The first Autreat was in 1996,[1] and was held at Camp Bristol Hills in New York.[2] In 1999, there were 80 attendees, with one woman traveling from as far as Japan.[4] As of 2012, there has been an Autreat every year since then except 2001. Autreat is a conference for autistic people "designed by autistic people.[8] It is a contrast to other autism conferences, which ANI believes are typically about autistic people but are intended for parents and professionals. Although parents, professionals, and others are welcome, Autreat is specifically designed for autistics, and offers an "autism friendly" environment, free of sensory bombardment.