. The evening start time provides persons driving or flying from remote locales the opportunity to participate fully. One exception is a Sunday 4:00pm program intended for ‘first timers’. Whether you are a seasoned performer, or a rank beginner, this session will provide you with valuable information, and provide opportunities for questions and answers.
If you must arrive before Sunday morning, you will need to secure a local motel for your early arrival. (We do not currently have access into the residence hall prior to Sunday morning.) Because La Crosse is a very popular tourist location, motel rooms are often difficult to find at the last minute. (Advanced registrations are highly recommended.)
Q. When is the program over-or when should I plan to leave?
A. The instructional program concludes on Friday evening, around 10pm. The final evening contains a wrap-up program with staff and participants involvement and activities. It is a culminating event, and one you will surely not want to miss. Because the program concludes so late in the day, you are accorded an overnight stay in the residence hall, and breakfast on Saturday morning. You are to be checked out of your residence hall room by 9 am on Saturday. Extensions may be able to be worked out with housing personnel.
Q. Where should I go first?
A. When you arrive, go to your assigned residence hall. Once you have checked into your room, walk over to the on-site registration. It is here that you will get your nametag, notebook and other materials. (Housing staff will give you directions.)
Camping
Q. Is it possible to camp on campus?
A. While camping is not allowed on campus, registrants will find some lovely campgrounds within reasonable driving distance from campus. The following campsites have been used by camp participants in the past:
Bluebird Springs Recreational Area
N2833 Smith Valley Road, La Crosse
tele. 781-2267;
This site is located approx.
10-15 minutes from campus, northeast of La Cross, and has its own swimming pool.
Goose Island Campground
W6488 Co Rd GI, Stoddard
tele 788-7018
This site is 3 miles south of La Crosse in a public park, Located on the Mississippi River
Neshonic Lakeside Campground
N5334 Neshonoc Rd. West Salem
tele 786-1792
Located 12 miles east of La Crosse Easy drive and only campsites on a Wisconsin Lake
Pettibone RV Park & Campground
333 Park Plaza Dr. La Crosse
tele 782-5858
Closest site, located right in town 7
minutes from campus. Smallest campground-located on backwaters of
Mississippi River
Instructional Program Questions
Q. I’m a beginner, is the program appropriate for me?
A. Absolutely yes! You will not find a better way to begin in clowning, than to attend a one week Clown Camp® program. You’ll not only be able to see top professional performances each day, but attend a track of classes especially constructed with persons like yourself in mind. After your track course sessions, you’ll be able to select classes or topics that particularly interest you.
Q. I’m an experienced performer, is Clown Camp® going to meet my needs?
A. Yes, you will find a wide array of class offerings to interest you. You will have at least five to six different selections to choose from during the day. And, if you make a selection that proves to not interest you, then leave that session and drop in on another. Clown Camp® does not require you to stay with an experience which is not proving to be of interest or benefit to you.
Miscellaneous Questions
Q. What should I bring along with me to campus?
A. This website provides you with a list of items that you might want for your residence hall stay. In addition most campers want to bring notebook paper, pens or pencils, a camera, personal promotional materials (if you are an experienced performer), clown makeup, wardrobe, performance props (magic, puppets, juggling supplies, etc.), items to donate to the charity auction, and some cash to use for purchasing items at the camp store.
Q. Can I bring an animal along with me to camp?
A. Only assist dogs are allowed in campus residence halls or instructional buildings. If you do have one of these animals, advance notice is necessary to provide you with the needed accommodations for your helper. No other animals are allowed, including dogs, cats, monkeys, skunks, birds, etc.
Q. Concerning health issues, does the campus have a health center or hospital on site?
A. We do not have a health center open to us during the summer months. However, in the event of a sudden illness or accident requiring medical treatment or analysis, a clinic and hospital is located adjacent to the campus. The costs of treatment are the responsibility of the individual registrant. Bring along necessary insurance documents, so that proper billing can take place.
Q. Is smoking allowed on campus?
A. At this moment, smoking is still allowed on campus, but not in any of the buildings and in restricted areas. Smoking is not allowed in any residence halls. Additionally we expect all participants to refrain from smoking anytime they are in costume and makeup.
Q. Can I bring a Non-Participant Spouse?
A. Clown Camp® can arrange to accommodate a non-participating spouse or other relative who may wish to accompany you to campus, but isn’t interested in enrolling in the program. Non-participant rates are available, and include all meals and occupancy in the participating partner’s suite. Non-participants can’t attend any of the daytime sessions, but are welcome to join the participant audiences during the evening performances on a space available basis. We are sometimes asked about local hotel/motel accommodations. The nearest motel is located about eight blocks from campus.
Q. Is there a registrant age limit?
A. All registrants must be 18 years of age or older, unless accompanied by a registered parent or sponsoring adult. If you are under 18 years of age, and plan to stay in the residence halls, please indicate the name of your parent/sponsor who will be attending with you when you send in the registration form.
(In 2006, 100 year old, Ruth Winblad, attended camp for the fourth year. She even tried unicycling!)
Q. Can I do video recording at Clown Camp®?
A. You may wish to bring your video camera to capture some of the special memories of Clown Camp® – which is fine, but there are some extremely important rules about video recording. You will not be allowed to videotape any of the staff performances. You will not be allowed to videotape any classes (although audio recording is fine with the permission of the class instructor). You also can’t video tape any performances on Open Mic nights – unless given permission by the performer, or if you are having someone videotape your own performance. But we do encourage you to take all the photographs you can! As you can see by the photos on this website, there is never a shortage of photo opportunities at any given time of the day or night while at Clown Camp®!