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New Year’s Winter Camp 2025
Sun, Dec 29 - Wed, Jan 1



This 3-night camp is a great way to warm up your winter with music, dancing, and fun in a picturesque natural setting.

Arrive Sunday for a delicious dinner, followed by evening song swap, jam session, and dance party. Enjoy two days of classes, meals, and workshops with our warm and welcoming music & dance instructors (exciting lineup to be announced by Oct 1.) Then ring in 2025 with a New Year’s Eve dance party on the last night – epic contras, waltzes, swing, cajun, squares, and more in two simultaneous dance halls!

Some of our New Year’s Winter Camp staff are listed below. More to be announced soon!

Click to see pictures from previous years

Click for last year’s schedule

Can't join us for the whole camp? Get tickets for the Tuesday night New Year's Eve dinner & dance.


Jay Ungar & Molly Mason - Jay & Molly have graciously hosted of New Year's Winter Camp for four decades. It's their pleasure to provide a place where folks  can welcome the New Year with music, dancing, joy and camaraderie. Jay & Molly will join Swingology for swing, contras, squares and waltzes and offer fun inclusive music classes.
SWINGOLOGY - Dave Davies, Peter Davis, Harry Aceto, and Jerry Marotta are back with classic repertoire and infectious grooves for swing dance, contras, squares, and waltzes. Each is a master musician and a skilled and generous teacher. They love to lead accessible swing jams and offer classes including vocal improv, practical music theory, and more. Dave, Peter, Harry and Jerry, along with Jay & Molly, have brought joy to New Year's revelers at Ashokan for decades and are thrilled to be back!
T'MONDE - Three remarkably accomplished young musicians come together in T’Monde, the Louisiana phenomenon that Offbeat Magazine has called “a creative fusion of classic country and out-of-the-way Cajun.” With a combined 10 Grammy nominations between members Drew Simon, Megan Constantin, and Kelli Jones, T’Monde brings influences ranging from early Country music to ancient French and Creole ballads to present day Cajun music.
MIDNIGHT ON THE WATER - Nathan Bishop, Tom Krumm, and Dani Hawkins are an eclectic group of highly talented and inventive string players. They each have extensive training and experience in a wide range of idioms from classical, to jazz, to traditional folk music, and love to focus those talents on creating an irresistible groove for contra and square dancing. Their fun loving and creative approach to music will lift your spirits and energize your inner dancer. They'll also host inclusive jams, workshops, and mini lessons for string players of all levels.
Brian Lawton and Emily Vanston - We're thrilled to have this stellar team of dance instructors on staff. Brian and Emily will offer classes in Lindy, Charleston, waltzing and more. They have exciting moves for experienced dancers and have wonderful ways of welcoming total beginners to the world of jazz dances.
Kevin Wimmer - An fabulous Cajun, Creole, Swing, and Blues fiddler, Kevin is also adept at Zydeco accordion and vocals. He'll be joining T'Monde to play for Zydeco dance classes and at evening dance parties and take part in both Cajun and Swing jams.
Russ Sternglass - Russ is an exceptionally versatile drummer who knows how to find the right groove for a wide variety of musical idioms. He'll join Kevin Wimmer and T'Monde for Zydeco dance classes and evening dances. Russ loves to teach and will offer workshops in dance band percussion.
John Krumm - John has played a key role at New Year's Winter Camp since the 1980s. He loves to bring people together and will share his playful spirit and love for music and dance by leading group singing sessions and calling gender-neutral contras and squares for all ages and experience level.

 
ERICA WEISS - Erica loves to teach Cajun and Zydeco dance, as well as contras and squares for all levels. Her clear and enthusiastic approach puts the focus on dancing to the music and keeping it fun.

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

SUNDAY

  • 3pm-5pm: CAMPER ARRIVAL
  • 6pm: DINNER
  • 7:00pm: JAMS & DANCING
  • 10pm: SNACK

MONDAY

  • 8:30-9:00am: BREAKFAST
  • 9:30-12:30pm: CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
  • 12:30-2pm: LUNCH
  • 2-5pm: CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
  • 6-7pm: DINNER
  • 7:30-10pm: DANCING
  • 10pm: SNACK & INFORMAL JAMMING

TUESDAY - NEW YEAR'S EVE

  • 8:00-9:00am: BREAKFAST
  • 9:30-12:30pm: CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
  • 12:30-2pm: LUNCH
  • 2-5pm: CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
  • 6pm Dinner
  • 7pm Sing-Along
  • 8pm Dancing begins in Two Dance Halls!
  • 11pm–1am Bountiful snack table plus a cash bar featuring local beers and wines and coffee, tea, lemonade, and ice water all night long

WEDNESDAY

  • 10am: BRUNCH
  • 12-2pm: FAREWELL DANCE
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.