Sponsored by the Folk Music Society
of New York, Inc and directed by
Joy Bennett, TradMaD Camp is an annual
six-day gathering of live music and
dance for adults interested in
traditional music and dance. Held at
the beautiful and historic Pinewoods
Camp in Plymouth, Massachusetts,
campers can enjoy daily workshops on
specific topics (such as traditional
ballads), instrument instruction,
dances to live music, staff concerts,
vocal coaching, parties, camper
concerts, jamming, and singing — and
much, much more.
Workshops,
dances, concerts, one-shots, camper
concerts, parties, sessions, boating,
swimming in two lovely ponds,
relaxing, learning, and generally
having fun.
More specifically (subject to staff
availability, phases of the moon,
etc.):
"If you don't pick it, it will
never get better" —Beginner to
advanced classes in a variety of
folk instruments (and yes, cello
is a folk instrument!)
Dancing: Community dancing which
may include a variety of American
and international dance with
evening dance parties for all.
Community singing and playing
Vocal Coaching
Ballads
Camper Concerts — and the
applause will be for you
Parties, including the popular
Pub Night
Spoken not Sung (story-telling,
poems, monologues, etc.)
Blues
"Spotlight on ..." where staff
members get to do whatever they
choose
Swimming, boating (canoes,
kayaks, rowboats) on Long Pond
Stitch 'n' Bitch — no set time
or place, but bring your knitting,
needlepoint, crochet, etc. Read
Eileen Pentel's account of Weaving the
music into your knitting
(pdf format).
Bioblitz, where we catalog the
diverse fauna and flora of camp.
Here's the 2023 Bioblitz
Report.
Silent Auction, all proceeds to
the Scholarship Fund. Remember,
one person's old stuff is another
person's new stuff, bid early, bid
often, and bid high. Cash, checks
and credit cards accepted.
Take and Make — again, all
proceeds to the Scholarship Fund,
and you don't have to wait. Just
take the item and make an instant
contribution.
Bookstore, where you can buy CDs
etc. from the staff (and,
depending on space, from campers).
Again, cash, checks and credit
cards accepted.
Singers,
pickers, and dancers who love
traditional music and dance.
Staff
List for 2025 will be posted closer to camp.
See the staff lists for 2024, 2023,
2022,
2020
(virtual), 2019,
2018,
2017,
2016
and 2015 .
Sadly, Pinewoods Camp closed just
before the planned 2021 gathering, too
late to organize a virtual event. But
we did have a Zoom chat, and many of
our projected artists dropped in. Our
staff members are not only performers,
they are also teachers who enjoy
sharing their knowledge.
As well as listening and learning,
campers will find plenty of
opportunities to sing, jam, dance, and
hang out with the staff and each
other.
This event is being put together by
the Folk Music
Society of New York, Inc.,
with support from a bunch of
associated organizations, including