Trans and gender-expansive kids and teens will again have an affirming Ohio-based day camp to attend in 2026 … just in a different zip code.
Camp Indigo will return to Ohio for a third summer of operations, but the camp is moving from its previous Akron location to a school-site in Columbus.
“So many of our families were already traveling to Camp Indigo from Columbus, and the larger Columbus metro is full of incredible trans-affirming resources, this just made more sense accessibility and community wise,” said Andrew Kramer, co-founder and executive director. “Camp Indigo mission remains the same: Provide a “normal” summer day camp experience that is fun, friend-centered and full of wonder.”
Here in the camp’s 12th year of operating and expanding nationally, that mission has never been more important. For 2026, Camp Indigo added locations in Minnesota and Southern California, to go along with the sites in Ohio, northern California, Colorado and Texas.
Kramer said the entire Camp Indigo family keenly knows and feels the attacks against trans and gender expansive youth, both in Ohio and nationally: everything from bans on trans youth healthcare to forcing school staff to out students to their families.
“We need to be creating a space that is joy-focused, especially now,” Kramer said. “We should be providing our kids opportunities to be kids, to play and be silly and to scrape their knees and to do it in a place where they’re not carrying the burden of otherness.”
Camp Indigo operates a little differently than similar camps. It’s a day camp – meaning that kids go home at the end of each day, which provides a break and can alleviate stress for kids or teens who may feel anxiety about staying overnight somewhere, according to Kramer.
It’s also focused on campers simply doing traditional camp activities with other trans kids rather than emphasizing the fact that they’re trans. Kids under 12 spend their days rotating through a series of art, science, movement and play-based “classes,” with an emphasis on being silly and having fun. Teens often go to museums, thrift shopping, and picnic at local parks as a group. What they don’t do is therapy.
“Camp is for trans and gender-expansive youth, it’s not about trans and gender-expansive youth,” Kramer says. “This isn’t a therapy program; this is an opportunity to hang out with kids who have your same life experience and just get to be a kid. It is so empowering to be with your people who have that same lived experience. So, let’s do that and also throw water balloons at each other.”
Camp Indigo is also for parents and caregivers, who are invited to two caregiver sessions a day to connect with others and share resources. Cis siblings under 12 are also welcome to attend camp, though this is a small minority of the camper population.
The Columbus camp costs $475 for the week, which covers activities, insurance, supplies and wages for the all-trans staff (the camp has a 6:1 camper-to-staff ratio). Scholarships of 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% off the price of enrollment are available
This summer’s move to Columbus has already resulted in a doubling of committed campers, coming from 10 states (“Don’t be afraid if you live out of state!”), including campers who will be enrolling for their third summer in Ohio.
Kramer said staff are working with Northeast Ohio families who participated in the previous location to arrange caravans or housing shares with Central Ohio families to “make sure that no one gets left behind.”
“Supporting our youth is why we exist,” Kramer said. “Camp Indigo is here and we’re only getting bigger!” 🔥
IGNITE ACTION
- Register for Camp Indigo or learn more about their affirming camping experience by visiting their website here.
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