A Catalyst Events program

Safety Camp

A hands-on educational conference dedicated to giving volunteers and event organizers the skills they need to run live events safely.

Feb 26–28, 2027 Camp Hicita at Kolomoki Mounds State Park Blakely, GA

What it is

Practical skills for safer live events

Live events run on the knowledge of the people who build them. Safety Camp is a weekend-long, hands-on conference where volunteers, organizers, and event leads learn the real-world skills it takes to keep those events — and everyone at them — safe.

Attendees leave with skills they can bring straight back to their own events and communities. You'll learn to:

  • Identify and assess risks across people, processes, systems, and environments
  • Mitigate risks before they cause harm or disruption
  • Strengthen safety controls and organizational resilience
  • Align safety planning with your event's goals

Safety Camp is produced by Catalyst Events, a Georgia nonprofit dedicated to helping other nonprofits produce safe, sustainable live events.

The inaugural year

2026 brought our first campers together

The very first Safety Camp was a success — welcoming over 30 attendees for a weekend of hands-on learning, shared meals, and community.

It proved what we set out to test: that people who build live events are hungry for practical training and for each other. That first gathering is the foundation everything ahead is built on — and Renegade exists to help fund many more years of it.

Save the date

Safety Camp 2027

  • When: February 26–28, 2027
  • Where: Camp Hicita at Kolomoki Mounds State Park — 205 Indian Mounds Rd, Blakely, GA 39823
  • Cost: Pay-what-you-can, so it stays accessible to everyone (recommended contribution $40; $5 parking per vehicle, per park entry)

Who should attend

  • Community members who've volunteered in safety roles at a regional event in the last 1–2 years and want to go deeper
  • Event leads, producers, department leads, and board members ready to level up their risk management and safety planning

Full registration details are on the way. In the meantime, grabbing a Renegade ticket is the most direct way to help make 2027 — and the years after it — possible.

Transparency

2026 Safety Camp budget

We believe in showing our work. Here's how the inaugural 2026 camp came together financially — including a deposit already set aside toward 2027.

Safety Camp 2026 — income & expense summary
ItemAmount
Registration income$2,856
Total income$2,856
Meal plan($1,231)
Venue rental($756)
Deposit toward 2027($540)
PayPal fees($114)
Domain & email($24)
Federal tax owed (30%)($47)
Sales tax owed (8%)($130)
Total expense($2,842)
Net$14

Figures reflect the 2026 draft budget, including $540 already reserved toward the 2027 camp.

Program

2026 schedule

The inaugural Safety Camp ran March 6–8, 2026, adult-summer-camp style — everyone on site for a weekend of hands-on sessions, shared meals, and time around the fire. Here's the full weekend.

Friday, March 6
TimeSessionFacilitator
3:00 PMCheck-in & registration begins
6:00 PMIntroductions
7:00 PMCase Study — ZendoShowpony
8:00 PMShared mealKimchi
9:00 PMFireside chats
Saturday, March 7
TimeSessionFacilitator
8:00 AMRules of Engagement
9:00 AMShared mealKimchi
9:30 AMInner Perimeter RoundtableCritter
10:00 AMBuilding an Effective SanctuaryShepherd
11:00 AMPrinciples of Combustible ConstructionHazmat
Ranger Field TriageShowpony
12:30 PMShared mealKimchi
1:00 PMMothkeepersVy
1:30 PMIt's on Fire — Now What?Hazmat
Scene ManagementRenegade
2:30 PMCritical Incidents DebriefingShepherd
3:30 PMRenegade Story Time (Advanced ICS)Renegade
5:00 PMSafety SOPs 101Kira
6:00 PMSelf-Care for HelpersShepherd
7:00 PMShared mealKimchi
8:00 PMTabletop ScenariosHazmat & Showpony
9:00 PMKnow Your AccelerantsHazmat
Fireside chats
Sunday, March 8
TimeSessionFacilitator
9:00 AMShared mealKimchi
10:00 AMOperational Risk ManagementShowpony
11:00 AMPermitting & Venue VettingHazmat & Showpony
12:00 PMVendor & Inventory ManagementShowpony
2:00 PMShared mealKimchi
3:00 PMLNT / Pack-out
Park exploration time

Rows sharing a time slot ran as concurrent sessions. 2027's program will be confirmed closer to the date.

Getting involved

There's a role for every level of experience — from production assistants who pitch in wherever needed, to kitchen coordination, scenario scene-setters and evaluators (FEMA IS-120 / IS-130 for some roles), and the Saturday burn-night Incident Commander. You indicate your interest when you register.

Accommodations

Camp Hicita group lodging includes four sleeping cabins (12 bunks each) with dorm-style bathrooms, a craft building, day use of the chapel, and a dining hall with a fully stocked commercial kitchen. Bring your own bedding, toiletries, a camp chair, a way to take notes, and anything you'd like to share during downtime.