white logo for Disrupstate Leadership summit Adirondack retreat

Friday, June 12 | 4:30-10 p.m.

Not Your Average Company Picnic

An Adirondack leadership retreat

JUNE 12-14, OLD FORGE, NY

An open air, three-day leadership retreat that brings people together across industries, roles and regions to talk honestly about what leadership actually looks like right now.

SaTurday, June 13 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Disrupt north country 2.0 conference

Sunday, June 14 | 8:30-11 a.m.

Send-off breakfast
& awards

  “WE GIVE THE MIC TO INNOVATORS, WORKPLACE REBELS, AND
TRUTH TELLERS WHO AREN’T AFRAID TO QUESTION THE STATUS QUO.”

"16 speakers, 4 ways to play, 3 retreat days, 1 concert" disrupstate leadership summit retreat

NO SUIT, NO TIE, NO PROBLEM

  • BOLD LEADERSHIP, REGIONAL IMPACT, AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT PUSH US FORWARD

    → Quick and Fiery 5-Minute Speeches

    → Locally Focused Panel

    → Round Table Talks

    → Wellness Workshop

    → Live Podcast Recording

  • REWRITE THE CORPORATE PLAYBOOK AND SAY YES TO FUN

    → Live Music by Part-Time Genius

    → Boat Cruises by Rivett’s Marina

    → Scenic Chair Lifts Along McCauley Mountain

    → Sunrise Yoga

    → Late Night Bonfires and Rooftop Hangs

  • ORGANIC, CASUAL AND UNFORCED CONNECTIONS

    → Table Talks

    → Networking Mixers

    → Endless Opportunities to Meet New Faces

Summit Schedule

A day by day breakdown of all the retreat has to offer. Want to make the most of your retreat? Adirondack adventures, early access, and exclusive after-parties are only available for Weekend Pass holders.

friday - disrupstate leadership summit retreat

Friday, June 12 | 4:30-10 p.m.

Not Your Average Company Picnic

at OUTER SPACE

Let loose and unwind- the Not Your Average Company Picnic is perfect for locals who want a slice of DisrUpstate or for the leader who isn’t able to commit to the whole weekend.

  • Food, cash bar, and lawn games

  • Live music by Part-Time Genius

  • Casual networking and topic tables

  • A chance to let loose on a Friday night

Weekend Pass Exclusives

  • Mini-golf & ice cream social

  • Bonfire under ADK stars

saturday - disrupstate leadership summit retreat

SaTurday, June 13 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Disrupt north country
2.0 conference

at OUTER SPACE

An outdoor, open air conference driven by high-impact ideas and real conversations, designed for the leaders and changemakers.

  • Disrupt North Country 2.0 conference

  • Future of Small Business Panel

  • Burnout + Boundaries Workshop

  • Local Vendors

  • No-brainer opportunities to network and connect

  • Morning coffee hour and afternoon lunch on us

Weekend Pass Exclusives

Included with your purchase of a Weekend Pass, add the following excursions to your plans

  • Sunrise Yoga

  • Adirondack Passport Challenge

  • McCauley Mountain Scenic Chair Lift

  • Rivett’s Marina Lake Cruise

  • Rooftop Evening Social at Tony Harper’s Sky Bar

sunday - disrupstate leadership summit retreat

Sunday, June 14 | 8:30-11 a.m.

Send-off breakfast
& awards

at the Front Door diner

Weekend Pass Exclusive

Group breakfast for Weekend Pass holders, hosted at Front Door Diner. Expect good food, awards, raffles. and parting words.

  • Food, cash bar, and lawn games

  • Live music by Part-Time Genius

  • Casual networking and topic tables

  • A chance to let loose on a Friday night

Choose how you want to experience the weekend

Weekend Pass

$420

Let’s make a weekend out of it- experience all parts of the DisrUpstate Leadership Summit, including exclusive gatherings and excursions not available for day-pass holders.

  • Includes all of Friday and Saturday events plus:

    • Swag bag of goodies

    • Access to discounted rooms at Forge Motel (call to claim)

    • Adirondack Passport Challenge

    • Friday mini-golf & ice cream social add-on

    • Friday night bonfire under ADK stars

    • Sunrise yoga sessions Saturday & Sunday

    • Additional Saturday afternoon excursions (lake cruise, hiking)

    • Saturday night social

    • Sunday breakfast, awards and raffles

VIP Weekend Pass

$640

Get the very best the weekend has to offer. Experience all parts of the summit, plus added perks like early registration, open bar and first row seating.

  • All of the Weekend Pass perks plus:

    • VIP swag bag of goodies

    • Open bar all weekend long

    • Early registration for excursions

    • Priority seating on Saturday

for the locals

Designed for ADK regulars or leaders unable to commit to the whole weekend. Drop in, join the conversation, and be part of the experience.

  • $40

    Includes:

    • Food, cash bar, and lawn games

    • Live music by Part Time Genius

    • Casual networking and topic tables

    • A chance to let loose on a Friday night

  • $90

    A day driven by high-impact ideas and real conversations, designed for leaders.

    DisruptHR isn’t about HR- it’s an invitation to challenge what we know about management, leadership and working with people.

    Includes:

    • DisruptHR North Country 2.0 conference

    • Future of Small Business Panel

    • Curated Workshop - announced soon

    • Vendor tables and activations

    • No-brainer opportunities to network and connect

    • Morning coffee hour and afternoon lunch on us

who is the summit for?

The DisrUpstate Leadership Summit brings together people who lead in the real world— inside businesses, teams, and communities often without a perfect roadmap.

for leaders who want a vibey & impactful getaway

You’re a founder, operator, HR leader, executive, or consultant wanting fun, learning, and networking (that maybe doubles a write-off).

You’re looking for:

  • A leadership retreat that doesn’t feel corporate or performative

  • Space to think clearly and reconnect to why you lead

  • Real conversations with people building real businesses

  • An experience that blends ideas, environment, and connection

This is leadership work that makes more sense when you step outside your usual environment.

For Local Leaders & Small Business Owners

You live or work in or around Old Forge or the Adirondacks.

You’re curious about:

  • New ways of thinking about leadership and small business

  • Connecting with people and ideas that don’t usually land in your day-to-day

  • Being part of something bigger without being pushed aside

This summit is for you, too.

Leadership out in the Wild…

The DisrUpstate Leadership Summit isn’t tucked away in a convention center.

It unfolds throughout the village of Old Forge—inside local venues, around shared tables, and across spaces where small businesses and community life intersect.

Why?
Because leadership feels different when it’s practiced in real places with real people.

Over the weekend, attendees:

  • Gather, learn, and play in locally owned & nature spaces

  • Support independent businesses simply by participating

  • Experience leadership conversations in motion— not just in rows of chairs

  • Get a chance to celebrate the beautiful landscape and community of the Adirondacks

For destination attendees, this creates a retreat that feels grounded, human, and memorable.

For locals, it opens the door to new ideas, new connections, and fresh ways of thinking about business and leadership.

This is leadership with context, not abstraction.

Why This Matters more than ever.

Leadership shapes more than organizations— it shapes how people experience work, opportunity, and community.

By bringing leaders together in a real place, surrounded by real businesses and real people, this adventure creates conversations that land differently, and last longer.

For attendees, this means insight that sticks and long term friendships that form. For sponsors, it means supporting leadership development that shows up in the real world— not just on a stage.

Come for the leadership.
Stay for the community.
Leave with perspective that actually changes how you lead.