Next Camp: Thursday-Sunday, March 11-14, 2027
Join Us for a Few Days of Banjo Paradise
in Beautiful Live Oak, Florida!!
* Registration for 2027 Is Open: Sign Up Now! *
25 or Under? Check Out Our Youth Scholarship Opportunities
Come study 5-string banjo in gorgeous natural surroundings with some of today’s best players and teachers. Our program features hands-on classes, demonstrations, and two big faculty concerts, and still leaves lots of time for jamming with your fellow banjo enthusiasts. Suwannee Banjo Camp offers four levels of serious instruction in clawhammer and bluegrass banjo styles. We also offer full-time programs in old-time fiddle, bluegrass guitar and mandolin.
NOTE: Clawhammer and old-time fingerpicking together are often referred to as old-time banjo.
Suwannee Banjo Camp runs straight through from Thursday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. We offer nine class sessions — three on Friday, four on Saturday and two on Sunday. Each session is one hour and fifteen minutes long. There are staff concerts on both Friday and Saturday evenings; over the course of the weekend you’ll have the opportunity to hear our entire staff in concert. Rounding out the program are “demonstrations,” and staff-led bluegrass and old-time jams conducted at a variety of skill levels. For a full description of our program including classes, demonstrations, concerts, jams and other activities, see the Program menu item. For an overview, start with the About Our Program page.
**Special Note: At SBC you do NOT have to sign up for particular classes or instructors in advance. Once you’re at Camp, you are free to select any class at any time.**
♦ This was the 2026 Suwannee Banjo Camp Program Schedule
The SBC 2026 Camp Photo
Click to Access & Download a High Res Version of our 2026 Camp Photo
Attendance Options: Full Camp vs. Weekend-Only Option
The Full Camp option starts mid-Thursday afternoon and runs through early Sunday afternoon; it includes nine hands-on class sessions and all meals from Thursday dinner through Sunday lunch. If you can’t take an extra day off, our Weekend-Only Option is for you. The Weekend-Only option now begins with lunch on Friday. Included are seven hands-on classes and all meals from Friday lunch through Sunday lunch. Included in both options are the two faculty concerts, staff-led jams, and demonstrations on Friday afternoon. Rates for Full-Camp and Weekend-Only Options are on the Registration & Fees page.
Lodging Must Be Reserved Separately
Lodging must be reserved and paid for directly through our host, Cerveny Conference Center. For lodging options and lodging reservation instructions, see the Lodging page.
Commuting
You can easily commute to camp – and pay only for tuition and meals – either from home or from an area hotel or B&B. For more info, go to the Lodging page.
Banjo Classes
For descriptions of our old-time and bluegrass banjo programs, go to Classes, scroll down and then choose either the Old-Time Banjo tab or the Bluegrass Banjo tab.
Full-Time Fiddle, Guitar and Mandolin Tracks
For more information on our full-time programs in fiddle, guitar, and mandolin go to Classes, scroll down and then click on the corresponding tab.
Location
Suwannee Banjo Camp takes place at beautiful Cerveny Conference Center at Camp Weed in Live Oak, Florida. For more info, visit the Cerveny Conference Center website.
Starting and Ending Times for Full Camp and Weekend Only Option
- Check-in for the full Camp Opens at 3:00 PM on Thursday March 11; hands-on classes start promptly at 9:15 AM on Friday March 14. Camp ends following lunch at 1:30 PM, Sunday March 14.
- Check-in for the Weekend Only Option starts at 11:00 AM Friday, March 12; your first camp meal is lunch (12:15 PM)*. Your program begins 1:30 pm that afternoon and continues through lunch on Sunday, March 14. Note that weekend-only registrants may opt into Friday lunch (details on the Registration & Fees page.
*New This Year: the Weekend Only Option also includes Friday lunch.*
Scholarships
We are usually in a position to offer several partial scholarships. We would like to particularly encourage those under 25 to apply. We also offer a few work-trade scholarships. For more information or to apply, visit our Scholarships page.
This Is Our 2027 Faculty
- Old-Time Banjo: Hilarie Burhans, Joseph Decosimo, Michael Miles, Ken Perlman, Lukas Pool, and Jane Rothfield
- Bluegrass Banjo: Scott Anderson, Greg Cahill, Gina Furtado, Ned Luberecki, Alan Munde, and Trevin Nelson
- Fiddle: Pete Vigour (principal instructor); classes will also be taught by Joseph Decosimo and Jane Rothfield
- Guitar: Tim May (principal instructor); classes will also be taught by Alan Munde and Michael Miles
- Mandolin: Brian McCarty (principal instructor); classes will also be taught by guest instructor Ellen Vigour
Photos and bios of our 2026 staff are posted on the 2027 Instructors page.
Covid Protocol
- We strongly recommend that attendees be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and continue to get annual boosters as recommended by the medical community
- If needed, we will follow common sense precautions re Covid testing, masking, and social distancing
- We reserve the right to ask attendees to take a home Covid test before setting off for Camp (anyone who tests positive should of course stay home)
Gold Tone Music Was at SBC Once Again in 2026
As usual, representatives from the Gold Tone Music Company were on hand to repair and setup services and display their latest instruments. They donated a great open back banjo from their new Ome line, namely a Ome Jubilee with a 12″ pot. We hope to welcome Gold Tone back to SBC in ’27.
This Was Our 2026 T-Shirt Design
Here’s our T-shirt design for 2026, featuring beautiful White Lake sunrise (viewable from the glass wall of our Dining Room), two frequent visitors, and – of course – a 5-string banjo! Our 2027 design will be posted in January.
