FIND US ON
* * SUWANNEE BANJO CAMP* *
**Now Open for Registration! Sign Up Today!!**
Dates: Thursday – Sunday MARCH 14-17, 2024
Come study 5-string banjo in gorgeous natural surroundings with some of today’s best players and teachers. Our program features hands-on classes, demonstrations, and two big faculty concerts, and still leaves lots of time for jamming with your fellow banjo enthusiasts. Suwannee Banjo Camp offers four levels of serious instruction in clawhammer, old-time fingerpicking, and bluegrass banjo styles. We also offer full-time programs in old-time fiddle and bluegrass guitar.
Note: Clawhammer and old-time fingerpicking together are often referred to as old-time banjo.
Suwannee Banjo Camp runs straight through from Thursday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. We offer nine class sessions — three on Friday, four on Saturday and two on Sunday. Each session is one hour and fifteen minutes long. There are staff concerts on both Friday and Saturday evenings; over the course of the weekend you’ll have the opportunity to hear our entire staff in concert. Rounding out the program are “demonstrations,” presentations, and staff-led bluegrass and old-time jams conducted at a variety of skill levels. For a full description of our program including classes, demonstrations, concerts, jams and other activities, see the Program menu item. For an overview, start with the About Our Program page.
This Was the 2023 Suwannee Banjo Camp Program Schedule
The SBC 2023 Camp Photo
Click to Access & Download a High Res Version of our 2023 Camp Photo, Suitable for Printing
Attendance Options: Full Camp vs. Weekend-Only Option
The Full Camp option starts mid-Thursday afternoon and runs through early Sunday afternoon; it includes nine hands-on class sessions and all meals from Thursday dinner through Sunday lunch. If you can’t take an extra day off, our Weekend-Only Option is for you. Weekend-Only begins with the first class Friday afternoon. Included are seven hands-on classes and all meals from Friday dinner through Sunday lunch. Included in both options are the two faculty concerts, staff-led jams on Friday and Saturday evenings, and demonstrations on Friday afternoon. Rates for Full-Camp and Weekend-Only Options are on the Registration & Fees page.
Lodging Must Be Reserved Separately
Lodging must be reserved and paid for directly through our host, Cerveny Conference Center. For lodging options and lodging reservation instructions, see the Lodging page.
Commuting
You can easily commute to camp – and pay only for tuition and meals – either from home or from an area hotel or B&B. For more info, go to the Lodging page.
Banjo Classes
For descriptions of our old-time and bluegrass banjo programs, go to Classes, and then choose either the Old-Time Banjo tab or the Bluegrass Banjo tab.
Full-Time Fiddle and Guitar Tracks
For more information on our full-time programs in fiddle and guitar, go to Classes, and then choose either the Fiddle Track tab or the Guitar Track tab.
Location
Suwannee Banjo Camp takes place at beautiful Cerveny Conference Center at Camp Weed in Live Oak, Florida. For more info, visit the Cerveny Conference Center website.
Starting and Ending Times for Full Camp and Weekend Only Option
Check-in for the full Camp Opens at 2:00 PM on Thursday March 14; hands-on classes start promptly at 9:15 AM on Friday March 15. Camp ends following lunch at 1:30 PM, Sunday March 17. Check-in for the Weekend Only Option starts at 11:00 AM Friday, March 15; your first camp meal is dinner (6:00 pm). The program begins about 1:30 pm that afternoon and continues through the morning of Sunday March 17.
Scholarships
We are usually in a position to offer several partial scholarships. We would like to particularly encourage music students under 25 to apply. We also offer a few work-trade scholarships. For more information or to apply, visit our Scholarships page.
This is Our 2024 Faculty
- Old-Time Banjo: Paula Bradley, Hilarie Burhans, Frank Evans, Adam Hurt, Ken Perlman, and Maggie Shar
- Bluegrass Banjo: Scott Anderson, BB Bowness, Greg Cahill, James McKinney, Alan Munde, and Tony Trischka
- Fiddle: Erynn Marshall (principal instructor); classes will also be taught by Adam Hurt and others TBA
- Guitar: Jim Hurst (principal instructor); classes will also be taught by Alan Munde and others TBA
Photos and bios of our 2024 staff are posted on the Instructors page.
Covid Protocol as of August, 2023
- We strongly recommend that all attendees be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and continue to get annual boosters as recommended by the CDC and medical community.
- We will also follow common sense precautions re Covid testing, masking, and social distancing.
- We reserve the right to ask all attendees to take a home Covid test before setting off for Camp (anyone who tests positive should of course stay home)
This was Our 2023 T-Shirt Design
This was our great T-shirt design for 2023, featuring our unique SBC logo and the fitting motto, “Back in Banjo Paradise.” Our 2024 design should be available some time in January.
