Traditions and Gatherings at Maine Camps

Later this week, many will be celebrating Passover and/or Easter with family and friends. We gather to enjoy meaningful traditions that connect us now and link one generation to the next. Rituals like these make us think of Maine Camp summers and how we gather with our camp families to observe, reflect, and celebrate.

At many Maine Camps, the whole camp gathers weekly for a special campfire to discuss camp values – often at a hallowed place like by the lake, or in a cove or amphitheater. Everyone at camp may celebrate the accomplishments and achievements of campers from that week, which could include overcoming a personal challenge or helping fellow campers achieve a goal. Special roles may be given to different campers each week to help start the fire, to lead a camp song, or to read something that will connect and inspire. Get-togethers like these can occur on Friday nights at sunset, or Sunday mornings, or anytime. The majority of our nearly 40 Maine Camp Experience camps are non-denominational, so these gatherings are not religious and just focus on values and traditions. However, Maine Camp Experience does have three Jewish camps and one Episcopalian camp for interested families.

Many camps’ populations also gather once each day. It can be in the morning by the flagpole to talk about the activities and events of the day to come. It can be a mid-afternoon snack time get-together with apples or ice pops. Or, it can be an evening all-camp fun nighttime activity.

This quality time getting together to connect and celebrate is so important in today’s day and age. These gatherings give us a time to pause and to reflect. To look around and know who and what’s important. It’s the people, the place, the traditions, the values, the connection, and the love. Times like these bring inspiration and happiness.

Enjoy special traditions this week and look forward to meaningful gatherings at Maine Camps again soon!

Maine Camp Experience Resources & Tools

You can share your own Maine camps memories & expressions of gratitude on our Memories of Camp section of our website.

Looking for the perfect Maine camp for your child?  Try out our helpful tool where you can select a camp by choosing: type of camp (girls, boys or coed) and session length (1-8 weeks).  It helps to narrow down a few camps to a manageable list that includes rates.  Then you can research these camps in more depth.  

Next, be sure to  to discuss these camps as well as for free, year-round advice and assistance on choosing a great Maine summer camp for your child.