Frequently Asked Questions

Your ticket covers everything you will do on the grounds on both Saturday and Sunday. This includes: parking, 2 days of classes, 3 meals (lunch & dinner on Saturday, breakfast on Sunday), party on Saturday evening, water, camping overnight, photographers during the event and private dissemination of photos, and facilities upkeep.

These things are covered whether you choose to camp, eat, learn, or party.

It does NOT cover: snacks, camping gear, or comfort items. You’re camping – pack like it!

We anticipate that attendees will have the opportunity to take at least 5 classes, with multiple options per time slot. In addition, we offer multiple free-tying and jam slots for informal classes, learning, tying, and photo opportunities. The exact schedule will be posted after classes are announced.

This conference is a hybrid of indoor and outdoor during early September in North Carolina, and in our first year we have chosen not to pack classes so densely as to keep everyone outside all day.  

Wingnut Stables is a large indoor-outdoor, sex-positive venue space located in the Sandhills of North Carolina. The space includes ample on-site parking, with a multi-acre space for classes and tying. There are 3 main spaces:

• Basecamp: this is the flat area by the parking lot, which includes a space for registration, outdoor hardpoints known as “the posts”, and camping for folks who would like a quieter space to spend the evening (further from the party). Basecamp includes the Glittery Pig, a space where food will be served throughout the event, and the Hotel, a space where staff will reside on premises.

• The Barn: down the hill from Basecamp is the Barn. The ground level of the barn includes a large open space with I-beam clamp hard points and a metal post for hashiras, and 3 horse stall play spaces: a small bed, a bondage wall, and a large bondage bed (suspension capable) with an under-bed cage. A bathroom is located in the bottom of the Barn. The top level of the Barn includes a wooden rig, a winch, bondage wall, spanking bench, St Andrews’ cross, and other furniture. Both upstairs and downstairs will be configured to accommodate classes during the day. The top level of the Barn is only accessible by stairs, which are outdoors and uncovered.

• The Village: outside of the Barn is the Village, demarcated by 4 small structures (storage sheds, which should not be entered). The bathrooms (3 stalls with sinks) are located by the Barn. The village has a pillory as play equipment and space to sit on the porches of the buildings to watch scenes, chat, etc.

The venue is surrounded by trees and woods; only spaces visible from Basecamp and the Village will be used for the conference. Wandering into the woods is not permitted. There is no shade in the majority of Basecamp and the Village.

At night, the area around the Barn is lit sufficiently for play.  

The venue is a private, kinkster-owned space located in Cameron, NC. This space is approximately:

• 70 minutes south of Raleigh-Durham International Airport

• 2.5 hours east of Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, and 

• 2.25 hours northwest of Wilmington International Airport.

• 4 hours east of Asheville Regional Airport.

• 6 hours northeast of Atlanta international Airport

• 3.5 hours south of Richmond International Airport.

The address will be provided to ticketholders.

The venue is in a rural area, with very little nearby. It is recommended that you bring all that you will need. There is a Dollar General within 10 minutes, and a Walmart within 15 minutes if you forget items or need to run out for a snack.

Camping at the venue is included in the cost of your ticket, however you do NOT have to camp overnight to attend this conference. 

There are hotels nearby in Fayetteville and Sanford (~20 minutes from the venue) which you can arrange for yourself (and friends, if you want to pack a hotel room!). 

This is a camping and rope event. Please bring all the items you will need to be comfortable while camping and doing rope. You may sleep in your car, if you choose, but you may not sleep in any of the buildings on the property.

For example:

• A tent or hammock to sleep in

• A sleeping pad, bag, pillow, bedding

• Flashlight

• Hygiene items (You may shower with the hose in Basecamp using biodegradable soap)

• Medications 

• Hydration

• Snacks

• Your rope kit and accoutrement

• Your play bag

• Change of clothing

• Battery packs and charging cables (there will be a charging station set up in Base Camp and the Barn, but we can’t charge everyone’s devices at once!)

You should not bring:

• Firearms

• Illegal substances

• Generators or other “this needs to plug in” items and appliances (you may plug into your car)

• Pets or animals

Your ticket includes 3 meals: Lunch & Dinner on Saturday, and Breakfast on Sunday. When purchasing a ticket, you will be prompted to tell us your preferred diet (Vegan, Gluten Free, Omnivore) and list any allergies.

Menu coming soon!

There will be water stations at Basecamp and the Village that are refreshed throughout the event.

You should bring:

• Specialty non-alcoholic beverages (e.g., gatorade, sparkling water, sodas).

• Snacks and sweets you enjoy (e.g., chips, cookies, granola bars, veggie tray, etc.)

Please note that cooking appliances (e.g., microwave, hot plate) are not available, and generators are not allowed. This is a camping-based event. 

Coolers are encouraged! You can bring them to your tent, keep them in your car, share with friends – whatever works for you as long as they are out of the way. 

A litmus test for those tying: can you reliably tie a non-collapsing single column? Can you tie anything beyond a single column without reference material? Do you have your own rope and shears? You should be able to answer Yes to all of these.

A litmus test for those being tied: Are you able to perform self nerve checks without prompting and disambiguate nerve and circulation concerns? Are you able to communicate concerns and collaboratively problem-solve in rope? Are you capable of saying No to ties that don't work for you? You should be able to answer Yes to all of these.

Classes will include knowledge necessary for attending the class.

Base rules for attendees taking photos:

• Photos should only be taken and posted with permission from all pictured/identifiable parties. 

• When taking photos, the first line of defense after consent is to take the photo from an angle such that there is no one in the background. If this is not possible, ask others to move (if feasible).

• If photos have identifiable people in the background by accident, use a blur, scribble, or sticker to fully obscure someone's identifiable features (face, tattoos, hair if identifiable) is required before posting. 

Welcome but not required: When posting, you can tag @TiedDownSouth on Fetlife to help promote the event!

This event has Event Photographers. 

To aid in identifying folks in event photos and getting you your photos after the event, during check-in you will be asked if you would like to opt-in to event photos.

Photo Opt-In: If Yes, you will have your photo taken with a sign with your name and contact information so we know which name (scene name is fine!) goes with which face. Folks will be able to indicate who may receive uncensored photos of them (e.g., Mars and Starr are a tying pair, and both indicate consent to face photos going to both of them).

Photos after the event will be released directly to the people in the photo. There will not be a gallery of the photos from the event.

Anyone not the focus of the photo will be blurred/covered when photos are returned. Example: This photo is of Mars and Starr tying, and Kilia and Angelica are in the background. When the photo is given to Mars and Starr, Kilia and Angelica will be censored. 

Photo Opt-Out: Folks who would like to opt out will be given a vibrant wristband (and may have several, if they’d like to decorate multiple limbs). Event Photographers will not shoot those who opt out.

Wingnut Stables is not a physically accessible venue. It is primarily outdoors, includes stairs, and can include multiple treks up and down the hill throughout the day. The ground is earth, grass, and sand – it is not especially friendly to mobility aids. The bathrooms are not ADA accessible. Please reach out to the team if you have specific accessibility questions.

Additionally, this venue gets warm in the summer, such as during this conference. Folks who are sensitive to heat should take precautions, including sun screen, sun barriers like UV-blocking umbrellas and clothing, and personal cooling devices. 

A full refund (less transaction fees) is available prior to July 1st. A partial refund (50% of ticket price, less transaction fees) is available before August 8th. After August 8th, we are unable to offer refunds. 

Currently, we do not have the ability to offer scholarship tickets. We hope to grow to offer this in the future.

Instead of scholarship, we aim to make this conference as affordable as possible. 

Volunteer-for-attendance tickets are not available as we are unable to subsidize attendance this year.

The conference and party are dry and sober events. Please do not bring alcohol or other substances to this event. THC is not legal in North Carolina.

Please do not endanger our venue by sneaking anything in, smoking/drinking in your vehicle, etc. We understand this kills the vibe for some folks, but we do not make exceptions.