Not every band camp is a smattering of teens on summer break struggling their way through a John Phillip Sousa march.  

Come onto Acadia’s campus in the first week of July, and you’ll find campers young and old (from 10 to upwards of 70) playing jazz, rock, and, okay, maybe some Sousa.

No matter what kind of music you want to play, “there’s always a spot for everyone at band camp. And I think that’s what makes Acadia’s camp really unique,” says camp counsellor, Emma de Vries (BMus ‘25; BEd ‘26).

The camp has been running since the 1960s, and in 2026 they had a banner year with their highest registration numbers since COVID, with 164 campers.

Acadia alum and the camp’s Director, Lyndsey Mitchell (‘12, ‘14, ‘19), says that beyond the age range of campers, there are so many unique aspects to camp drawing in record numbers. In addition to traditional concert band, the camp offers jazz band and rock band options, along with instruction in all different kinds of instruments not normally found at concert band camps.

The community band stream, which brings in campers of all ages, allows older adults to come in and do the same activities that the kids get to do. It’s this multi-directional, intergenerational learning that’s one part of what makes Acadia’s band camp so special.

“They get to learn from the kids, the kids get to learn from them,” says Lyndsey.

Passing the (conductor’s) baton

Like Lyndsey, who went from Acadia student to camp director, Emma has gotten to experience both sides of the student to teacher coin. Now completing her Bachelor of Education at Acadia after finishing her degree in the School of Music, she has also gone from camper to counsellor.

Even though she has “a bit of fomo” at not getting to participate the way she did as a camper, Emma says it’s worth it to give today’s campers the experience she got to have.

“My best friend to this day is someone I met at band camp from the other side of the province when I was 16 years old, and we still talk and hang out every day. I wanted to come back as a counsellor to see those bonds created between other students like it did for me. The bond that you can create making music with other people for only a week is really just so incredible, and I love to see it happen with other students as well.”

“The best part is watching all the campers get to interact with each other,” adds Lyndsey. “They’re learning from each other, they’re learning from their instructors, they’re collaborating, they’re making all of these lifelong friendships.”

“For me that’s the best part of music in general, and certainly the best part of camp.”