10/27/2025
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Interesting Wisconsin facts
Chris Farley was a camp counselor. (1986)
Before his rise to fame as one of America’s most unforgettable comedians, Chris Farley spent summers working as a counselor at Red Arrow Camp in northern Wisconsin. Located on Trout Lake near Woodruff, the all-boys camp emphasized outdoor adventure, teamwork, and humor, all qualities Farley embodied naturally. Long before Saturday Night Live, Farley was known for his infectious energy and fearless antics, performing impromptu skits and creating characters to keep campers entertained around the fire or during long hikes.
At camp, Farley’s role went beyond simply managing kids, he was a magnetic storyteller who turned every moment into a performance. Former campers recalled that he could take the most ordinary situation, like canoe clean-up or morning drills, and transform it into something hilarious. His charisma and empathy made him a natural leader, traits that would later become central to his success on stage and screen.
After Red Arrow, Farley attended Marquette University, where he studied communications and performed with a student improv group, eventually joining Chicago’s Second City, a pipeline for future SNL stars. But those early summers in Wisconsin remained deeply formative. The camp’s emphasis on camaraderie, laughter, and letting go of self-consciousness shaped Farley’s comedic approach: wild, physical, deeply human, and always inclusive.
Added Fact: Red Arrow Camp still honors Farley’s legacy today. In their annual newsletters, staff and alumni often recall his humor and kindness, noting that his time as “the funniest guy on the lake” remains one of the camp’s proudest stories.
