a leadership retreat rooted in place, people, and purpose.

🎟 Get your Pass
🤝 Become a Sponsor

The DisrUpstate Leadership Summit is a three-day leadership experience taking place throughout the village of Old Forge, New York, in the heart of the Adirondacks.

This isn’t your traditional conference and it’s not a retreat that ignores the realities of business.

It’s a place-based leadership gathering designed to bring people together across industries, roles, and regions to talk honestly about what leadership actually looks like right now— all while supporting the small businesses and community that host us.

"Attend"

Join us for a three-day leadership reset—talks, connection, and experiences that actually stick.

"Speak"

2026 Speaker Applications are being reviewed! Stay tuned for Disrupt Syracuse 2026 for additional opportunities.

"sponsor"

Support bold leadership, regional impact, and meaningful connection.

"volunteer"

Help bring the summit to life and be part of the DisrUpstate community from the inside.

the summit vibe

It’s a weekend you’ll remember, not a schedule you’ll forget. Impactful conversations happen between moments, not just on stages.

It’s a full blown village affair… we’re taking over Old Forge, with a lakeside stay at The Forge Motel, the best picnic you’ve ever been to & leadership disruption at SPACE Old Forge, night time vibes & fun you haven’t had since you were a kid, and all within a .6 mile walk (and we have a shuttle too just in case 😉)

Friday

Adirondack welcome, grub & good times, live entertainment, and fun after dark.

  • 3pm
    Arrive, drop your bags, breathe some Adirondack air.

    Special room rates & activities available at » The Forge Motel.
    VIPs get first dibs on Lakeview rooms 👀𓂃 ོ☼𓂃

  • 6pm - SPACE Old Forge

    • Casual Dinner courtesy of Archies Alley

    • Lawn games

    • Topic Tables & Networking

    7:30pm - SPACE Old Forge

    • Live music with Part Time Genius

  • 9pm - Bennies & Nutty Putty

    • Ice Cream Social

    • After Dark Mini-Golf

    • Bonfire & S’mores Bar @ The Forge Motel

Saturday

A full day of Disruption, for leadership lovers & Adirondack explorers.

  • 7:30 - The Forge Motel
    Sunrise yoga on the lakefront
    Reset like you mean it.

    Ease into the day before things kick off. This is quiet time to wake up your brain, ground yourself, and get present.. whether that’s through light movement, intention-setting, or simply slowing down before the conversations start.

  • 10am - SPACE Old Forge

    🎤⚡ 8 disruptive speakers

    Fast-paced, Disrupt-style talks that challenge how leadership, work, and small business actually function today. Expect bold ideas, lived experience, and zero BS.

  • 12:30p SPACE Old Forge
    breathe + connect

    A relaxed, Adirondack-inspired lunch from Eagle Bay House with room to wander, connect, and keep the conversations going. No programming, no pressure… just good food and real people.

  • 12:30 - SPACE Old Forge

    Choose Breakout A for structured leadership sessions built for real-world small business leaders.

    Includes:

    • “Leadership Burnout & Boundaries” Mini-Workshop — hosted by mental health pros or leadership coaches

    • The Future of Small Business (Panel) — local employers + economic influencers

    • Creative Strategy Session — interactive group-think to solve real business problems together

    Best for leaders who want conversation, clarity, and practical takeaways.

  • 12:30 Offsite — all walkable or shuttle-friendly

    Choose Breakout B to experience the Adirondacks through curated local adventures and sponsor-powered exploration.

    Options include:

    • Lake Cruise — Rivett’s Marina

    • McCauley Experience - Chair lift ride + hike

    • Old Forge Passport — a self-guided tour supporting and experiencing the local businesses of the Fulton Chain of Lakes!

    Best for leaders who think better when they’re moving, exploring, and in the mix.

  • 8pm SkyBar @ Tony Harpers

    • Rooftop drinks & Live Music

    • Networking with new buddies

Sunday

A bangin’ brunch and a send off fit for a business lovin’ badass.

  • 8:30a - Front Door Diner + Back Door Bar

    Close the weekend with a bangin’ brunch— good food, strong coffee, and the kind of conversation that only happens once everyone’s settled in.

    This is your chance to connect, decompress, and swap takeaways before heading home.

  • 10a - Front Door Diner + Back Door Bar

    Because everyone loves a good surprise. We’ll be raffling off goodies from local businesses and sponsors as a final thank-you for showing up, engaging, and supporting the community.

  • 10:30a - Front Door Diner + Back Door Bar

    A short, feel-good moment to recognize the leaders, businesses, and community members who are actually shaking things up. No long speeches— just genuine appreciation and a little celebration.

  • 11am - Optional in-town

    Stick around and explore. From casual village wandering to local Adirondack experiences, these activations are all about enjoying Old Forge a little longer before you hit the road.

Get Your Pass

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

Get Your Pass

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.

Join us for a three-day leadership reset—talks, connection, and experiences that actually stick.

2026 Speaker Applications are being reviewed! Stay tuned for Disrupt Syracuse 2026 for additional opportunities.

Support bold leadership, regional impact, and meaningful connection.

Help bring the summit to life and be part of the DisrUpstate community from the inside.

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

attend the summit