A Vision in Paradise IV: Paradise Reborn will be held at the Half Moon Beach rustic retreat in Green Island, Jamaica, March 23-27, 2025. Let AVIP open your eyes and your mind to a magical immersive getaway right beside the Caribbean. Tickets are just $360 through February 23, 2023.
Half Moon Beach and its warm staff welcome us and will be our Home. The campground is privately owned and the management appreciates the vibe that we bring. Our first event there in 2020 laid a solid groundwork that we built on in 2022 and 2023, and your von Thyme Productions event organizer is working with the property owners and managers to make Round 4 the best time yet. Check out their website to see the beauty of this unique beachfront locale.
EVENT PHILOSOPHY: We will explore friendships -- established, new, and budding -- within this amazing property. There will be participant-led workshops and events, along with meals and local entertainment to be shared and enjoyed as a group. Personal growth will be heightened by participation and commitment.
This will be an Immersive Experience. Attendees will check in to the campground by Sunday afternoon, and stay until MOOP Patrol Thursday morning. You may wish to make time for Jamaican tourism and other adventures before and after the event. The organizers and our hosts have all the good info to support you on that, but during AVIP, the focus will be our camp and our people!
This is not a Burn or an official Burning Man event. While it is inspired by the 10 Principles and the ethos of Burnerdom, many significant differences exist due to the nature of the host property, and to the distance from our home bases.
Participation is a key to AVIP. Participants will lead or co-lead an event. Past offerings have included yoga, relationship workshops, interactive coloring, group meditation, intention setting, story exchanges, and an effigy build and burn. Most workshop-type events are 30 to 75 minutes long.
HOSTLY PLACE: We will be based at a rustic campground set on a singularly beautiful private beach just over an hour from Jamaica's major airport in Montego Bay. The property has been developed with events like ours in mind. They are experienced and have the connections to make our Vision fly high.
Getting there is very easy, as all it takes is to follow the coast road. We will arrange or recommend on-island transportation options that will cost $25 to $50 U.S. one way. One can also rent a car but this is only for drivers confident driving on the right side of a car on the wrong side of the road.
FACILITIES: The property is large and private, set back from the main road. There are cabins, and ample space for tenting. There are pavilions for meals and workshops and bathrooms with running water and showers. The cabins are available on a first-request basis, with the proviso that they will also be used as theme camp/entertainment bases. Staying in a "Theme Camp Cabin" will add $25 per night ($100 additional) per participant for the duration. Note that cabins sold out in the past, so make your plans early if you want to stay in one. If you are interested in organizing or joining a Theme Camp Cabin, please let Brewster know.
FOOD: Breakfast and dinner are included. HMB will prepare and provide light breakfast, plus full healthy dinners using locally grown ingredients, and a "Nuit Blanche Banquet" at an historic Great House on the property on Wednesday night. There will be vegetarian or vegan options if desired and we will be free from cooking duties. Past participants appreciated the fresh ingredients and healthy offerings.
Lunch and drinks are "on your own" and are not included in the event price.
HOW MANY TICKETS WILL BE SOLD? Up to 40, followed by evaluation/waitlist. Note that there are only 20 cabin spaces, so these may sell out early.
COSTS: First tier tickets for AVIP are $360 through February 23, and $420 after that date and available until and unless we reach capacity. As noted above, a cabin space costs an additional $100.
Signing up early gets you a bargain rate and helps your organizers big time. We have payments due for the resort and many elements well in advance and so early payment is a win/win for all. The higher cost of the later tier cover added events and hires that a larger group of people will necessitate.
What is included in that wad of American dollars? A place for your tent for four nights (also see cabin info above); light breakfast, group dinners, and banquet; running water and electricity; memorable entertainment; an event shirt; and other special treats.
What is not included (what you have to tend to, with the organizers' enthusiastic support): airplane to Jamaica; ground transport from the airport; lunch and drinks from the cash bar and grill on the property; tips; gear (e.g. snorkel equipment); materials for events you may lead.
HOW TO PAY?
The best way to reserve your Vision is by PayPal to BrewThack@gmail.com; alternate options available, just ask.
PAYMENT PLANS & SCHOLARSHIPS: If you cannot swing the full amount up front, we can likely do a payment plan and lock in the tier for the date when you commit. Just ask. Contingent on ticket sales we hope to do partial "scholarships" for participatory folks and event leaders and performers who need them. Glad to put anyone on a list for consideration.
Additional information:
BEACH: The beach and parkland are available for all of our use. The beach is always open. The water will be warm enough for swimming at all times (we prepaid to heat it). Plan to bring snorkels and masks, as there is a coral reef nearby that will enchant you. Bathing suits are optional most of the time. Fires will be possible in designated areas that are established by the property owner. Fire spinning is encouraged.
CLIMATE: Jamaican weather is very predictable in this season. Daily highs will be between 80 and 86, and nightly lows will be in the 70s. You can live in shorts and a t-shirt. There is no air conditioning. Breezes and shade make it very pleasant, and you don’t need any heat at night. We will be ahead of the rainy season, but there may be a few hours of precipitation any day -- rarely more. It is not hurricane season. Bring a jacket or raincoat if concerned. Bring sunscreen (lots of it!) and bug spray just in case.
ALCOHOL AND INTOXICANTS: Per our hosts, we may not bring alcohol for public consumption, nor set up a bar. Having and sharing alcohol in our cabins is fine. Prices at the facility's bar will be lower than we are used to at events in the States. Marijuana is decriminalized and widely available in Jamaica. Smoking in the campground is acceptable. Be wary of consuming edibles – they are quite strong and have been known to hijack a day. Other narcotics are illegal in Jamaica and should never be publicly discussed or used. (Don't get kicked out of Paradise!) Cigarette smoking is permitted in designated areas.
RULES AND EXPECTATIONS: We will follow the rules of the property out of respect for our hosts. Beyond that we will follow the 10 Principles. Other rules and expectations will be posted as determined and needed.
KIDS & ANIMALS: This is not a kid-friendly event. Service animals will be accommodated to the best of our host's ability.
PRE- AND POST-EVENT OPPORTUNITIES: If you would like to arrive on Saturday or stay on site after the event, this can be arranged in advance for a modest cost. You’re flying all the way to Jamaica – tack on a few days if you can!
Anticipate $50 to add Saturday or Thursday night if staying at Half Moon Beach.
Negril is within 10 miles and is an amazing town of beaches and cliffs and reggae music. Your organizer has scouted and can help you plan the extended vacation of your dreams. For those on a budget, lovely hotel rooms for two can be had on the beach for under $100, and house rentals are a possibility for larger groups. There are hostel-type accommodations or AirBnB options. If you prefer to splurge, there are numerous resorts in the area, some all-inclusive, including the legendary and wild Hedonism II. von Thyme Productions will be glad to play travel agent and help you figure out your best plan before or after AVIP.
WHAT IF THE STATE OF THE WORLD DOES NOT PERMIT TRAVEL AND EVENTS IN MARCH 2025?
If this event has to be cancelled, von Thyme Productions will provide a full refund to all who have registered.
For more information, and to make your reservation: Please email Brewster at brewthack@gmail.com, or call 703/508-4418.
See you in Paradise!!!