Attendee Guide

You’re registered and ready to go . . .
Here’s some information to maximize your fun and minimize horrible surprises.

Arrival
Arrival check-in opens at 3 pm. Please don't come sooner. Park your car as tightly as possible. In fact, try for tighter than possible. Look for signs that will direct you to the registration room. You'll get a name button and an information packet that includes your room assignment, the processional tune, a general schedule for the weekend, and 4 tickets for the Sunday lunchtime raffle.

You'll be asked to complete an emergency contact form. Please make sure to bring the information we would need in order to reach someone for you if required (name, phone, relationship), even if that person is also at NESI.

Remember to wear your name button throughout the weekend. We don't all know each other, and we always have firsttimers. Ideally, everyone will be signed in by 5:00 pm. There will be an orientation meeting in the auditorium at 5:30. Please plan to attend. It's important. We'll be announcing any changes or additions to the information you were given, making introductions, welcoming first-timers, and taking questions. Dinner will be served at 6:00.

The Weekend Schedule
A schedule will be included in your arrival envelope. It's an overview of how the time is blocked out throughout the weekend. It tells you when meals are, when the workshops take place every day, and other things that are linked to a specific time. It does not tell you what the workshops and focused jams are, as they are not scheduled in advance. You'll find them listed on the Big Board in the auditorium as leaders post them throughout the weekend.

Workshops, Jams, and the Big Board
      Workshops are as varied as our participants, and most are unannounced until the weekend starts. Some are created on the spot in response to requests. Try something new. You might get involved in a tango workshop, learn Klezmer or Breton tunes and techniques, or find out how to fix your concertina or accordion from people that make and repair them.
      The “Big Board” is where people can post offers of workshops and focused jams as well as requests. It will be in the
auditorium. Remember that this is a DIY event – it's only as good as we all make it, and it evolves throughout the
weekend. Consider offering a workshop if there's something you could teach. Please bring your own handouts, if any. We
do have a copier, in case you run short, but it won't print from your phone or other device. It's just a copier. You can also use our website's workshop files section to share your handouts in advance.
      Jams are sometimes open-ended and sometimes intentionally limited in theme. You could post a focused jam on the Big Board on such topics as Scandinavian tunes, old-time waltzes, or television theme songs. It's a good idea to check the Big Board frequently so you don't miss something that would have interested you. Things get added throughout the weekend. Suggestion: Use your phone to take a picture of the day’s workshops on the Big Board so you can easily find a different one if your choice doesn’t work out.
      First timers: Workshops are open to everyone who wants to attend. You don't need to sign up. Just go to the designated room. If you decide for any reason that a workshop is not for you, just leave quietly. No one will mind.
      Here is a Jamming Etiquette Guide that will help all of us be welcomed into the seemingly-endless assortment of jams and sessions.

Saturday Night
This is the centerpiece of the event. It includes the concert and the contra dance. After dinner, we will have a processional march to our evening concert in the auditorium, with massed squeezers playing a tune together. Please join in, even if you haven't learned the tune. The processional tune/march is a Scandinavian walking tune, the Äppelbo Gånglåt. Gånglåts were traditionally played in Scandinavia by people walking a distance to a barn dance.

On Saturday morning, in the registration room, there will be a pile of sign-up sheets for the concert. We encourage
people of all skill levels to sign up. You don't need to be an expert or a professional. You just need to be willing to share
what you do with the friendliest and most supportive audience you're likely ever to find. Because of the large number of
people who usually participate, performers are limited to one appearance, doing ONE song or one SHORT set of
tunes. You don't need to play a free-reed instrument to perform – we've had fiddles, clogging, a hurdy-gurdy, bagpipes,
and unaccompanied singers, among others. All performances should be no more than 4 minutes long, including any
introductory remarks. Please time it before you go onstage.

Important: When the sign-up sheets run out, there is no more room for performers. The concert will end at 9:30 pm whether everyone who signed up has performed or not. We put first-time Squeeze-In performers onstage ahead of others to make sure they get a chance to share their party piece.

We're doing a joke contest instead of a poetry competition this year. Entries must be written – no images, amateur theatrics, etc. The joke must involve free-reed instruments in some way. Winning submissions will be read during the concert, and prizes of questionable value will be awarded. There will be a container in the registration room for your entries. It's actually a dead concertina – your legibly-written entry should go inside. Don't forget to include your name.

Please be VERY careful with food and drink around the sales tables. We’ve had some spills that could have been serious.

The Sunday Raffle
You will find 4 red raffle tickets in your registration envelope. The main prize is a 50% discount for basic accommodation for one person at the 2027 Squeeze-In. Everyone has been automatically entered for it. The drawing will be held in the auditorium at 11:45 am on Sunday morning, just before lunch starts at 12. You must be present in order to win. The prize is fully transferable.

Departure
People need to be packed and out of their rooms by 11 am on Sunday. Please close any open windows, turn off lights and any fans, and put towels and washcloths (but NOT bed linens) in the laundry chute on your floor. Leave bedding in your room. Remember that we are charged if you don't do this. Lunch is served at 12:00. And yes, you can hang around until 3pm – just not in your room. If you need a place to put your stuff before you load your car, you can leave it in the
registration room.

Ride Sharing
Looking for a ride? Do you have room for a passenger who could share the cost of gas? Please use Si-Talk to let other attendees know. If you are not already a member, you can find information about that here. By the way, even if you don't need Si-Talk for this reason, consider joining anyway. The more members we have, the better it works for all kinds of squeeze-related purposes.

Dealing with Problems and Questions
Members of the Squeeze-In board will be wearing name buttons that identify them. If they can’t address your issue, they’ll find someone who can. If you have questions or requests before the weekend, please contact Lynn (lynnh1947@gmail.com), not the staff at Wisdom House .

2026 Covid Policy

A Final Word
Nothing is required of you, but there are lots of choices. You might jam in a crowd, play with a few others, or seek some quiet time in the inviting outdoor setting. You might join sessions, attend and/or lead workshops, and enjoy the Saturday night concert as audience or performer. You can lift your feet in the dance that follows the concert and lift your voice in the pub sing until the wee hours. It's all here in a laid-back, free-spirited weekend. We make it up as we go along, so it's different every year. Thanks for joining in!

Downloadable Attendee Guide

PROPERTY MAP FLOOR PLANS