If you work in marketing or advertising, chances are you spend a lot of your day staring at a screen. Camp re:Connect: A Marketing Conference Between the Pines wants you to touch some grass, literally.
Taking place over three days and two nights (September 21 to 23, 2026), the immersive marketing conference and camp retreat is bringing together people from across the marketing, advertising and creative industries for a few days of learning, networking and actual summer camp activities.
Camp re:Connect takes the experience outdoors, combining industry programming with creative workshops, activities, time by the lake and plenty of opportunities to connect with other people in the field.
While the content is geared toward those working in the industry, tickets are available for anyone to purchase. So, whether you work in marketing, social media, advertising, communications, content creation or another creative field, this might be one of the most unique networking events to have on your radar this fall.
A Marketing Conference Between the Pines
The idea behind Camp re:Connect is pretty simple: get people away from their screens and create an environment where conversations and connections can happen a little more naturally.
Throughout the three days, attendees will have access to industry content featuring people from brands and organizations including Hard Rock Digital, Plan Canada, Curious Public, Shine Talent, Empathy Inc., Plain: Language and Clarity Content, among others.
The programming offers a chance to hear different perspectives from across the industry, learn something new and connect with other people doing similar work, all without spending the entire day under fluorescent conference room lights.
Instead of rushing between sessions and exchanging LinkedIn profiles during a quick coffee break, there is plenty of time built into the experience to actually meet and get to know the people you’re sharing camp with.
Who knows? You might just meet your next favourite colleague dockside.
There’s Plenty Happening Outside the Sessions, Too
This is part marketing conference, part camp retreat, so the schedule goes well beyond industry panels and presentations.
Attendees can tap into their creative side during a creative workshop from Pomelo Studio or put their marketing skills to the test during a pitch competition with Haventree Bank. There’s a pretty good incentive to bring your best ideas, too, with a prize valued at $2,000 up for grabs for the winning team.
You can also get a little competitive during a mini putt competition with Woodhouse Beer or slow things down and relax with saunas from Saunder.
And since you’re actually at camp, there will be plenty of opportunities to embrace the setting, take part in camp activities, get outside and spend some time by the water.
Basically, your conference break could look a whole lot more like hanging out on the dock than standing around a convention centre lobby.
Three Days, Two Nights and Everything Is Included
Camp re:Connect isn’t the kind of conference where you attend a few sessions and head home at the end of the day. The stay itself is part of the experience.
Your ticket includes the full three day, two night retreat, including accommodations, food and beverages, conference content, workshops and activities.
That means once you arrive, you can settle into camp and focus on the experience rather than figuring out where you’re staying or where you’re grabbing dinner after the day’s programming.
For those coming from the city, transportation is also available from Toronto, making it even easier to swap your desk for the great outdoors for a few days.
Networking Might Actually Be Fun Here
One of the biggest parts of any industry conference is meeting people, but Camp re:Connect is taking a much more relaxed approach to networking.
Instead of trying to squeeze a conversation into the few minutes between sessions, attendees have three days to connect through workshops, meals, activities and downtime around camp.
You could meet someone during the pitch competition, strike up a conversation over mini putt or talk shop while hanging out by the lake.
For anyone looking to make new connections, hear from people across the marketing and advertising world or simply switch up the typical conference experience, Camp re:Connect is definitely doing things a little differently.
Ready to Head to Camp?
Camp re:Connect: A Marketing Conference Between the Pines takes place September 21 to 23, 2026, giving attendees three days and two nights to step away from their usual routines and experience a very different kind of industry conference.
Your ticket includes accommodations, food and beverages, conference programming, workshops and activities, so everything is taken care of once you get to camp. For those travelling from the city, transportation is also available from Toronto, making getting there one less thing to figure out.
So, if three days of fresh ideas, new industry connections, creative workshops and some much needed time away from your screen sounds like your kind of conference, Camp re:Connect might be worth adding to your September plans.
After all, your next great idea, collaboration or industry connection might just be waiting for you between the pines.
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