This Staff Worker Who Has the Inside Scoop on the Bohemian Grove
“I worked at the Bohemian Grove in Monte Rio, CA a couple of years ago. First, it’s in the middle of a huge redwood grove, and parking space is very limited. You often have to be escorted through the front because there are crazy old hippy protesters trying to get in your way. You take a shuttle in through a few security checkpoints. This was all to get to the dining circle. Along the way, you notice there are tons of Owl-themed signs, statues, etc, just like a theme. You get to the dining circle and it’s basically hundreds of picnic tables in a clearing. There’s a large building behind it that serves as the kitchen and server stations. During the summer events, there are literally hundreds of servers, cooks, bussers, etc that all work in this area. Most are younger kids from the high schools around there. I was a server and was chosen as one of like 7 dudes to serve at the ‘Wine Chalet Dinner’ deep in the grove (no women allowed!).
This is pretty cool because you get to wear a white tux they give you from the linens department. On that night we took a separate shuttle deep into the grove, where typically only members and high-level staff go. As you drive away from the dining circle, something strange comes into view. A 40 foot tall stone Owl alter in front of a large fluorescent blue pool. Behind that, there is a sort of amphitheater-style seat. It becomes clear this is where they perform the ‘Cremation of Care’ ceremony. We got to the wine chalet house, where we’re essentially serving all these high-level bankers who caused the 2008 financial crisis I’m guessing. Nothing shady, just old fat white guys getting plastered and eating good food. That’s what most of the Bohemian Club is about, old rich dudes getting wasted and maybe cutting a backroom deal. Anyways, all the servers got to eat some pretty good food and drink some wine in the back so that was cool.”