How NiTN Started

Sometimes the best ideas begin when a door closes.

Several years ago, AANR-NW had been sponsoring events throughout the region to help promote naturism and introduce people to our community. As Brand Management Chair, I was asked by the AANR-NW Board to find a new event the region could support.

I searched everywhere.

After countless hours researching festivals, outdoor gatherings, and naturist events throughout the Pacific Northwest, I came to one surprising conclusion:

There wasn't anything like what we were looking for.

If the event didn't exist, maybe we needed to create it ourselves.

Bret and I had long admired the beauty of Oregon's Alvord Desert. The endless playa, breathtaking sunsets, and incredible night skies seemed like the perfect place to bring people together for a simple weekend of camping and friendship.

One evening, while sitting around the bar at The Willamettans with friends and fellow members, the conversation turned into brainstorming. Ideas bounced around the room, excitement grew, and before the night was over, what started as a casual conversation had become something much bigger.

The next morning, we presented the idea to the AANR-NW Board.

The board embraced the vision and agreed to sponsor the event.

Over the next year, countless hours of planning went into turning that idea into reality. Then, in 2024, Nude in the Northwest welcomed campers from five states to the Alvord Desert for the very first time.

What none of us realized then was that we weren't just creating a campout.

We were building a community.

Today, NiTN continues to grow, welcoming new friends, new adventures, and new destinations throughout the Pacific Northwest. While locations may change over the years, the heart of NiTN never will—a place where people can gather, enjoy the outdoors, build friendships, and create memories around the campfire.

Every tradition starts somewhere.

For us, it started with a conversation around a bar table, a shared vision, and one simple question:

"What if we created the event we couldn't find?"