WESTWIND WEEKEND
MUSIC & DANCE CAMP
Here's what you'll find at Westwind Weekend...
A beautiful setting on the Oregon Coast. A pristine, sheltered beach, tidepools galore, wildlife in the water, woods, and air, hikes that lead to superb vistas up and down the coast. It’s a weekend at the beach, with music and friends old and new. It’s always sunny at Westwind, AND it almost always rains. Which is to say, any weather can happen.
A growing, family friendly community. Many of those who attend the Westwind Weekend are young people. Kids bring their friends. They dig in the sand, play Frisbee, hike, play cards, dance, play music, drink hot cocoa, help out, hang out, and build lasting memories.
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Non-stop music jams. At any moment you’ll find swing favorites on the front porch, old-time in the shed, and Irish/contra tunes in the kitchen. Some of the finest musicians in the Willamette Valley come to Westwind and are joined by folks just learning to play and everyone in between.
Contra dancing and more. Friday and Saturday evenings feature the Westwind All Star Orchestra playing tunes, and dance programming that’s aimed at all ages and abilities. Expect family dances, contras and squares, and a set of Scandinavian favorites. Also find musicians jamming and swing or zydeco dancing underway outside the main hall.
Camper-led workshops. Fiddle tunes, gumboot dancing, daisy chain squares, swing chords, beach talk, favorite folk songs: come with your special talent to share or learn something you’ve never heard of before. Sunday morning expect time for singing the gospel of our non-denominational love of community.
A Saturday camper concert. Enjoy listening to the crazy, creative, and sublime as your fellow campers perform, or put together your own high or low art performance and step up onto the whale bone stage.
Happy, hearty vegetarian food. Our cooking team makes wonderful fare that brings us all together in the historic Wilson Lodge for family-style meals. Meals at Westwind include snack Friday evening, breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday, and early-wake up breakfast fare plus brunch on Sunday.
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Comfortable, no-frills lodging. Most cabins at Westwind are wood framed buildings with electricity but no heat, with eight or more bunk beds and basic foam mattresses. They vary in distance from the lodge – from less than 50 yards to high on the ridge above the ocean. We make special accommodations for families with young children and people with disabilities.
Some walking and flex in departure and arrival. The camp’s boat/ferry takes you and your gear across the Salmon River but there’s about a quarter mile walk from the boat landing to the lodge. Some cabins are uphill. There’s sometimes more trekking when tide schedules aren’t cooperative for boating in and out.
The Surprise that delights. The Westwind Weekend bids farewell to all who attend with a a treat prepared specially for camp by Beau Chocolat, dessert confectioners extraordinaire. Be there for the group photo so you won’t miss the Surprise!
