Not Sure Which Camp to Register For?
Do you have Children in Both Age Ranges?

Both camps are open to children of all ages. Mabel Lake is more suitable for families with younger children primarily because the lake is safer than the river for children who are not strong swimmers. Workshops at this camp will begin earlier in the day, and the evenings will be quieter. The Shuswap River is great for confidant swimmers, the workshops there will be held later in the morning and later into the evenings…and may include a few late night jams! Families should decide what camp works best for their family; the age range is only a guide. We will be happy to accommodate older kids at our Junior camp and younger kids at our River camp!

Mabel Lake Junior Family Jam Camp
July 11- 14, 2010

Our first Junior Jam Camp! This camp is going to be held on the shores of beautiful Mabel Lake, in the group site at Mabel Lake Provincial Park.

Mabel Lake Junior Jam Camp is tailored especially for families with children under the age of about 9. Our family workshops will be held in the morning, with lots of time in the afternoon for playing on the beach! Workshops, which are open to both children and parents, will include rhythm circles, cultural workshops, dance, creative song writing and drama. We will record songs we’ve written and send out a cd at the end of camp! There will be time for instrument instruction for interested children or adults. Each evening will also include activities such as campfire singing and jamming.

Families are encouraged to arrive on Saturday, July 10 to set up camp, and workshops begin Sunday morning, July 11. Jam Camp will end Wednesday evening, July 14, with a final performance, and campers need to vacate the group site by Friday, July 16. All are encouraged to come to our annual Jam Camp Summer Dance Fundraiser with Delhi 2 Dublin on Friday, July 16 at the Mabel Lake Community Hall! Dance tickets may be purchased by contacting Celina.

The group site has a grassy meadow for tenting, a parking lot for RV’s (no hook-ups), a covered eating area with picnic tables, pit toilets, no showers, a sandy beach and it is surrounded by beautiful forest.

Space at this camp is limited, so register early! Registration for Mabel Lake Junior Jam Camp closes June 30!

Take Hwy 6 east from Vernon to Lumby. Follow signs in Lumby turning north onto Mabel Lake Road. Stay on Mabel Lake Rd for 36 kilometers, the 1 kilometer of road is gravel. Turn left at sign for Mabel Lake Provincial Park. Turn right at sign for campground, and follow signs to the group site. The total distance from Vernon is 60 kilometers.

Shuswap River Family Jam Camp
July 17- 21, 2010

Come and jam by the river! Shuswap River Jam Camp will be held at the Mabel Lake Community Hall on the Shuswap River.

Shuswap River Jam Camp is especially suitable for families with children over the age of 10. Our family workshops will be held in the late morning, early afternoons, and evenings. Workshops will include world music, rhythm, instrument instruction, dance, creative songwriting and jamming. We will record a cd at the end of camp with all of our original music!

Families may arrive to set up camp either any time on Friday July 16 or in the morning on Saturday July 17. Our annual Jam Camp Summer Dance Fundraiser with Delhi 2 Dublin will be on the evening of July 16; tickets can be purchased by contacting Celina. This dance is a lot of fun, and will be a great way to kick off another super Jam Camp! Jam Camp workshops will begin on Saturday, July 17 at 1 pm. Our final performance will be the evening of Wednesday, July 21. The hall will need to be vacated by noon on Thursday, July 22.

The Mabel Lake Community Hall has a forested area for tenting, and a small parking lot for RV’s. RV’s that want to hook up will need to bring their own extension cord and are required to pay an additional $15 per night. Campers need to bring their own camping tables, as we are not able to use the halls this year! There is running water at the hall; campers need to bring containers for transporting water from the hall to their site. The hall has flush toilets, no showers, and power for your amplifiers and electric instruments! There is a rocky river beach, bring water shoes! Children must be accompanied by a parent at the river at all times!! The river is a serious safety concern; parents will be required to sign an agreement stating that they are responsible for their children’s safety at the river.

Please register for Shuswap River Jam Camp by June 30!

View Larger Map

The Mabel Lake Community Hall is on Shuswap River (111 Shuswap Falls Rd). Drive north out of Lumby on Mabel Lake Road for about 13 km. Shuswap Falls Rd is on the left (the last road on the left before crossing the bridge on Shuswap river). Drive down Shuswap Falls Rd, signs for hall will be on the right.

Art from the Heart: Drum Making Workshop

This year at the Shuswap River Jam Camp we are excited to present Mark Welch, a Belizean born drum maker and performer of Garifuna and Creole rhythms. Join Mark for an optional drum-making workshop at Jam Camp and create your very own Caribbean drum for only $100, in about 1 hour!

These unique drums, Primero and Segundo, are hand drums carved from a wood log, with tuning pegs inserted in the rope. On the drum, there is guitar string, fish twine or rope across the top…this brings a unique sound and vibration. Also choose to make a djembe style drum as well!

Please e-mail Bobby to register for the drum making workshop. Preregistration is a must! The $100 fee for drum making supplies will be paid directly to Mark during Jam Camp. For more information about Mark, his workshops and drums, please see his Bio on our Bio page.

About the Drum Kits for the Drum making workshop:

• Mark will have mahogany and various local woods to select from.
• Each log is hollow, sanded, shaped, and treated with linseed oil for the drum shell, the rope holes pre-drilled.
• The goatskin, used for the head of the drum is washed, naturally treated in addition, shaped ready to assemble your drum shell

Drum making kit materials:

• 1 drum shell form a mahogany log or local wood log
• 1 naturally treated/shaved/pre-cut goat skin
• Hemp/other ropes used for tuning rope/shoulder strap
• Tuning pegs (Garifuna drums only)
• 2 Pre-shaped rims
• Nylon string (Garifuna drums only)

Drum making steps:

1. Drum Art: design artwork and carve on exterior of shell
2. Drum Head: place skin on drum head,
3. Drum Making: attached to the rim, and begin the roping
4. Drum Tuning: prepare and insert tuning pegs in rope
5. Drum Culture: attached the nylon strings across the top ( optional)
6. Drum Playing: allow skin to dry and form…then jam away!

Mark encourages participants to customize their drums! He can get you started and you can personalize your Drum… design your own artwork and carve/paint your expression on your drum!