OACC 45
All those who love and care about the Ozarks are invited to our 45th annual congress, to celebrate, appreciate, and learn from this phenomenal part of the Earth and each other.
OACC is ...
... the first and longest-standing bioregional congress.
... an ecologically-aware, family-friendly community village where we learn, play, relax, take care of each other, and share homegrown Ozark culture.
... a meeting place for ecologically-informed, creative, talented people, growers, activists, small business operators, musicians, writers, and innovators.
... a decades-long forum for a sustainable and regenerative economy for the Ozarks. A place to network and get informed about significant issues affecting our lives in the Ozarks, in an ecological context.
OACC is a celebration of the Ozarks and all things restorative and ecological!
This year’s theme is Shaped by the Ozarks ...
For nearly a half-century, the Ozark Area Community Congress, OACC, has represented and promoted bioregionalism in the Ozarks. Those of us who embrace the bioregional movement value lifestyles that mesh with and benefit our surrounding ecosystems. For the 45th gathering of OACC we are celebrating the culture which has emerged from this movement with our theme: Shaped by the Ozarks: exploring bioregional culture. Click here for this year's OACC brochure.
If we grow regionally adapted foods in our gardens, or if we use sustainable practices as we forage for wild foods or cut trees, then our activities have been shaped by our bioregion’s natural features and by our own ecological values. During this year’s OACC gathering, we’ll share and learn how this, our bioregional culture, becomes reality in each of our lives and is expressed in the cultural communities that are drawn together to enjoy these ways of living.
We hope you'll join us to explore together how we are shaped by the Ozarks at the same time as we are playing a role in shaping them, and the future of bioregional culture here.
Our volunteer village ...
Please come ready to help out daily with volunteer community-sustaining work, whether in the kitchen, grounds cleanup, or whatever it takes to keep our little village going. It’s fun! When you register, please sign up for volunteer shifts. Your wholehearted help enables OACC to keep costs low and be inexpensive to attend.
Food ...
We will be serving lunch and dinner on Saturday. We serve mostly vegetarian meals prepared as much as possible with organic, local, or fair-trade ingredients. An occasional dish of locally-sourced meat may also be included. Such dishes are labeled. Help us keep registration costs low by bringing food to share. It could be garden produce, or bulk food, or wholesome items like bread, fruit, cheese, farm eggs, mushrooms, garlic, onions, etc. Please let tell our Food Coordinator what you can bring: OaccLeaf@gmail.com
Facilities …
Hammond Mill Camp is a beautiful CCC-era camp surrounded by the Mark Twain National Forest with the North Fork River nearby. It has a big pavilion, dining hall, and lots of outdoor space.
Lodging …
Tent camping is encouraged. Cabins with bunks are a short walk from the bathroom/shower building. Cabins are available on a first-come, first serve basis, with no RSVP required this year.
Childcare …
… will not be provided. Parents are welcome to work together to organize cooperative childcare. We have wonderful volunteers who are organizing to offer activities for children supported by parents and guardians. Check back here as our plans develop.
What to bring ...
Camp chairs, drums, musical instruments, songs. Acts for the coffeehouse talent show. Swim gear, river shoes. Food donations. Your kids, your friends. Plan for Ozark fall weather which can range from mild and dry to cool and wet. If you’re staying over, bring sleeping bags, pillows, bedding, soap, shampoo, towels.
Please, no dogs, other pets, drugs or alcohol.
Costs ...
— Adults (ages 17 & up) Weekend: $50
— Adults (ages 17 & up) Saturday only: $35
— Young ones (ages 5 to 16) Weekend: $30
— Young ones (ages 5 to 16) Saturday only: $15
— Youngest ones (4 and under): no cost
Saturday-only registration fee cover programs plus Saturday lunch and dinner. Weekend fee also includes lodging for two nights, plus simple breakfasts on Saturday and Sunday.
Attendees under 17 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Cultural Community: a group or community sharing customs, arts, occupations and more. Often a larger culture, like the bioregional or back-to-land movement, forms a cultural community, like we have at OACC. Such groups share customs, beliefs, memories, stories, foods, and heritage, as well as healing, ecological, and agricultural practices, and other forms of traditional arts.
Keystone: In any arrangement or community, the “keystone” is considered one of the most vital parts. In an ecosystem, a keystone species is an organism that helps hold the system together. Without its keystone species, ecosystems would look very different.
Directions ...
From West Plains: Go west on Hwy CC, 15 miles to Camp entrance, on the right. The Ozark County line is 1.6 miles before.
Camp phone is 417-293-8365
Program & General Schedule
OACC 45 planned activities and presentations