Northern Lights!

For campers Grades 4 through 7 (and sometimes teens!)

Our Specialty Camp Schedule for our Outdoor Living Program, Art Specialty Camp, Dance Camp, and STEM are up to date for the 2025 summer season!

The Northern Lights Camp is our selection of themed specialty camps for small groups of 9-12 year olds (some camps extend into older ages as well). Campers spend most of their day exploring the specialty theme, while enjoying more traditional camp activities during our camper choice block. Don’t miss these quality sessions led by dynamic experts in their field! All sessions must meet a minimum of 8 participants to run. We do our best to notify you immediately if there is a chance a specialty camp session may not run. Prices are listed for Hancock County residents/non-residents. For any 2- Week Specialty Camp, CBC will add the 2nd week Hancock County discount when we register your camper. Higher costs reflect the added expense of running specialty camps.

Dance with Nimbus and the Acadia Dance Festival - Dates Coming soon

Grades 4-8

2026 Fees: Coming Soon

Nimbus Dance Company of New Jersey will be returning to show our campers some moves! Its a ton of fun to be creative with your body and your senses. Dance campers will bring their art to stage, performing as as part of the Acadia Dance Festival on Friday evening, and Saturday morning. Specific dates are coming soon. All enrolled campers are expected to participate in the final performance.

Outdoor Living: A Junior Maine Guide Program 2026

Junior Maine Guide Camps are sponsored by Machias Savings Bank

Grades 4-7(Junior Maine Woodscraft Program), and Ages 13-16 (Maine Woodscraft Program & Teen Expedition Week)

2026 Fees: Coming Soon

OUTDOOR LIVING IS FOR EVERYONE!

The Outdoor Living Camp is rooted in the Junior Maine Guide curriculum, and serves as a combination of experiences designed to increase our camper’s affinity and comfort in nature, while learning skills essential to being at home in the great outdoors. Outdoor Living is rooted in the evidence based knowledge that time in nature is not only excellent for skill building, but for fostering creativity, social negotiation, and general wellness.

JMG is a Maine based outdoor skills program, designed to foster enjoyable, safe, and healthy outdoor living experiences for youth.  The skills and information learned can lay the groundwork for later training and certification as a licensed trip leader, as well as provide a lifetime of enjoyment living in concert with nature in the Maine wilderness.

The skills taught at CBC are rooted in the Level I training program for JMG; Junior Maine Woodscraft for campers entering grades 4-7. Junior Maine Woodscraft curriculum focuses on teaching and evaluating skills in areas such as: tool craft, first aid, individual shelter, Maine maps and geography, Leave No Trace, outdoor cooking, fire building, tree and plant identification, camp site creation, hiking, Backpacking, canoeing, fishing, Maine Specific Environmental issues, and general outdoor living skills.

CBC Will offer week-long sessions that combine nature based play and learning with related skills.  Participation in three different sessions would prepare a camper for evaluation and possible rewarding of the Junior Maine Woodscraft patch, but evaluation patch rewarding would not be required.

Campers who choose to register for either the Level I Junior Maine Woodscraft Testing Camp will learn and practice all skills needed to receive the JMW patch and undergo evaluation by our Outdoor Living staff. Campers DO NOT need to have completed any other weeks of outdoor living camp to register for testing camp.

June 29 - July 3: Survive and Thrive – Tool Craft, First Aid, Fire Building, Direction Finding, and Shelter in all its forms - Learn the skills and use the tools you’ll need to navigate the great outdoors when you may not have been expecting it.

July 6 - 10: Eatin’ Good When You’re in the Woods - Cooking & Camping Skills - Just because your camping, doesn’t mean you can’t eat well. Learn how to plan a camping trip and create a menu you’ll want to write home about. No camp Friday, July 4th

July 13 - 17: By Lake or By Land - Canoeing, Fishing, and Maine Forest Ecology - Maine is a unique and beautiful place. That means it faces unique issues. Deepen your connection with the lands and waters (and creatures that live there) of MDI, while learning more about what makes Maine special.

July 20 - 24: Maine Woodscraft - Survive and Thrive – Tool Craft, First Aid, Fire Building, Direction Finding, and Shelter in all its forms - Learn the skills and use the tools you’ll need to navigate the great outdoors when you may not have been expecting it.

July 27 - 31: Eatin’ Good When You’re in the Woods - Cooking & Camping Skills -  Just because you're camping, doesn’t mean you can’t eat well.  Learn how to plan a camping trip and create a menu you’ll want to write home about.

August 3 - 14: The Junior Maine Woodscraft Testing Camp - This two-week session is designed specifically to meet all the requirements to obtain the Junior Maine Woodscraft patch.  During this two week session, campers will focus on all of the skills needed to complete the Junior Maine Woodscraft requirements, and engage in testing at the conclusion of the weeks.  As a part of this two week session, campers will get to experience an overnight camping trip.  Note: This is a two-week program and participation will be limited to those campers that are able to be present for both weeks. The cost per week is the same as other Outdoor Living programs) No camp August 1st and 2nd. **Campers do not need to have completed any previous session of Outdoor living to register for this session.

Summer Art Camps 2026

Grades 4-7 (unless otherwise noted)

2026 Fees: Coming Soon!

June 29 - July 3: Fiber Arts: Sewing, Weaving, Yarn and Handwork - Come tangle with fibers of all stripes! Learn the basics of sewing, weaving, felting and more. Add color to your artwork by making your own natural dyes. Campers will be introduced to a variety of techniques and will be encouraged to stitch them together into their own fantastical creations to take home.

July 6 - 10: Mixed Media: Dragons - Do you dream of fantastic, scaly beasts of myth and legend?  Do you long to soar through the skies as an ancient rider of majestic creatures? This week we will paint, draw, and sculpt around a central theme: Dragons! We will explore the many forms these fantastical creatures take.e).

July 13 - 17 –Plein Aire Painting (Grades 6-10) -  Join us as we follow in the steps of Monet and Van Gogh and take our canvases into the great outdoors to practice observation and capturing changing light in this historied artform. We will make our artwork at local landmarks and hidden gems to see why MDI is such a special place to paint. Please Note: Campers will need to wear durable shoes and clothes that can get paint on them. 

July 20 - 24 – Fashion and Cosplay - Come explore the intersection of art, fashion, and sculpture. Campers will make their own mannequin and a fantastic ensemble of their own. Whether you long the be the next big name designer, or the greatest cosplayer ever, grab some scissors, cardboard, fabric, thread, or duct tape, and create. 

July 27 - 31 – Messy Art!!! - Let’s get messy and create! This week we will find unconventional ways to paint, draw, sculpt and play…as long as it MAKES A MESS!!!! Please note: Campers will need to wear clothes they can get super dirty.

August 3 - 14 – Ceramics and Pottery - Campers will get two weeks of getting their hands dirty through a variety of pottery projects, from learning how to throw on a wheel to creating ceramic sculptures. Why 2 weeks?  The extra time allows campers the chance to fire, glaze and finalize their ceramic masterpieces! (Note: This is a two-week program and participation will be limited to those campers that are able to be present for both weeks. There will not be camp on August 8 & 9. The cost per week is the same as other Art Camp programs.)