THE HOLE IN THE WALL GANG CAMP PRESENTS BACK TO THE FUTURE
When: Saturday, September 19, 2026
Time: 1:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Where: The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
Ashford, Conn.
Set your destination for the future and rewind to the decade that started it all! Join us for an unforgettable Fandango Benefit Gala celebrating our 1980s roots, the decades of impact that followed, and the exciting road ahead.
The annual Gala tradition our Founder Paul Newman began more than three decades ago to support Camp programs has evolved over time, but the touchstone of the festivities remains – a variety show with campers performing musical numbers, families sharing inspirational stories and celebrity friends joining them center stage. Our Fandango show once again returns to Hole in the Wall’s Theater, with a simulcast stream available in our Rec Center. Guests will enjoy an afternoon and evening filled with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, food trucks, interactive culinary stations, spirited silent and live auctions, music…and there’s more! The recipients of Camp’s 2026 Most Wanted Award will be revealed!
If you're interested in participating, or have any questions, please contact Jennifer Weeks at (203) 745-2723 or via email.
Schedule of Festivities
1:30 p.m.
Cocktails and Hors d'oeuvres
Food Trucks
Live Music
Silent Auction
Downtown Camp and Rec Center
3:30 p.m.
Welcome Remarks
Live Auction and Program Appeal
Rec Center
5:30 p.m.
Fandango performance featuring Campers and celebrity friends
Theater and Dining Hall
7 - 8:30 p.m.
Dinner Reception
Live Music
Downtown Camp
Support “Back to the Future” by becoming a sponsor, purchasing individual tickets, securing an ad in the program book, supporting our Campership Corral, or making a donation at any level. Space is limited. Early reservations are encouraged. Ticket and sponsorship purchasing options coming soon.
Support Camperships or Make a Donation
Once Upon A Camp: A Celebration of Hole in the Wall Stories
Saturday, September 20, 2025
A not so long time ago at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, Conn., 250 guests gathered for Once Upon a Camp: A Celebration of Hole in the Wall Stories, raising more than $1.18 million for Camp’s growing programs.
Camper Correspondents Leyma and Violet helped build excitement ahead of the big day, offering behind-the-scenes previews of the Gala and its auctions on Camp’s social media channels. During the event, they continued their reporting, capturing funny interactions, heartfelt stories and candid interviews with performers and guests. Under a bright autumn sky, Camp’s downtown transformed into a festive scene filled with the sounds of music, laughter and cheers. Guests sampled tasty bites from Cowabunga, The Big Green Pizza Truck and Pitaziki Truck, while Newpark Brewing poured local beers and refreshing non-alcoholic beverages. Guests mingled, snapped photos and soaked up the magic of the day.
As the afternoon continued, guests moved into Sports & Rec for the Live Auction. Following an update from Hole in the Wall CEO Jimmy Canton, Camper Nate shared about the healing role Camp has played in his journey with Sickle Cell. Then, celebrity emcee and journalist Frank DiLella joined professional auctioneer Erin Ward of Star Benefit Auctions to lead a spirited auction. The bids were hot and fast for sought-after items like a weekend buyout of Granville House featuring dinner with a private chef, a Perfect Game Ticket Stub autographed by baseball legend Sandy Koufax, and the chance to sleep at Camp in the Founder’s Cabin. As the auction wrapped, friends shared in a moment of pure philanthropy, pledging their support of various Camp programs with their gifts.
Next up, the Fandango performance in the theater opened with a presentation of the Most Wanted Award to Mike and Eileen Kolakowski for their friendship that extends back to the start of Camp. Then nine talented campers—Desiray, Fidel, Ismail, Matteo, Michaela, Quinn, Ren, Wyborn and Zuzanna—took to the stage alongside Sara Chase, Melinda Doolittle, Sidney Dupont, Ali Stroker, Vishal Vaidya and other sensational Camp friends for a show packed with funny skits, powerful musical numbers and inspirational Camp stories. The McMorran family shared how Hole in the Wall has impacted every member of their family after their daughter, Zoe, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2011 and later passed away, deeply moving the audience.
After the performance, guests returned to the Dining Hall green to find a festive buffet dinner and an array of sweet treats, from made-to-order crepes to fresh s’mores, all beneath twinkling stars. The evening wound down with jazzy tunes from Catnip Junkies and time to celebrate and reflect on a day that beautifully captured the heart of Hole in the Wall.