SIGN UP HERE FOR VIRTUAL SPRING THING: https://folksongsociety.wufoo.com/forms/virtual-spring-thing/
Our hearts broke knowing that we would be unable to spend our Memorial Day weekend together at Camp Canadensis for our annual Spring Thing. When we shared the cancellation with you all, we almost immediately received a call from Rusty & Jan about “going virtual” and we couldn’t have agreed more. With planning secretly (but now public!) underway for a digital Philadelphia Folk Festival, we were thrilled to work with Jan Alba, Jeanette Perlsweig, Dianne Tankle, and Charlie Miller to put together two days to safely spend with your folk family.
You can attend as little or as much as you’d like! We will have zoom workshops from 9:30am – 4pm on Saturday AS WELL AS a second zoom room just to hang out and catch up! The Open Stage will be 5-8pm on Saturday followed by PFS’ Digital Concert Venue with Amy Spence!! After Amy’s concert, head to the zoom rooms for an all night jam or hangout! Sunday morning meals are a must, so bring your brunch in front of your screen for Sunday brunch together from 9:30 – 11am. Workshops will be 11-4, followed by Kids Open Stage at 5pm. As a last treat, we invite all to join us for PFS’ Digital Concert Venue with Mark Erelli!
While it won’t be the same as sleeping in a bed made for a ten year old in one of the most beautiful locations in the northeast… we hope it brings a smile to your face and puts a song in your heart!
2021 Spring Thing
May 28 – 31, 2021
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
***There are a limited amount of tickets in each price bracket***Get the lowest price available while supplies last***
Attending this year?
Email Molly at mhebertwilson@pfs.org with any questions!
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Join the Philadelphia Folksong Society for a getaway weekend in the Poconos at Camp Canadensis, filled with workshops, song circles, sings, and jams in a beautiful lake-side setting! Reconnect with music and nature in a welcoming and creative community.
At Spring Thing, folkies of all ages take over a sprawling summer camp as a pop-up community of musicians and music-lovers, a magical “Folk Brigadoon” weekend in the woods.
Attendee-led instrument and craft workshops, song shares, and sings fill the days, as well as all your favorite Summer Camp activities: swimming, boating, and kayaking in the lake; perfecting your waterslide form in the pool; basketball and other sporting facilities; and miles of wooded trails with plenty of serenity for nature lovers.
Evenings, enjoy dinner in the spacious dining hall or deck overlooking the lake, followed by endless musical and leisure opportunity: perform or take in the open mic or kid’s open stage; set up an impromptu song writing session with new friends; take in a movie at the camp theater; or wander the grounds following the sounds of cabin jams. For night owls, head to the campfire for s’mores and jamming all night long—a Spring Thing tradition that keeps the Fest vibes going all year long.
Bring your instruments, your friends & family, and your favorite tunes: Spring Thing’s a-coming! Buy your tickets here, and connect with the Spring Thing community by RSVPing on Facebook now.
Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more attendees! Email Molly at mhebertwilson@pfs.org for more details!
FOR AN EXAMPLE: See a list of proposed workshops from 2019 Spring Thing HERE!
Spring Thing for Youth and Teens
Sample Schedule
Friday
2pm: Registration opens in the Dining Hall! Come on down.
5pm: Potluck Dinner! Bring something yummy to share.
7:30pm – 10:30pm: Relaxed evening activities, perhaps a songwriters circle and a Big Folkin’ Jam on the back porch.
Saturday
8am-9am: Cold breakfast (and COFFEE!)
9am-10am: Hot breakfast
10am – 1pm: Morning Workshop Sessions
1pm – 2pm: Lunch
2pm – 5:30pm: Afternoon Workshop Sessions
5:30pm – 7pm: Dinner
7pm – 10pm: Open Stage
7pm – 9pm: Family Campfire
10pm – ???: Late Night Jamming
Sunday
8:30am – 10am: Cold breakfast (and MORE COFFEE!)
11am – 12pm: Brunch
12pm – 5pm: Workshop Sessions
5pm – 7pm: Dinner
Time TBD: Kids Open Stage
10pm: Guests without a Sunday overnight ticket must depart
Optional: For just $25, stay overnight with Monday breakfast! ($20 to stay with NO breakfast)
Your Spring Thing adventure includes:
- Cabin accommodations Fri-Sun, with optional Sunday overnight for small additional fee (cabins are dormitory-style with 10-20 occupants; all include closed stall bathrooms and showers). Guests can request to share cabins with specific friends and family, and choose an area to fit your style: Early Risers, In-Betweeners, or Late Jammers.
- All meals through Sunday dinner (Monday breakfast is an optional $5 for Sunday overnight guests).
- Access to all workshops, song circles, sings, and jams—and the opportunity to lead one!
- Access to designated Camp Canadensis facilities (lake, pool, hiking trails, basketball courts, etc).
- A magical weekend where folkies young and old can create life-long memories and friends.
Philly Music Co-op at Spring Thing & Sample Workshops
2020 Spring Thing welcomes representatives from the Philly Music Co-op, the professional development cooperative of PFS, to Camp Canadensis this year! We hope our members and Spring Thingers will enjoy a chance to spend quality time with some of the best musicians on the local scene, and learn a few things from one another along the way!
Our Co-op representatives this year will be selected based on the quality of their offering and willingness to share with attendees in true Spring Thing fashion!
A sampling of last year’s Philly Music Co-op Workshops includes:
Workshop: Modal Tunings
Led by: Danny Mulligan, The Cheddar Boys
Attendees will learn some alternate tunings for that high lonesome mountain modal feel, for banjo and guitar accompaniment.
Suitable for folks with some experience on banjo or guitar.
Workshop: Own Your Story – Songwriting Workshop
Led by: Meghan Cary
Each participant is asked to bring one song that is “in progress” (i.e. not a finished/ recorded song). Song critique (gentle loving critique!) will be led by Meghan. All in the workshop are welcome and encouraged to offer their thoughts. The critique will be run in a format loosely based on the Lorman Critical Response Method.
Workshop: Performance with Professionalism
Led by: Jack Scott & Ingrid Rosenback, Last Chance
Get tips for making your musical performance excellent and memorable for the audience and the venue that booked you. Learn how to stress courtesy and professionalism from the time of marketing through the performance, and onto the next booking. 
Spring Thing Scenes
Frequently Asked Questions
“What’s this all about?”
Curious about Spring Thing? Here are some questions we get a lot that might be helpful!
Q: I’ve never been to Spring Thing before. Is this event for me?
Q: I don’t play an instrument or sing. Is Spring Thing for me?
Q: My kids don’t play an instrument or sing. Should they attend? Will there be anything for them to do?
Q: Do I have to come for the whole weekend?
Q: Do I have to share a cabin with strangers?
Q: Is there a deadline to register?
Q: What kinds of workshops are there at Spring Thing?
Q: How do I sign up to run a workshop or activity?
Q: Is there a deadline to sign up to run a workshop or activity?
Q: Does everyone have to sign up for a work shift? When does that happen?
Q: What kind of jobs are work shifts?
Q: Why is Spring Thing so expensive?
Questions?
Contact Molly at mhebertwilson@pfs.org
What People Say
Sometimes it can be difficult to describe an event like Spring Thing.
So we asked for help from the folks who can say it best: past attendees!
How would you describe Spring Thing?
“Overnight camp with music everywhere!”
“Good outdoor activities, many music workshops, great fun for kids.”
“We take over a kid’s summer camp so we can make and hear music, and enjoy each other’s company.”
“A great combo of learning and jamming with friends in a beautiful location.”
“Shabbat on a musical kibbutz.”
“It’s a weekend of music workshops were you learn all kinds of thing from improving your finger picking,
to stage presence and how to avoid pissing off your sound man, with cabin camping, jams, campfires and lots of singing.”
“A great mix of jams, workshops & natural beauty!”
“Hands-on, create-your-own folk festival.”
Spring Thing at Camp Canadensis
Frequently Asked Questions: AKA, “What’s this all about?”
Q: I’ve never been to Spring Thing before. Is this event for me?
Q1A: Yes! Absolutely! While some folks have attended Spring Thing for many years, every year welcomes new attendees who discover a new world and an open community.
Q: I don’t play an instrument or sing. Is Spring Thing for me?
Q2A: Yes! Absolutely! You don’t have to play music to participate in the Spring Thing community. There is plenty of listening and sharing to be done, and the Camp facilities provide an abundance of extracurricular activities, including lake sports, a pool, and hiking trails.
Q: My kids don’t play an instrument or sing. Should they attend? Will there be anything for them to do?
Q3A: Yes! Absolutely! There are plenty of activities for young folks at Spring Thing, including the opportunity to learn some basics of music-making through youth-friendly workshops. But that’s not all! There are a variety of activities, like craft workshops, face painting, caricature drawing, juggling, and table top gaming. There is also all that the Camp facilities has to offer, like ball fields and courts; a lovely lake with a beach, volley ball net, and canoeing, kayaking, and swimming; a pool with TWO water slides; hiking trails, including an idyllic wooded waterfall; and a movie theater where features play all day and night, including morning cartoons!
Q: Do I have to come for the whole weekend?
Q4A: Nope! There are also Saturday-only or Sunday-only tickets available. Sunday overnight is an optional add-on for all attendees for $20 ($25 with breakfast). But trust us: you’ll want to be there for all the fun!
Q: Do I have to share a cabin with strangers?
Q5A: While making new friends can be part of the magic of Spring Thing weekend, we understand that some folks might prefer to bunk with people they know. We are happy to accommodate requests to bunk with specific attendees whenever possible. If you have a group of 10 or more, contact Jennifer Rajotte at jrajotte@pfs.org for information about a Full Cabin Rate!
Q: Is there a deadline to register?
Q6A: Spaces at Spring Thing are available on a first-come, first served basis, so register early to ensure your slot! Registration will remain open until all slots are filled.
Q: What kinds of workshops are there at Spring Thing?
Q7A: A unique quality of Spring Thing is that the workshops and activities are devised and led by attendees, meaning YOU get to help decide what’s for offer! Themed jams and song circles are favorites, and we also encourage hands-on instruction and practical topics, such as Ernie’s popular “Audio 101, Musicians Edition” or “Advanced Uke Strumming.” Family and youth-oriented workshops are also encouraged. Crafts, yoga, dance, and napkin-folding have all taken place at our get-aways… the possibilities are endless!
We will also include a place during registration to make suggestions of topics you’d like to see, which we’ll share so that others know there is indeed interest.
Q: How do I sign up to run a workshop or activity?
Q8A: Attendees can indicate their interest in running a workshop or activity (of any [legal] kind!) on the registration form. PFS staff will review all workshop registrations and contact you to confirm and collect scheduling preferences.
Q: Is there a deadline to sign up to run a workshop or activity?
Q9A: Yes! This year, we are asking everyone to sign up to run a workshop BEFORE May so that we can share a tentative schedule in advance—something that past attendees have asked for. In order to ensure you get a slot, and at a preferred time, sign up before May 1.
Q: Does everyone have to sign up for a work shift? When does that happen?
Q10A: Spring Thing is a cooperative endeavor where everyone pitches in to make it happen by signing up to run a workshop or activity, and/or to pitch in on a work shift. If necessary, we may ask workshop leaders to take a work shift as well. While Camp Canadensis provides meals and basic staffing such as life guards, everyone lends a helping hand to make the weekend go smoothly. Work shifts also offer a great way to get to know other Spring Thingers!
Work shifts for our younger attendees are at the discretion of guardians, but we encourage Spring Thingers of ALL ages to pitch in and strongly recommend those aged 15+ sign up. Youngsters may want to sign up with a guardian.
Work shift sign-ups will take place in May, and this year we will try to provide a tentative schedule in advance so that you can plan accordingly. As always, sign up early to ensure you get your preferred assignment. All remaining work shifts will be available at Registration.
Q: What kind of jobs are work shifts?
Q11A: Work shifts are subject to change depending on needs, but typically include light set up and breakdown of chairs for Open Stages; driving golf cart taxis around the grounds, offering rides; helping at registration and merch sales; helping guests park and directing them upon arrival; and assisting with activities like tie dye. All good fun!
Q: Why is Spring Thing so expensive?
Q12A: No one wants cost to become a barrier to participation! Spring Thing is priced to cover baseline expenses of renting the camp, providing meals, supplies, and other necessary expenses. We try to make it more affordable by offering discounts for buying early, offering cheaper rates for teens and children, and welcoming children under 7 for free. Sunday overnight is offered as an add-on so that those who are unable to stay are not charged. As always, Members save, and this year there are discounts available for groups of 10 or more. In all, a weekend get-away for under $200 (and as little as $140) isn’t a bad deal!
PFS is eagerly seeking partners and sponsors to contribute to the weekend and further reduce expenses. If you are interested in hearing about personalized sponsorship packages, contact Molly at mhebertwilson@pfs.org.