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Banjo Weekend 2025
Fri, Nov 7 - Sun, Nov 9



Enjoy a weekend of banjo-centric bliss with a stellar lineup of teachers in a warm and supportive environment. Our world-class teaching staff Abigail Washburn, Joe Newberry, Ned Luberecki, Peter Davis, Mike Merenda, Ruth Ungar Merenda and camp host Scott Hopkins can’t wait to share new tunes & techniques, help tackle your banjo questions, and inspire loads of musical fun!

Dive in to daytime classes, evening jam sessions, and an inspiring opening-night staff concert. Whether you’re into Bluegrass or Clawhammer (or both!) and whether you’re an advanced player or just getting started, you won’t want to miss this good-time get together with friends old and new at Ashokan, a stunningly beautiful location.

NEW THIS YEAR: classes for the Tenor banjo and Banjo-uke!

Click here for LAST YEAR’S schedule & class descriptions

Click here for photos from last year. 

Registration Pricing
Description Price
Supporter Includes $100 donation toward Ashokan’s programs & scholarships. Thank you for your Support! $495.00
Standard ⭐️ Not sure? Choose this one! $395.00
Economy Need financial support? Choose this one. $295.00
Youth (ages 5-25) Youth participants choose this one. $195.00
Under 5 Little ones attend for free! $0.00

Lodging Options
Staying Off-site | $0.00
Live nearby or commuting to and from Ashokan from a hotel, Air BnB, or friend's house?
Camping | $0.00
Camping areas include rec field (with bathhouse) upper pasture, and more. BYO camping gear. No open fires.
Sharing a Private Room purchased by someone else | $0.00
Ashokan doesn't assign roommates or split room costs at our end, but you're encouraged to coordinate sharing any private room.
Bunk in Men's Longhouse | $100.00
Twin-sized bunk in large shared room with large shared bathroom. Maximum capacity 24 people in 12 bunkbeds. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Bunk in Women's Longhouse | $100.00
Twin-sized bunk in large shared room with large shared bathroom. Maximum capacity 24 people in 12 bunkbeds. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Bunk in All Gender Longhouse | $100.00
Twin-sized bunk in large shared room with large shared bathroom. Maximum capacity 24 people in 12 bunkbeds. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Mint Private Cabin | $300.00
A small private cabin with one queen bed, sleeps up to 2 people. Shared bathrooms nearby.
Oregano Private Cabin | $300.00
Small private cabin with one queen bed, sleeps up to 2 people. Shared bathrooms nearby.
Longhouse Private Room | $300.00
Upstairs room with shared bathroom. Sleeps up to 3 people in one bunkbed with twin top and queen bottom bunk. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Longhouse Private Room | $300.00
Upstairs room with shared bathroom. Sleeps up to 3 people in one bunkbed with twin top and queen bottom bunk. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Red Maple Private Room (Accessible) | $360.00
Accessible room with private bathroom. Sleeps up to 4 people in two bunkbeds. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries.
Red Maple Private Room (Accessible) | $360.00
Accessible room with private bathroom. Sleeps up to 4 people in two bunkbeds. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries.
Red Maple Private Room (Porch) | $400.00
Downstairs room with private bathroom and shared porch. Sleeps up to 4 people in two bunkbeds. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Red Maple Private Room (Porch) | $400.00
Downstairs room with private bathroom and shared porch. Sleeps up to 4 people in two bunkbeds. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Sycamore Private Room (Upstairs) | $460.00
Upstairs room with private bathroom and shared porch. Sleeps up to 5 people in two bunkbeds (one with queen bottom.) BYO bedding, towels, toiletries.
Sycamore Private Room (Upstairs) | $460.00
Upstairs room with private bathroom and shared porch. Sleeps up to 5 people in two bunkbeds (one with queen bottom.) BYO bedding, towels, toiletries.
Sycamore Private Room (Downstairs) | $440.00
Downstairs room with private bathroom. Sleeps up to 5 people in two bunkbeds (one with queen bottom.) BYO bedding, towels, toiletries.

Can't attend the full weekend? Drop in for the Friday staff concert!


ABIGAIL WASHBURN | clawhammer

Abigail Washburn is a Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter, and clawhammer banjo-player based in Nashville, TN. Her musical projects range from string band Uncle Earl (with Kristin Andreassen, KC Groves, and Rayna Gellert), to her bilingual release Song of the Traveling Daughter and City of Refuge (with Kai Welch), to the mind­-bending “chamber roots” sound of the Sparrow Quartet (with Bela Fleck, Casey Driessen and Ben Sollee), and her banjo-zither collaboration with guzheng virtuoso Wu Fei which blends traditional folk tunes from the US and China. Washburn has written and released several albums as a duo with her husband, Béla Fleck, the first of which won a 2016 Grammy for Best Folk Album. She is also a mother, spending most of her time caring for her two children, Juno and Theodore. Abigail folds in creative writing, banjo, Chinese-soap-opera-watching and flat-footing in between school pick ups, dinner prep and homework management.
JOE NEWBERRY | clawhammer & bluegrass

Appalachian veteran Joe Newberry allied his trenchant, raw-boned holler with lickety-split banjo picking” - The Scotsman Newspaper (Transatlantic Sessions review)

Known around the world for his clawhammer banjo playing, Joe Newberry is also a powerful guitarist, singer and songwriter. A longtime and frequent guest on A Prairie Home Companion, he was a featured singer on the Transatlantic Sessions 2016 tour. In addition to performing solo, Joe plays in a duo with mandolin icon Mike Compton, and also performs with the dynamic fiddler and step-dancer April Verch. Joe has taught banjo, guitar, singing, and songwriting at numerous camps and festivals across the US and abroad.
NED LUBERECKI | bluegrass

“Hey Ned, just wanted to let you know I really enjoy your show and especially the banjo lessons you give. Also the live picking is great! Keep up the good work!”

Banjoist for the Becky Buller Band and host of More Banjo Sunday and Derailed on SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s Bluegrass Junction, Ned Luberecki was named Banjo Player of the Year for 2018 and Broadcaster of the Year for 2023 by the IBMA, and inducted into the Banjo Hall of Fame in 2024. Ned is the author of the Complete Banjo Method series for Alfred Music and has numerous lesson videos available at TrueFire.com. Living in Nashville, TN, he is an in-demand performer and session musician having appeared on stage and recordings with Becky Buller, Chris Jones, Jim Lauderdale, Ray Stevens, Nedski & Mojo and many others. Ned is a popular instructor at music camps and workshops across the US, Canada and Europe including Camp Bluegrass, RockyGrass Academy, Kaufman Acoustic Kamp, Sore Fingers (UK) and Bluegrass Camp Germany.
PETER DAVIS | tenor

Peter’s multi instrumentalism includes clarinet, alto sax, 5-string & tenor banjo, piano, guitar, mandolin and whistle as well as an intuitive approach to a variety of musical genres including traditional folk, blues, vintage pop and jazz forms. With Annie and the Hedonists Peter plays tenor guitar, piano, and clarinet, and sings. Peter’s other projects include the Whippersnappers, an eclectic string band, Reggie’s Red Hot Feetwarmers, a dixieland jazz band, which is the house band at Saratoga Race Course each summer and, in 2011 played 6 nights a week in Shanghai, China for 3 months, Peter, Paul, and George, a group that does elementary school residencies in traditional music and dancing, Lindy Hop Heaven, Peter’s own swing dance band and The Clayfoot Strutters, a rocked-out contradance band from Vermont. He also performs as part of Jay Ungar and Molly Mason’s band, for their monthly radio program, “Dancing on the Air” and for festivals and concerts. He appears on Jay and Molly’s CDs including “the Lover’s Waltz” and “Relax Your Mind” and played with them on many productions of “A Prairie Home Companion” in the 1990s. In the 1980s, Peter was part of the back-up band for John Phillips and the “Mamas and Papas” with whom he did some international touring.
MIKE MERENDA | clawhammer

"The Mammals aren't the first band to mix an indie-rock sensibility with bluegrass sounds, but they're gradually becoming one of the best.”
- No Depression

Mike Merenda is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and founding member of indie folk stringband, The Mammals. He first picked up clawhammer banjo in the Summer of 2000 at Ashokan's Southern Week where he is now a regular instructor known for his distinctive, delicate style and original compositions. Mike also co-produces Ashokan's semi-annual folk festival, The Hoot, with his wife, Ruth Ungar Merenda, and lives just down the road along the banks of the Ashokan Reservoir.
RUTH UNGAR MERENDA | banjo-uke

Ruth Ungar Merenda fell in love with the banjo-ukulele (or banjolele) while searching for the perfect sound to accompany a new song she had written. That discovery turned into a lifelong passion, leading her to explore the instrument’s many voices—whether playing old-time grooves, danceable swing, or crafting original, expressive soundscapes. You may know Ruth from her work with The Mammals, the duo Mike + Ruthy, the trio Sometymes Why, or the Jay Ungar & Molly Mason Family Band, where her signature style has charmed audiences for years. Her workshops are a welcoming space for musicians of all levels to dive into the banjo-uke’s playful and versatile charm. While any ukulele is welcome, the banjo-uke will truly shine. Be warned: this instrument is easy to pick up and almost impossible to put down!
SCOTT HOPKINS | bluegrass, camp organizer

“Scott Hopkins has certainly proven he deserves to stand with the best instrumentalists in progressive bluegrass” - Bluegrass Unlimited


With overlapping public school music teaching and banjo performing careers spanning multiple decades, Scott Hopkins brings a unique perspective to music and to banjo education. Scott currently teaches 5-12 Band at Duanesburg Central School District just west of Albany, NY. He performs with The McKrells throughout the year, the Upstate Bluegrass Band at the Saratoga Race Track during summer months, and has his own trio featuring originals, along with bluegrass, jazz and latin influenced tunes. Scott teaches at various jam and banjo camps throughout the Northeast, conducts the Empire State Youth Orchestra's Concertino Brass Ensemble, and has a studio of private in-person and virtual banjo students. Scott is thrilled to get the endorsement from Jay, Molly and Ruth for the third annual Ashokan Banjo Camp with another amazing lineup of great banjo pickers and teachers!

Additional Info:

Payment/Cancellation/Refund Policy

You may pay in full or hold your place with a deposit of 25% per person if registering 4 or more weeks before camp. Full payment is due 4 weeks before camp begins. To cancel your camp registration, email events@ashokancenter.org

• We retain $50 per person for cancellations requested up to 4 weeks before camp begins, and for COVID-related cancellations made at any date.

• We retain your 25% deposit between 4 and 2 weeks before camp.

• We retain the full registration amount within 2 weeks of camp.

Schedule Overview

FRIDAY

  • 3-5pm: Arrival and check in.
  • 4pm: Site Tour
  • 6pm: Dinner
  • 7:30pm: Staff Concert

SATURDAY

  • 8:30am: Breakfast
  • 9am – Noon: Morning classes
  • 12:30pm: Lunch
  • 2-5pm: Afternoon classes
  • 6pm: Dinner
  • 7:30pm: Performances, Jamming

SUNDAY

  • 8:30am: Breakfast
  • 9:30am-noon: Morning classes
  • 12:30: Lunch
  • 1:30-2:00pm: Ashokan Farewell
Pricing & What's Included!

You may choose to pay up front or pay a deposit and balance. Balance payment is due 4 weeks before the event.

Registration includes all activities and meals. Lodging is optional and camping is free.

Children under 5 attend for free (under 3 for Family Camp). Campers under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Food & Drink

All meals are included. You may indicate your dietary restrictions when registering. We make every effort to include a range of allergen-free dishes and to inform diners of meal ingredients.

The Ashokan Center is licensed to serve beer and wine in Esopus Lodge (the main building). The bar is generally open from late afternoon to early evening. Sorry, by law, guests are prohibited from bringing their own alcoholic beverages into this licensed building.

Lodging

LONGHOUSE BUNKS: Rooms hold up to 24 people and are designated women, men, or all gender. Place your belongings on a top or bottom bunk after you check in to claim it. Pillows are available, please bring your own blankets, sheets, pillowcases, and towels. There are a small number of light blankets for those bunkhouse residents who are unable to bring one of their own. If you will need us to provide one, please let us know well in advance.

PRIVATE ROOMS: There are a limited number of private rooms that must be reserved in advance at extra charge. Pillows are available, please bring your own sheets, pillowcases, and towelsThere are light quilts in each private room.

CAMPSITES: Camping is available with access to bathrooms and outdoor showers. Please park by your campsite only if you plan to leave your car in place for the duration of the camp.

What To Bring

If you’re lodging with us please remember to bring a blanket and linens (or sleeping bag), towel, toiletries, soap, flashlight, earplugs (for light sleepers). There are light quilts in each private room and we have a small number of light blankets for bunkhouse residents who can’t bring one of their own. Let us know well in advance if you’ll need one.

Flashlight, recording device, camera (or maybe those are all your phone!)

Comfortable informal clothing for wet and dry weather. Some may also bring dressy, wild or fun clothing as well but that is up to you! There’s no laundry on site so bring enough clothes for the camp.

What Not To Bring
Please, no pets or drop-in guests.
Mail/Phone/WiFi

Incoming mail

Your Name c/o Ashokan Music & Dance 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge, NY 12461

Outgoing mail leaves each weekday at 4pm.

Music & Dance Camp Phone (845) 657-8333 x 3

Cell phone reception is available but spotty. Calls may be dropped but texts are reliably received.

High speed Wi-Fi is available in all buildings.

Directions & Transportation

Physical Address: Ashokan Center, 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge, NY 12461

DRIVING DIRECTIONS   Take NY State Thruway (1-87) to Kingston exit #19. From traffic circle take Route 28 West (toward Pine Hill). In 12 miles (shortly after Mobil & Citgo) turn left onto Reservoir Rd. Cross the Ashokan Reservoir, turn left at the Tee. Head down the hill, pass the first left (Rt 28A East) and merge onto 28A West. Take next left onto Beaverkill Rd. Follow Beaverkill for about one mile, then turn right into the Ashokan Center driveway and follow the signs.

AIRPORT  Albany, NY (ALB) is the closest major airport (about 1.5 hours away). Public transportation is available from the airport to the Kingston bus station, where you can take a taxi to Ashokan. Or contact us at least one month before your program begins for a list of people driving from the Albany area who may be able to give you a ride.

Covid Safety Policy

We recommend but no longer require everyone test for COVID-19 in the 24 hours before arrival. 

All refund requests due to a positive test, COVID exposure, or COVID-related concerns will be honored (less a $50 administrative fee).

We will provide onsite rapid testing upon request.

Additional FAQ's
CAMP WAITLIST & PRIVATE LODGING WAITLIST (only join if ADD CAMPER button at top of page is disabled or your preferred lodging choice is greyed out in that form.)

If there are no camp spots or private rooms available above, you may add your name to this waitlist. If space opens up we will contact you.

The Ashokan Center builds community through shared experiences in nature, history, music and art. We have hosted traditional Music & Dance Camps at our 385 acre nature preserve for over 40 years. In 2020 we learned how to host them online and in 2021 we began to reimagine how to gather in person once again.

Come join the Ashokan family to celebrate, learn, connect, deepen your music, make new friends, and brighten your day. Our events are open to all folks, all ages and all orientations.

M&D Need-Based “Pay it Forward” SCHOLARSHIPS We are holding 5 deeply discounted spots (includes tuition, meals & bunk) to provide a learning opportunity to gigging musicians and music, vocal, and dance teachers who will be sharing out their newly learned skills with a wider community. We prioritize new applicants each year and notify all applicants within 1 month before camp begins.

NEED HELP?

EMAIL: events@ashokancenter.org
CALL 845-657-8333 x3

Click here for answers to Frequently Asked Questions about camp!

Thank you to the Martin Foundation for supporting Ashokan Music & Dance Camps.