SELF RELIANCE FESTIVAL
TICKETS
$105 APRIL 6-7
Walk-ups allowed!
Walk-ups allowed!
From farm to deli.
$650
Fighting like a girl is the BOMB. Tap into concepts of asymmetrical warfare and use your strengths in self defense.
$350
Get exclusive access at the festival! Get your pass now or upgrade your existing ticket.
$350
From farm to deli.
$650
Missed The Self Reliance Festival? Don’t miss your chance to see the digital recordings!
$105
Fighting like a girl is the BOMB. Tap into concepts of asymmetrical warfare and use your strengths in self defense.
$350
Joel Ryals
Chuck Peoples
Evan Dixon
Dawn Gorham, Amanda Willis, and Nicole Sauce
Sonny Puzikas
Imanee Mamulution and Paul River Richardson
Yoda & Grumpy
Shawn Mills
Becky Cook
Nicole Sauce
Jay Heselschwerdt
Leslie Gossett
Sean Patrick Tario
Tracy Farley
Sam Swanson
Nick Ferguson
Andy & Doug from Hand Hewn Farm
LOCATION: 4631 Highway 70 E, Camden, TN 38320
GATES OPEN AT: 8:00 AM
Join us for presentations, demonstrations, vendor exhibits, community, and music!
The Self-Reliance Festival at Special Operations Equipment gives you a close-up view of both strategic and tactical skills. Thoroughly practical demonstrations include emergency medical training, defense dogs, blacksmithing, weaving, food preservation, self defense, music, aquaponics, and permaculture design.
"*" indicates required fields
Holler Roast Coffee provides much of the event management for Self-Reliance Festival and runs a couple of giant urns of brew.
SOE hosts Self-Reliance Festival in and around their factory.
The podcast that entertains, educates, and empowers you to live the life you choose.
We design and develop highly professional websites, apps, and online tools for conservative, libertarian, limited government, and free-market organizations and communities.
Premier resource for ball bearing and power transmission parts for more than 20 years.
One-stop shop for all things Harley. Fiercely independent!
PCS offers All-Hazards comprehensive emergency preparedness and security consulting to individuals, families, and organizations & businesses of any size.
https://preparewithpcs.com/
Shawn Mills at Hack My Homestead provides custom designs and consultation for off grid systems including Solar, Water, and Wastewater Systems.
https://nicolesauce.com
At the Midwest Preparedness Project, Our Mission is to Inspire & Empower people just like you, through workshops, training seminars and festivals to be prepared for and respond to whatever life throws at you! We believe wholeheartedly in that the spirit of faith, family and fellowship belong at the core of all types of preparedness!
https://midwestpreparednessproject.com
The Kentucky Sustainable Living Homesteading and Preparedness Festival is dedicated to teaching self sufficiency and building community. Their Spring Festival is March 23-24 in Bowling Green, KY.
https://kentuckysustainableliving.com
Radio Made Easy solves the two biggest issues for newcomers to the radio world: The Nerds, and the Fun Police. We are changing this dynamic by respecting you at your starting point and helping you grow through experience, and offering a commonsense approach to radio that you can use right away.
https://radiomadeeasy.com
Homestead Medical trains you today to be prepared for tomorrow. Whether you have no medical training or you want to build on the skills you develop, Homestead Medical has the training for you. Starting with the very basics to advanced medical care and prolonged field care when there is no doctor
https://homesteadmedical.us
At American Cloud, our mission is to empower businesses of all sizes to achieve their full potential through the use of innovative cloud computing. We strive to promote a free and open internet for everyone.
https://americancloud.com/
Kansas, May 7 – 12
Tennessee, April 6-7
Kentucky, March 23 & 24
Get the TRIPLE CROWN of preparedness and hit all three festivals this year: Kansas, Tennessee, Kentucky.
What is your cancellation policy
Tickets for April are refundable through Feb 1, 2024 minus processing fees. October tickets are refundable through August 1, minus processing fees.
Where is the festival?
Self-Reliance Festival
at Special Operations Equipment
4631 Highway 70 E
Camden, TN 38320
Lodging
FREE! Camp overnight at Special Operations Equipment. There’s a composting toilet, water, and a handwashing station.
You may arrive and set up camp on Friday after 3 pm.
Please be entirely off the SOE property by 6pm Sunday.
Lodging closest to SOE property
New Johnsonville
5 minutes away
New Johnsonville Harbor Campground
130 Harbor Cir, New Johnsonville, TN 37134
(615) 319-4433
no website
Deerfield Inn (*closest hotel to SOE property*)
1331 Broadway Ave, New Johnsonville, TN 37134
(931) 535-3889
no website
Camden
under 5 miles / 10 minutes
Best Western Home Place Inn
731-584-2222
Nicest hotel in the area
Country Hearth Inn and Suites
731-584-6666
Birdsong Road area
5 miles / 10 minutes
Cedar Ridge RV Park
3400 Birdsong Rd
Camden, TN 38320
Close to SOE
Birdsong Resort | Marina | Campground
255 Marina Road
Camden Kentucky Lake, Tennessee 38320-9699
(731) 584-7880
Close to SOE
20 minutes plus from SOE
Most affordable
34 miles / 40 minutes from SOE
Pike’s Peak Campground
$10-12
127 Perryville Rd, Parsons, TN 38363
(731) 249-0029
East
15 miles / 20 minutes from SOE
Waverly
Imperial Lodge
504 W Main St #1407, Waverly, TN 37185
(813) 304-5113
no website
South
15 miles / 20 minutes from SOE
Days Inn by Wyndham, Holladay
13845 Hwy 641 N, Holladay, TN 38341
(731) 483-2068
West
27 miles / 35 minutes west of SOE
The Heritage Inn
11790 Lexington St, Huntingdon, TN
North
28+ miles / 36+ minutes north of SOE
farthest, but largest city in the immediate area
Paris Landing RV Park
35 Point Pleasant Road, Buchanan, Tennessee
Larry Richardson: 731.363.3020
Faye Richardson: 731.363.3019
a KOA facility?
Paris, TN
Hotels
Super 8 by Wyndham Paris
1309 E Wood St, Paris, TN 38242
Paris Inn & Suites
1297 E Wood St, Paris, TN 38242
Quality Inn
1510 E Wood St, Paris, TN 38242
Knights Inn Paris
409 Tyson Ave, Paris, TN 38242
Other links
RV, camping, and camping cabin parks in the area
Hotels and motels near Camden, Tennessee
Can I park my RV onsite?
No. Please see “Lodging” for a list of campgrounds in the FAQ.
Food and supplies
We have GREAT food vendors on site and the gas station at our entrance serves pretty good fare.
Can I bring my dog?
The Willises have dogs trained to defend against other dogs and cannot ensure the safety of your canines. Certified service dogs only are allowed, but respect the Willises wishes and do not bring them close to the area where the defense dogs are kept. The dogs can and will jump the fence to attack other dogs.
What about bringing children?
There is no discount for youngsters.
Children who behave as adults are welcome. If children become unruly – or if adults act like unruly children – they will be ejected from the event.
Food and drink
Food and some beverages will be available for purchase. Water is in the orange and white Gatorade urns.
We will serve Holler Roast Coffee – for a freewill donation.
A Note:
Organizers seek food, drink, and snack vendors. What about you: do you make yummy things?
Please sign up to sell food at Self-Reliance Festival by completing the Vendor application. At least one of your tickets will be complimentary, and you’ll make a few bucks.
For questions, email Mama Sauce: lani@nysara.com.
Necessities and luxuries
This is Self-Reliance Festival: when you come, please be equipped to take care of yourself.
The event is held just outside a small rural town. Everything takes place in and around a sewing factory. We can’t entirely take over this production facility, so we fit in among the trappings of doing business and the memorable Willis Collection of Wonderful Items.
While we rent some chairs, bring your own chair if you can, water bottles, clothing for Tennessee and the season, and all the things you need for comfort. Example: Mama Sauce needs a knitting project in order to listen carefully to a speech.
Some attendees have found cellphone service spotty; others have no problem at all. There is no internet onsite unless you are a vendor. We will try to set up a device charging station.
Bathrooms and kitchens
Attendee toilet facilities are outdoors in the form of porta-johns. Please do not ask to and do not use the factory workers’ rest rooms.
The same is true of the kitchen. In order to feed 300 – 600 people, every attendee must stay out of the kitchen, the areas in front of it, and the restrooms – even those visitors accustomed to using these areas. If you want to cook or chill something, bring a stove and cooler.
Parking
All participant parking is at Big Daddy convenience store.
Place your parking pass on the dashboard. It’s good Saturday and Sunday.
Please leave valuables at home.
Especially for vendors
Vendor setup hours
If we can open sooner on Friday, we will — and we will know this closer to the event.
When you arrive during setup hours, check in with Jennifer Bowman, the vendor manager, at the information booth. Please don’t ask to set up outside setup hours. We hate to say it, but the answer is “Sorry, no.”
Bring everything you need:
Vendors may drive to building to offload and onload. Please plan to drop off your gear, then go park at Big Daddy’s.