By Jennie Mull, contributing writer
Body blast fitness, Afro-Caribbean drum dances, rock and roll camp, free concerts, children’s sing-alongs, and more continue through August into September at Camp Meade, Middlesex.
Since COVID-19, the organizers have restricted certain activities, such as indoor dining and visiting the art gallery. The outdoor space offers a safer way to gather for entertainment and social activities.
Sky Barsch, owner of Alpenglow fitness in Montpelier, runs weekly exercise sessions on the camp green.
The classes are on Thursday mornings at 7 a.m. and run until September 9. Her regular studio business shut down for three months due to the pandemic and only opened at reduced capacity.
“Having the option to have outdoor classes was a lifesaver,” said Barsch.
There’s a work-trade option so that people can exchange tasks for a session instead of paying with money. Examples of tasks include washing towels, putting up Alpenglow fliers or cleaning equipment.
“I just don't want it to be out of reach for somebody because of the cost,” said Barsch.
Stuart Paton, founder of Burlington Taiko, hosts Afro-Caribbean dance and drumming on the green. Weekly on Thursdays, Paton teaches djembe and Japanese taiko drumming starting at 4:30 p.m., with overlapping sessions for children and adults. Paton runs the classes all year-round, even hosting them outside in snow. He also moves classes indoors.
“There's great traffic there. The vibe is awesome,” said Paton. He hopes to host a Burlington Taiko performance there in the future.
Linda Bassick leads family sing-alongs for children of all ages. Her last two summer events are on August 20 and September 17. She’ll be joined by Greg Rothwell and Eli Goldman of the Busy Morning Band.
This week Bassick is hosting the sold-out girls’ rock camp, for girls and gender non-conforming youth and will offer a performance on August 13 at 5 p.m. with the musicians performing their newly-created songs and their newfound musical skills.
In 2018, Russ Bennett, Mike Pelcher and Alan Newman bought Camp Meade, first established in 1933. The camp provides an intergenerational space for people to eat, sing, dance and connect with each other. The three are partners in Planetary Matters which owns the property.
To find more events and updates from Camp Meade visit the website www.campmeade.today
Mull is a participant in UVM’s community newspaper project.
