Cazadero Performing Arts Family Camp
Community Subscriber- See also Cazadero Music Camp which operates at the same site in Cazadero, California
Cazadero Performing Arts Family Camp’s one-week sessions bring families together in gorgeous natural surroundings. We offer instruction by world-class artists in music and expressive arts for all levels, serving kids, teens and adults. Whether you enjoy classical, folk, jazz, rock, funk, Motown or world music; visual art; circus; writing; dance; theater; nature walks, yoga or meditation; there is a place for everyone from rank beginners to experienced artists. Campers aged 2-5 have fun in Kid City. Everyone else can take up to five classes per day (fewer if you want time to just chill). Our camp typically sells out within a few weeks of opening registration. This year, we’ve added two more one-week sessions at a lovely new site, in order to serve more families. Learn more.
Cazadero Performing Arts Family Camp has been part of our family's summer tradition since 2014. This is an experience that is not just for those who have performing arts aspirations (so, you wanna be a rock star- Caz has got stage and audience for you!). Caz is a place for immersive learning also in the form of fine arts classes, nature appreciation, writing and more. But also, it's also a place where being audience is totally fine. The real beauty of Caz is in the awe that gets created from 1 week a year. You choose how and in what you want to engage, you can choose to push yourself, try new things you never have before, or not. Caz is for your family's blend of introverts and extroverts. Its Kid City concept mentioned in other reviews is also an incredible way to allow families to engage and entertain little ones while older family members learn and rev up their creativity. Upon graduating out of the eligible age for Kid City, Caz gave our daughter her formative years for autonomy and exploring a beautiful place with new found friends she will never forget.
In 2022, Caz has grown to three sites across the west coast: Hidden Valley in Carmel, CazNorthwest on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state, and the Cazadero location as well.
I grew up in Berkeley, and attended Cazadero (youth) camp as a kid. Our family also attended Berkeley Tuolumne Camp for several years. When we started our own family, we came back to Tuolumne again. Then, a friend suggested we check out Caz FAMILY Camp. We took our three young kids there in the summer of 2007. It changed our lives, truly. We have not missed a summer since, and our young adult children still come as well. A week at Caz Family Camp is a deep re-charging of the creative soul, connection to art and growth, and the antidote to our ever-increasing digitally alienating culture that seems to be slipping more into separation from each other.
Our kids would wake in the morning and RUN to breakfast, eager to see new-found friends and practice their new (or old) instrument. We learn new arts (musical, visual, movement) from expert artists and educators. We eat incredible, nourishing food. We replenish, renew, and grow, as individuals and as a family.
I cannot recommend this experience for your family strong enough. It will change you and your family's lives too.
Our family is indelibly loyal to Cazadero Family Performing Arts Camp; despite the name, there are lots of activities for non-performing folks (yoga, art, writing, crafts).
Have you heard of Cazadero Performing Arts Camp? There are 2 sessions every August of one week each of Family Camp. Here, campers (including little ones) are exposed to and participate in music and art activities along with great meals. It's a wonderful experience that I got to have with my kids for over a decade while they were growing up. It's also a very warm and loving community of folks.
Archived Q&A and Reviews
August 2008
Re: Family camp next year for 6 and 7 year olds?
We've had two amazing summers now at Camp Cazadero, near the Russian River past Guerneville. Cazadero is a children-only music camp for much of the summer, but for two weeks in August it transforms into a full-service family camp for all ages, humming with fun and creativity. It has an arts focus, but many non-artists and non-performers attend and enjoy it. You sleep in tent or tent cabins in a magnificent redwood grove. Campers can take up to four informal classes a day in music (jazz, taiko, piano, chamber music, harmony singing, guitar grooves, etc) or dance (salsa, African dance, yoga, tap, square dance, etc) or visual art (digital photography, stone sculpture, international fabrics, clay, etc) or other (clowning, circus, creekwalking, kids' swimming, environmental art, etc). But, you can spend all day doing free time if you want! Various families attend it as a reunion for far-flung siblings. There's an old-fashioned wacky talent show, campfire storytelling sessions, night-time dances and jam sessions. Kids have the run of the place and can explore endlessly, make art all day, play sports or ping pong... they love it. If you like a low-key vacation where you can explore and expand your horizons, this is the place. Session A seems to have a teen focus, while Session B seems more geared to younger kids. Happy Camper
August 2008
Re: Family camp next year for 6 and 7 year olds?
My family has been attending Cazadero Performing Arts Family camp for many years. It's great for families who are interested in music, art, clowning, and drama. The food is pretty good and the classes are wonderful. If your family is not particularly interested in sports, this is a great camp. My sons, ages 23 and 20, still want to come to camp with us! Susan B.
Parent Reviews
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