☰ MENU
×

Banjo Weekend 2026
Fri, Nov 6 - Sun, Nov 8



Enjoy a weekend of banjo-centric bliss with a stellar lineup of teachers in a warm and supportive environment. Our world-class teaching staff 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.

 

2026 Staff Line-Up: Greg Cahill, Brad Kolodner, Gretchen Bowder, Ken Perlman, Janie Rothfield, Maggie Shar, Paul Rosenberg, Peter Davis, Melissa Bragdon Caron, Jeff Wasbes, and your host, Scott Hopkins

 

Click here for photos from previous years. 

Click here for the 2025 Camp Schedule

Pricing

Supporter ($515.00)
Includes a donation toward Ashokan’s programs & scholarships. Thank you for your Support!

Standard Registration ($415.00)
Not sure which to choose? Please choose this ticket.

Economy ($315.00)
Need financial assistance? Choose this ticket.

Youth (ages 5-25) ($215.00)
For campers ages 25 and under in need of financial support. Please self-select this tier.

Under 5 ($0.00)
Children under 5 can attend for free!


Self-select from our registration tiers based on your ability to pay


STANDARD covers Ashokan’s cost per-person to host the event. If you can afford to pay the Standard price, please do.

ECONOMY is for those who can’t currently afford the Standard price, but would like to attend and be part of our community. If you need financial assistance, this tier is for you.

SUPPORTER not only grants you admission to the event, but includes a special donation to support Ashokan’s programs and scholarships. You're making a difference! Your donation builds a creative community grounded in the spirit of generosity, equity, and compassion. We are grateful for your support.

Scholarships


YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP is for campers age 25 and under who are paying their own way and for families in need of financial support. Please self-select this tier.

PAY IT FORWARD SCHOLARSHIP is for performers and teachers who will pass on the music, songs, or dance forms they learn at Ashokan to new audiences and to the next generation. Learn more and apply here.

Thank you for supporting the Ashokan Center and each other!


See if you qualify for our
PAY-IT-FORWARD scholarship

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.
RV Camping | $0.00
Any camping vehicle is welcome. Sorry, no hookups available.
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
Longhouse Private Room | $350.00
Downstairs 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) | $410.00
Accessible room with private bathroom. Sleeps up to 4 people in two bunkbeds. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries.
Red Maple Private Room (Porch) | $450.00
Downstairs room with private bathroom and shared porch. Sleeps up to 4 people in two bunkbeds. BYO bedding, towels, toiletries
Sycamore Private Room (Upstairs) | $510.00
Upstairs room with private bathroom and shared porch. Sleeps up to 5 people in two bunkbeds (one with queen bottom.) BYO bedding, towels, toiletries.

**See Additional Info**

CAMP WAITLIST & PRIVATE LODGING WAITLIST (This option is for you if the blue "Click to register button" is disabled or your preferred lodging choice is greyed out in the form.)

GREG CAHILL | 3-finger

Greg Cahill has been playing bluegrass banjo since the early 1970s. He co-founded The Special Consensus in the Chicago area, and the band became a full-time touring and recording entity in 1975. Greg has appeared on all twenty-two of The Special Consensus recordings that have garnered eight International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards and two GRAMMY nominations. Greg has also released several solo recordings, a European bluegrass music recording, four banjo instructional videos/DVDs and three banjo tablature/instructional books. He has appeared on numerous recordings by other artists and on countless national television and radio commercials (jingles).  Greg conducts workshops and classes at bluegrass camps and festivals worldwide, has taught bluegrass banjo at The Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago for over 50 years and was the first adjunct professor teaching banjo as a member of the Columbia College Strings Department in Chicago in 2011.  Greg received the IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award in 2011 and was inducted into the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA) Hall of Greats in 2020.
BRAD KOLODNER | clawhammer

Baltimore-based clawhammer banjoist Brad Kolodner represents the next generation of Old-Time musicians pushing the boundaries of the tradition into uncharted territory. Regarded for his delicate touch, expressive style, and original compositions, Kolodner has rapidly gained national attention for his unique approach to the banjo. He regularly performs across the country in a duo with his father Ken Kolodner, a world renowned hammered dulcimer player and with the acoustic roots quartet Charm City Junction. Off the stage, he is an acclaimed teacher, award-winning radio broadcaster for Folk Alley and Bluegrass Country Radio, jam leader, festival organizer, community builder and ambassador for Old-Time and Bluegrass music. 
GRETCHEN BOWDER | 3-finger

Raised on a mix of jazz trumpet and Baroque harpsichord, Gretchen began her musical life on the classical piano. Everything changed when she heard the bullfroggy syncopation of Wade Ward’s June Apple; though clawhammer was her first love, she has spent the last 30 years as a staple of the New England bluegrass and swing scenes playing the five-string. A founding member of Boston’s The Bagboys, she also maintains a busy schedule with The Hazel Project—recently joined by the legendary Alice Gerrard—and the hard-driving new outfit Timothy, which hits the festival circuit this summer. Drawing on her background as a middle school teacher, Gretchen’s workshops favor "less talk, more play." Come with your banjo tuned and ready to pick!
KEN PERLMAN | clawhammer

Ken Perlman is a pioneer of the 5-string banjo style known as melodic clawhammer; he is considered one today’s top clawhammer players, known in particular for his skillful adaptations of Celtic, Appalachian, & Canadian fiddle tunes to the style. He has toured throughout most of the English-speaking world and in Western-Europe, both as a soloist and – for over fifteen years – in a duo with renowned Appalachian-style fiddler Alan Jabbour. An acclaimed teacher of folk-music instrumental skills, Ken has written such widely used banjo instruction books as Clawhammer Style Banjo. Melodic Clawhammer Banjo and Everything You Wanted to Know About Clawhammer Banjo; he has been on staff at prestigious festivals around the world, and he is currently director of three music-instructional camps: American Banjo Camp, Midwest Banjo Camp, and Suwannee Banjo Camp. Also an independent folklorist, Ken spent close to two decades collecting tunes and oral histories from traditional fiddle players on Prince Edward Island in Eastern Canada. His most recent solo recordings are Frails & Frolics and Northern Banjo; his recordings with Alan Jabbour are Southern Summits & You Can’t Beat the Classics; his latest books are Appalachian Fiddle Tunes for Clawhammer Banjo and Cape Breton & Prince Edward Island Fiddle Tunes for Clawhammer Banjo. In the summer of 2017, Ken was invited to offer a Master’s Showcase at the Appalachian String Band Festival (AKA “Clifftop”), set up to “showcase the legends who have dedicated their lives to the preservation and presentation of old-time music.” 
JANIE ROTHFIELD | clawhammer

Janie Rothfield is a power-house American fiddler, clawhammer banjo and guitar player who is widely recognized for her traditional and inventive style, in the pocket rhythm, whimsical groove and her award-winning original tunes. She is a full time touring musician playing concerts, workshops, music camps, festivals and dances around the world and online.   Janie has been performing, recording and teaching music that is rooted in Traditional American Old Time and Celtic Music since her teens, when she started playing with older generation musicians from New England, North Carolina and Quebec. With over 20 recordings to her credit, Janie has traveled the world with her unique brand of traditional based music including the UK, France, Germany, Holland, Australia, Canada and throughout the USA.  Janie is also the founder and director (and instructor) of Janie’s Jumpstart Home Based Weekend Music Camps held in homes around the world!
MAGGIE SHAR | clawhammer

Born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and now living in western Massachusetts, Maggie teaches private and group banjo classes to people of all ages. She has offered banjo workshops at Ashokan Music & Dance Camps, Augusta Heritage Center, Banjo Camp North, Suwannee Banjo Camp, and Midwest Banjo Camp. She won 1st place at the 2018 Northeast Fiddler’s Convention Banjo Contest and the 2018 Oldtone Roots Festival Banjo Contest, and received 3rd place in the 2022 Online Oldtime Banjo Competition. In 2023 she was a finalist in the Appalachian Stringband Competition (Clifftop), as well as The Fresh Grass Awards. Maggie plays banjo in two bands: The Moon Shells and The Ephemeral Stringband; she is also co-creator of Little Roots, an early childhood music program.
PAUL ROSENBERG | dance

Paul Rosenberg has been leading dances throughout the northeastern United States since 1986. In recent years, he has been one of the busiest callers in North America, working over 200 dance engagements a year. He is known for his gentle but energetic, encouraging style, concise teaching, and offbeat sense of humor.

The programs Paul presents consist of community dances from the Hudson Valley, United Kingdom, Appalachia, and New England, as well as international folk dances from more than 50 countries and African-American singing and playparty games. Paul loves teaching traditional dances to children (as a visiting arts educator) in elementary schools and leading novices in community dances at festivals, community celebrations, weddings, family reunions, birthday parties, family dances, Girl Scout dances, and other gatherings. He has called at contra dances and has performed at numerous major festivals and events around the Northeast. Paul plays recorder and fiddle.

Paul gets his greatest satisfaction from enabling people who have never danced—especially the dance phobic—to not only get up and dance, but also to have a great time doing it and come back for more! Someone once said of his teaching skill, “Paul can even teach a three-legged stool to dance.” His enthusiasm for dance and empathy with novices comes from his avoidance-at-all-costs and terror of dancing—until he discovered contra dancing at age 30.

The other hat he wears is as an organizer. He founded and organized the Dance Flurry Festival in Saratoga Springs, NY for eighteen years; Fiddlers’ Tour, a weekly fiddle tune jam session in the Albany area; and has been organizing a monthly family dance in Albany since 1994. He founded and served on the Board of Directors of DanceFlurry Organization, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the preservation, study, teaching, enjoyment, and continuing evolution of traditional dance.

Paul has recorded two CDs, Peel the Banana and Dance the World Around — with his band “Peter, Paul & George” — and written companion instruction books which present a  sequence of dances from school residencies, family dances, and community celebrations.
PETER DAVIS | beginner lab & dance

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.
MELISSA BRAGDON CARON | lead jambassdaor

Melissa is a fiddler who is known for playing and teaching many different styles of music. Classically trained, she received a degree in Music Education at the University of Maine and has experience teaching string programs and general music at various grade levels in the Maine public schools. Melissa is a member of the Portland-based bluegrass bands "Jerks of Grass" and “Cumberland Crossing.” She also performs often with the old-time group “Sugar Hill Stringband” and recently recorded an album with “Fiddlers Three.” Melissa is co-director of the New England Fiddle Ensemble, a non-profit organization that supports community by bringing together a large group of acoustic musicians of all ages to learn and perform different styles of music. She runs a successful music camp each September with Ellen Carlson, called Fiddleheads Acoustic Jam Camp. Melissa was greatly involved in the development of 317 Main Community Music Center in Yarmouth, Maine, where she taught fiddle and acoustic ensembles for twelve years. Melissa also offers a welcoming bluegrass jam in her community, teaches at her home studio in Scarborough, Maine, and enjoys spending time with her two sons, Daniel and Aidan.
JEFF WASBES | lead jambassdaor

Jeff's interest in music started with public school music lessons at age 8 - but it exploded when he got his first guitar. Soon after, music lessons and jams with friends led to his first band in high school. During college, while studying for a degree in music theory and composition, he was a founding member of Single Bullet Theory, the New York Capital District's most eclectic band at the time. Offering a unique blend of cover and original tunes, SBT allowed Jeff to explore the blues, rock, and jam universe through the perspective of bands like The Talking Heads, Guns n Roses, and the Beastie Boys. Although SBT performed all over the Capital District for several years, the group tragically never recorded or released its original music. A few 'bootleg' recordings of select performances exist - but they are pretty hard to find. SBT also offered Jeff his first efforts at composing and arranging for a four piece rock band.

During 2016, Jeff helped found Blind Crow. A blazing bluegrass quartet, Blind Crow's technical ability and superb musicianship quickly made the group a fan favorite. In 2017, the band self produced and released 'Forgo The Balance'. The record contains 12 tracks of original music. Blind Crow has performed at several renowned venues, including Caffe Lena (Saratoga, NY) and Darryl's House (Pawling, NY).

Along with members of Moon Boot Lover, Dr Jah and the Love Prophets, Jeff and his wife, Carla, became founding member of LaserPlant: a high energy four-piece, straight ahead rock and roll outfit. Soaring three part harmonies and gritty grooves along with Jeff's intricate but driving guitar work make this band a force.

Today, Jeff routinely performs with midnight choir, a trio featuring Jacob Ali on mandolin and Jon Doll on bass. 

Jeff's passion for music and community building comes through not only in his performances, but also in his establishment of the Front Yard - a home venue for house concerts. The Front Yard has been host to many wonderful evenings of live music with family and friends in attendance. Check out the 'Shows' page for information about the next Front Yard outdoor house concert.

Jeff is also a pedagogue with several years of teaching experience in private lesson and classroom settings. Jeff is a careful instructor with a passion for getting results while making music fun. He served for eight years as the teacher and music director for the Young Actors' Guild in Troy, NY.
SCOTT HOPKINS | camp coordinator

Scott Hopkins became interested in bluegrass and banjo music by listening to recordings of Flatt & Scruggs and The Stanley Brothers that his dad played while he was growing up. At 15, Scott started taking banjo lessons, joined the school band on tuba and learned jazz bass to fully immerse himself in the study of music. Scott received a bachelors of music education degree from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and a masters degree of music education from the University of Connecticut with a certificate in tuba performance. As a banjoist, Scott has performed with a number of eclectic bands and collaborations over multiple decades including his own trio featuring originals, roots, bluegrass, jazz and latin styles of music. He has released two critically acclaimed solo banjo albums with the likes Mike Compton, Casey Driessen, Jesse Cobb, Tony Trischka, Joe Newberry, Ellen Carlson and Smokey Greene among others. Scott has a private studio of in-person and virtual banjo students and teaches jamming and banjo at a variety of camps in the Northeast. Scott currently teaches 5-12 Band at Duanesburg Central School District just west of Albany, NY and runs the Ashokan Banjo Weekend each November.

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 until 4 weeks before camp begins, and for COVID-related cancellations made at any date.

• We retain your 25% deposit between 4 and until 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 towels. There 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 remain committed to the well-being of our guests, staff, and broader community. As public health guidance continues to evolve, common respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19 influenza (flu) and RSV are managed similarly.

The Ashokan Center’s policy reflects current CDC and New York State Department of Health guidance and emphasizes personal responsibility, symptom-based decision-making, and community care.

We maintain hand sanitizer stations, promote handwashing, and prioritize good ventilation and clean shared spaces.If you are experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness—including fever (>100), cough, sore throat, and fatigue—you should go home and not participate in group activities.

We continue to monitor public health guidance and will revise this policy as needed.

Refund policy: If you cancel or shorten your stay due to respiratory illness you will be eligible for a prorated refund. We appreciate your cooperation in staying home when ill.

Additional FAQ's
CLICK to read more answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

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 Guitar Charitable Foundation for supporting Ashokan Music & Dance Camps.