Terror Camp: Polar Parties

We recognize that one of the most special things about Terror Camp is its global reach and the accessibility of the flagship conference. Terror Camp’s main event will always be online and free to attend for anyone. But the joy of real-life community is something powerful, irreplaceable, and more important than ever.

With your help, we can celebrate Terror Camp all over the world in person this December, as well as online.

(Read more...)

FIND EVENTS NEAR YOU

Along with official events in New York and London (to be announced), our dream is to have a full calendar of regional Terror Camp meetups happening during the conference weekend (December 5-7, 2025).These events will be advertised on a central calendar on the Terror Camp site, so that attendees can easily find the meetup nearest to them, and plan any necessary travel ahead of time.

But we can’t do it alone—we need Terror Campers around the world to get involved in organizing and hosting each event!

What kind of events? Here are some ideas:

Picnic or park meetup (if weather permits)
Pub or bar meetup
Group dinner
House party
Museum meetup
Fancy gala or soiree

Or a combination of any of the above! Also, your event could definitely include an in-person watchalong of Terror Camp livestream programming (but that’s not a requirement).

Please fill out this form if:

you want to volunteer to organize a Terror Camp Polar Party for your city or region on December 5, 6, or 7, or
you would attend an event in your city or region but are unable to take on the responsibility of hosting.

Once you’ve registered your interest in hosting a Polar Party, along with your location, we can list your event (even if date and place is TBD — we know you’ll need to know more about the conference schedule to pick a when and where) and contact info on our site, so that other Campers in your region can reach out directly to you to get involved.

We encourage you to find co-hosts and partner up in order to plan events, especially if you’re in a bigger city and expect higher attendance. We’d also really love it if you teamed up with local museums or institutions to host all or part of your event!

If you have any questions, or want guidance on how to organize an event, please reach out to command@terror.camp.

Happy Camping!
xoxo Terror Camp Command

Polar Parties

This list will be updated as more people sign up to host. If you don't see your city, consider signing up!

Terror Camp Staff Hosted

New York City

December 5 @ 6pm, South Street Seaport Museum

Fancy dress is highly encouraged for this polar gala evening featuring an art market, flash tattoos, free food & drinks, polar film screenings, and poetry & prose readings!

RSVP: https://partiful.com/e/WeAwiR5Wuk6FzXsR2bVG

Toronto

December 6 @ 7:00pm, Duke of York, 39 Prince Arthur Ave, Toronto

Join Toronto & Golden Horseshoe-area Terror Campers for a casual pub night. Be prepared for (gentle) trivia and to chat about your favourite Arctic and Antarctic explorers. There will be prizes!

Space is limited, you MUST RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSetIHGtLn4EXv7sA0sBLBzYdgkT6eodfXm_Ymx8SuF9cJKfcA/viewform?usp=dialog

London

Date TBD @ National Maritime Museum

Weekend brunch crafting session on Saturday OR Sunday (TBD) in collaboration with the National Maritime Museum's Queer History Club.

RSVP for updates: https://forms.gle/WEETNMJgsoBc1Zih7

Berlin

December 6 @ 10am, location on request

German polar enthusiasts will meet for a Berlin Polar Brunch to discuss Friday night's keynote and our favourite upcoming Terror Camp speakers! Since we've had to make a booking already, RSVPs are closed, but you can get in contact with Johannes at veganthranduil.tumblr.com to inquire if there are last-minute open spots.

Community Hosted

Denver

December 6 @ 3:30pm, Denver Art Museum

Join us for a private Arctic collection tour at the Denver Art Museum, followed by food, drinks, and Terror Camp deep dives — because nothing says "good time" like bonding over historical maritime disasters.

RSVP: https://partiful.com/e/tjwyFl6ulBCunJu0dtTu

Chicago

December 6 @ 10am-4pm, Chicago Maritime Museum, River Level, Bridgeport Art Center

Social gathering and viewing party of Terror Camp 2025 live events in the Lecture Hall of the North Gallery of the Chicago Maritime Museum, 1200 W. 35th Street (free parking in the BAC North lot)

RSVP: https://partiful.com/e/I4seDON4WMsd7ye0L6Yi

Washington DC

December 5 @ ~6pm, location TBD

This will be a low-key group meet-up with casual discussion, screening of Terror Camp programming, and mini-presentations on polar topics (interest-permitting).

RSVP: https://forms.gle/j5KWoHdMnm6Xe48c7

San Francisco

December 7 @ 2pm, Golden Gate Park

Join Robin and Sienna on December 7th at 2pm for the San Francisco Polar Party! We'll be starting at the Roald Amundsen memorial in Golden Gate Park! Afterwards we'll be travelling to a pub, decorating some photocards, and chatting about cold boys and associates!

RSVP: https://partiful.com/e/dUrH32uM1JtF1iBHCk7c

Durham

December 6 @ 6PM, Durham Food Hall

A meet-up to hang out and discuss Terror Camp panels and all things polar, with options for food and drinks. Look for the table with the penguin plushie!

RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQucbGNGGt6jHeSeitDK3geo3TnjVevxc_Zr63wsSHfMOQPA/viewform

Detroit

December 7 @ 3pm, Dossin Great Lakes Museum

We'll start the afternoon at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum taking in maritime artifacts, and then head to Mutiny Bar to get a tropical reprieve.

RSVP: https://partiful.com/e/mIwTlXQ2TSYRPD8w8ugs?

Minneapolis

December 5 @ 10:30am CST, Boneshaker Books

Join us for a panel viewing at Boneshaker Books and after-party at Brühaven Craft Company! Coffee, pastries, and workshop materials will be provided. Masks required for the morning portion of the event.

RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfPyww7HgRr3rAJIbhpq5bbxgTXuOzr0o8P_dfR4JtiuVDQ3g/viewform

Los Angeles

December 6th @ 1pm, Autry Museum of the West & HMS Bounty
Join your fellow Angelenos in exploring the American West at the Autry Museum in Griffith Park and concluding in dinner and drinks at the HMS Bounty in K-Town.

RSVP & learn more: https://partiful.com/e/is69yY5kYU8ii2NI2mSF

Honolulu

December 5 @ 4 pm, Ala Moana Regional Park

Kick off Terror Camp 2025 with a seaside picnic at Ala Moana Park! Bring blankets or beach towels, crafts you'd like to work on, a polar-inspired dish, board or card games, or anything you'd like to share <3

RSVP: https://partiful.com/e/qnA9xoiPtzYXv22XEE3Y?

Vancouver

December 6th @ 2:30pm, Vancouver Maritime Museum

Join Ashley, the VMM’s Curator of Collections, for a presentation on the Museum’s Arctic collection, highlighting fragmented artefacts left behind by the Franklin Expedition collected by crew of the R.C.M.P St Roch. Discover the depth and uniqueness of the VMM’s Arctic collection and how you can access it for your research, then finish the day chatting with fellow polar enthusiasts as you make your own button craft to take home!

RSVP: https://vanmaritime.com/explore/events-and-programs/terror-camp/

Ottawa

December 4 @ Canadian Museum of Nature Natural Heritage Campus / British Hotel

A conference “warm-up” visit to view the original Franklin Expedition Beechey Island grave boards at the Nunavut Department of Culture and Heritage’s vaults. See the iconic and haunting memorials, the Bellot marble memorial plaque, and the mystery “door monument.” Afterwards recover from the Beechey blues with a visit to the British Hotel pub.

RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1QjHqd-3DrdnaLrFF56tzBOAFxZUSgQnaGatJbhuXqgQ/edit?usp=drivesdk

Glasgow

November 29 @ 6:30 PM, The Horn (508 Great Western Road, G12 8EL)

Casual polar get-together at a cosy West End pub, food and drinks available for purchase at the venue (or just come to chat and have a good time with fellow polarheads!). Vegan and gluten-free options on offer at the pub, and various West End attractions close by for anyone interested in taking in the town!

RSVP: https://forms.gle/QSv12JCjem29qgFP8

Dublin

December 6 @ Time & Location TBD

Join us in Dublin city centre for Terror Camp brunch!

RSVP here:

https://forms.gle/GKjXgDp8MZ4uEkAy8

Istanbul

November 5 & 6 @ Ege University & Zoom

9. Ulusal Kutup Bilimleri Sempozyumu ve 5. Kutup Şenliği kapsamı altında Zoom ve Whatssapp üzerinden buluşuyor, favori kutup adamlarımız hakkında konuşuyoruz!

RSVP: https://forms.gle/v7ngKMxvorpMrBcq6

Finland

December 6 @ 1pm, Tampere

Come enjoy a Polar Party up north in the form of a chilled-out restaurant hangout, continuing on to an optional livestream watchalong in the evening.

RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YfgbaBOnEZyvnczhVPW_p0isXqsnXRt3A-WpAnMDXqc

France

December 6 @ 2 pm, Angers, local café to be confirmed

Let's share a hot drink and some pastries, play some games and exchange some gifts.

RSVP: manon.r.bourlier@hotmail.fr or @greetingsprogramms on tumblr

Poland

December 6 @ 12-4 pm, Klubokawiarnia Jaś i Małgosia, Warsaw

We would like to invite you to a casual meeting where we will discuss our shared polar interests! Presentations made by attendees are welcome.

RSVP: https://forms.gle/XXZAof7ek1EAAWHk9

Saint Petersburg

December 7 @ Icebreaker Krasin Museum/Museum of Arctic and Antarctica

We are planning to visit one of the museums dedicated to polar exploration. The excursion has to be arranged beforehand, please respond ASAP, so you can be included to the group

RSVP: https://forms.gle/7Cn5GtpSivwk5Zs98

Melbourne

December 6th @ time TBA, State Library Victoria

A casual catch-up watch-along of Friday's Terror Camp panels, plus a special viewing of Captain Francis Rawdon Moira Crozier's 1882 portrait and his HMS Terror log from the Heritage Collections! More details to come.

RSVP: https://forms.gle/HAMu7kMC4FpA7KpZ6

Boston, MA, USA - RSVP HERE

New Bedford, MA, USA - RSVP HERE

Halifax, NS, Canada - RSVP HERE