Camp Harmony – SFFMC’s New Years Camp
Dates are set for our next Camp Harmony: December 29, 2020 until January 3, 2021!
Camp Harmony is the Folk Club’s biggest campout, drawing over 200 people. Our site since December 2018 has been Walker Creek Ranch in the hills above Pt. Reyes Station. Join your friends in celebrating the New Year at Camp Harmony!
We had a great time last year at Camp Harmony and are looking forward to repeating it this year. Lead a workshop, begin a new instrument, join in a jam or sing along. Hike through the woods, make new friends over cider or while jamming, and do it all surrounded by folks making music and having fun.
We’re a home made camp, and we put it on for each other. It’s a wonderful, supportive environment for trying out new things. Here it’s easy to take the first steps at teaching, whether calling a first dance, teaching a beginning instrument class, or leading a song for the first time. Some folks have found the inspiration to write a song or tune at camp, and the evening concert has debuted some keepers.
You never know what will happen, it all depends on who shows up. Will it be you?
Please note: you must be a member of the San Francisco Folk Music Club to attend Camp Harmony. Join us today!
Attendees may come for all or part. We welcome newcomers, and if you will be a first-time attendee, please feel free to email or phone with your questions.
The Venue: Walker Creek Ranch, in rural Marin County, is known to some in our community as a great retreat spot for other musical gatherings. Its level site, nestled into surrounding hills, features accessible buildings clustered for convenience.
Facilities include a central dining hall and other spacious halls suitable for dancing, concerts, and large group activities. There are numerous rooms for workshops, Arts & Crafts, and lots of smaller spaces for jamming. The property offers walking trails and a scenic bridge over the creek. There’s even a natural history museum for learning about local flora and fauna.
Housing: Walker Creek offers a range of housing options, and our fees are rated accordingly. This location is remote from any off-site lodging. The online registration form will provide space to explain any accessibility needs. All campers will need to bring their own bedding and towels.
• Dormitories are furnished with bunk beds, and all have easy access to a large central bath house with separate facilities for men and for women. We hope to be able to provide a lower bunk to everyone who wants one.
• Semi-Private lodges have multiple rooms each accommodating a few people. These buildings have a common lounge area, some with kitchens, and shared internal bathrooms. There are no single rooms available at Walker Creek Ranch. To help keep prices as low as possible, no linens are being provided this year.
• Camping is permitted. A parking lot is designated for RVs (power for some but no hook-ups) and tent camping is available at locations around the grounds. If you live locally and wish to stay off-site, the charge will be the same as camping.
Our registrars will make every effort to situate campers in housing suitable to their needs and preferences.
Meals: Each camper day starts and ends at 2 pm, and includes dinner on the day you arrive, and breakfast and lunch the next day. All meals will be prepared by Walker Creek staff who will do their very best to accommodate individual dietary preferences. When you register you have the option of choosing gluten-free, dairy-free, omnivore, vegetarian, or vegan. If you have additional dietary needs, please contact our registrars.
Online Registration: You can pay online using a credit card, debit card, PayPal account, or by check. If you choose to pay by check, the site and your confirmation email will tell you where to mail your check.
Margaret Miles and Katie Riemer are co-registrars; if you encounter any difficulties or need help registering, please email them at email@example.com, or phone (510) 684-1454 (before 9 pm) with your questions. (Note: they are both volunteers, and it may take them up to hours to respond. Please either call OR email, but don’t do both!)
PLEASE NOTE: We need to provide Walker Creek with attendance numbers earlier than we have in past years. THERE WILL BE NO LATE REGISTRATION!
Camperships: For those who would not otherwise be able to attend camp, the Club offers fee reductions known as “camperships.” If you are able to donate to the Campership Fund, remember it is tax-deductible, and you will be helping someone get to camp who may be someone you will miss if they can’t attend. The funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis on the honor system. We encourage you to register early if asking for a campership. Instructions for applying for camperships are included in online registration. TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS to the Campership Fund are welcome and appreciated!
Activities: Harmony is a self-made music camp for our Club members of all ages and experience levels. Workshops include singing, dancing, tunes, instrument instruction/technique, and there is a great deal of spontaneous jamming that occurs day and night. All workshops and activities are camper-led, and any camper can sign up to teach or lead a workshop. In addition, every night we have a concert and a dance. If you would like to lead a workshop, you can sign up at camp, or go to Mudcat Café (https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=166545) and sign up online. To see what workshops have been offered in previous years, search Mudcat café for “Camp Harmony workshop signups.”
Look for more information in the Nov/Dec folknik, and visit us on Facebook!
We hope to see you at camp!