Comedy Open Mic Workshop with Maria Bamford and Jackie Kashian
Maria and Jackie will lead a small group of performers. Perform new material, get help, enjoy others' performances. All skill levels welcome. (This activity is only available in session B.)


Cooking with Julia Crookston
Julia is a chef experienced in almost every cooking setting, from running huge kitchens to being a private chef. Join her for the ‘Art of Rueben’, where you’ll assemble and grill Rueben sandwiches. As we do so we'll talk about the transformative properties of naturally occurring bacteria, why it is a good thing and then we'll eat 'em up. Vegetarians, do not overlook this class, we will spend a lot of time talking about naturally fermented vegetables - especially cabbage and root vegetables.


Mind Melding for Moon Bears: Group Creativity with Kasper Hauser
Working in a group can be a great way to create. But busted skills can turn your productive hive-mind into a collective soul-hole/scratch-fest. Come with Kasper Hauser and let the tears flow in this fun, hands-on session focusing on generating creative possibilities in any group setting, from pawn shop to porno factory (mainly just those two, though).


Improv with Jordan Morris
Jordan Morris isn't just the co-host of Jordan Jesse Go! and an on-air correspondent for Fuel TV. He's also a UCB-certified improv instructor. Try improv for the first time (Session A is open to all) or further your skills in the afternoon (Session B is for experienced improvisers.)


Lake Stroll
Enjoy the fresh air and natural beauty of Lake Arrowhead by strolling the trail along the lake’s shore with other MaxFunsters.


Pub Quiz with Chuck Bryant and John Hodgman
Hosted by Chuck Bryant, co-host of podcast ‘Stuff You Should Know’, and Daily Show correspondent John Hodgman. Have a beer. Earn valuable bragging rights. (This activity is only available in session B.)



Yoga for Comedy Nerds
Neal Pollack isn't just the author of "AlternaDad" and "The Neal Pollack Anthology of American Literature." He's also a yoga practitioner. Join him for some talk about how a comedy nerd came to yoga, and a bit of yoga for beginners.


How To Rock A Funky Story
Glynn Washington, host of NPR's Snap Judgment, dives directly into the nasty nitty-gritty of sexy sound-rich narrative. The process, the pain, the music, the tools, the edit, the betrayal, the love, and the shame - some or all of this will be covered in a session dedicated to creating the perfect story.


Getting Crafty with Jessica Kallam
Get crafty with expert crafter and craft teacher Jessica Kallam! Wield your creative genius in a blizzard of felt, glue, crepe paper and pipe cleaners! Jessica will teach needlefelting, which is the process of turning sheep's wool into 3D objects using a special, sharp needle and stabbing motions.This is for any level of crafter, especially recommended to any students whose lives are stressful and could benefit from stabbing an inanimate object repeatedly.


Writing with John Roderick
As frontman of The Long Winters, John Roderick has done almost everything you can do in rock music, short of becoming rich and famous. John also considers himself a widely-respected journalist, an extensively-quoted author and philosopher, a prima ballerina, a cowboy and an astronaut. His writing workshop will touch on how to keep writing when everything you write is boring and terrible, and how to, when all else fails, become a colorful personality. (Session B will focus on songwriting.)


Making Music Videos with Benjamin Harrison
Learn the full life cycle of making a music video, from conception to pitching, planning, shooting, and promoting it, with Benjamin Harrison, music video director and Director of Visual Messaging at Double 7 Images.


Animation Time with Pendleton Ward
Learn about the art, craft, and process of animation with the creator of Adventure Time (Cartoon Network) and executive producer of the award-winning ‘Secret Mountain Fort Awesome’. Pen will also get old-skool with some hands-on animation creation.


Making ‘You Look Nice Today’ with Adam Lisagor
Twitter celebrity and ‘You Look Nice Today’ co-host Adam Lisagor will take you on an adventure that is part podcasting class, part YLNT retrospective superfan celebration. Adam will take participants through the process of making the podcast, using clips and examples to demonstrate the production process.


Free Time
Use this time however you please! Explore the conference center grounds; take advantage of the pool, jacuzzi, and fitness center; chat with new friends in the main lodge; or curl up with a book by the fireplace in your condolet.