About Fairwinds
Fairwinds Family Camp is a week-long camp experience for families with a child(ren) who identifies as trans, non-binary, genderqueer, genderless, or otherwise gender diverse. Parents/guardians, siblings, grandparents, and friends are all welcome to join in the fun. Fairwinds provides lodging, food, and lots of activities.
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Families join together for meals. In the mornings, adults can opt into groups that focus on discussing different topics regarding their children's journeys while all kids are off playing with our awesome staff. In the afternoons, there is time for families to spend together at the lake, field, archery range, walking in the woods, and much more!
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​Families stay together in private cabins with bathrooms. See accommodations for more information.
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Fairwinds will had its inaugural summer in August 2023.
Location
Fairwinds leases a wonderful lakefront camp in Central Maine. It is located on one of the largest lakes in the region, and has many acres of waterfront, fields, tennis courts, as well as beautifully restored buildings dating back to the early 1900s.
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The exact location/address is accessible for registered campers only, for the privacy of all of our campers.
What's in a Name?
"Fair winds" is a nautical term describing winds that help push a vessel in the direction it wants to go. We want our campers to feel like our camp community gives them the fair winds needed on their journey. The phrase "May you have fair winds and following seas" is sometimes said when a sailor sets out on a voyage.
Meet the Directors
Miles Crabtree, MMT, MT-BC (he/him) is a long-time camp enthusiast and educator, and became board certified as a music therapist in 2022. Miles received his master’s degree in music therapy from Temple University in 2023--his thesis focused on using community music therapy to support queer and trans youth. Miles has worked as an outdoor educator and backcountry trip leader in locations across the Northeast, and as an indoor-educator in alternative schools in New Orleans and Colorado. Starting in 2014, Miles worked at Farm and Wilderness Camps in Vermont for eight summers, serving as program director and interim director. Miles was part of the inaugural team at Fairwinds Family Camp serving as program director since 2023, and became co-director in 2025. During the rest of the year, Miles works as a musician with Ants on a Log, leads creative and therapeutic workshops in Philadelphia and beyond, and spends his free time hiking, biking, rock-climbing, playing basketball with Philly’s queer pick-up league, and hosting potlucks.
Favorite Camp Activity: Swimming, singing, silly olympics!
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Julie Lipson, MA, MT-BC (they/them) is a musician, board certified music therapist, and life-long lover of camp! Part of the founding team at Harbor Camps (summer camp for transgender and nonbinary youth), Julie worked as Assistant Director for 12 years and now serves on the board. Julie was also part of the inaugural team at Fairwinds Family Camp, serving as Assistant Director, and then becoming a Co-Director in 2025. Julie attended camp every summer as a child, and later worked as a camp songleader and nature trip leader. Inspired by creativity and community at camp, Julie studied music therapy, receiving their master’s degree from Drexel University in 2013. Julie performs with social justice family music band Ants on a Log, leads creative and therapeutic workshops, and hosts potlucks and game nights at their communal house in Philadelphia.
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Favorite camp activity: singing songs around a campfire!
Explore Maine
If you're lucky enough to have time before or after coming to Fairwinds, we recommend getting out to enjoy the beautiful oceanfront towns, lakes, mountains, lighthouses, and delicious food that make Maine famous. From the queer-friendly beach town of Ogunquit to the incredible rocky vistas of Acadia National Park to the summit of Mt. Katahdin (the end--or beginning--of the Appalachian Trail), you'll see it's clear why Maine is known as "Vacationland!" Click to go to visitmaine.com.
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