Camping 2018: Finding Ourselves at the Lost Carnival
September 13th, 2018
One weekend each summer, our team gathers in the Quebec countryside to create a world that will exist for just one night. It’s the Moment Factory Camping, a tradition that goes back over a decade.
Every year we start from scratch with a new theme. From there we plan a feast, a playscape, an otherworldly party, and an epic series of performances and adventures to share with our co-workers, families and friends.
“We develop a vision, and everyone comes together to bring this idea forward,” explains Sarah, legal counsel at Moment Factory. “The collaborative aspect is the best part of the process. From across the studio’s different departments, each person brings their own skills, passion and even their secret or hidden talents, and we all find ways to make it happen.”
This year’s theme was the Lost Carnival. Wearing over-the-top homemade costumes, we unleashed performative alter-egos into a dreamy ephemeral space where absurdity and gleeful chaos reigned. In the spirit of the carnival tradition, normal life was suspended and everyday roles evaporated.
During the day, carnival games, treasures, and specially-designed characters delighted children and immersed families in a surreal and festive wonderland. Childcare, a bus service and extra tents were provided to make sure as many people as possible could take part in the fun. The revelry built up to one of the experience’s annual highlights, the procession, a tradition that inspired the Lumina night walks. Led by the 14-piece Gypsy Kumbia Orchestra, the crowd wove through the woods toward a series of surprise performances, including live sets by Beat Market and Galaxie. From there, the party proceeded to a moonlit hilltop dance floor.
“It’s the process that’s interesting,” explains Olivier, a project coordinator who helped design a welcome archway and corridor of funhouse mirrors to transition people into this carnivalesque universe. “The more involved I am in creating the experience, the more I appreciate it.”
A collaborative spirit, unbridled creativity and vibrant social culture are essential to how Moment Factory works. As we grow, it’s vital for us to keep these traits strong. So for one epic weekend each year, we all meet up in the forest to share moments of inspiration, surprise and wonder.
