Adult Camp 2024
Camp Winnarainbow Adult Camp is a circus and performance arts summer camp for adults that takes place every year on the historic Black Oak Ranch in beautiful Mendocino County. Take classes, play, perform and relax for two or four days in an inclusive environment focused on shared creativity and community. Drawing from the world of circus and theatrical arts, we teach timing, balance, and a sense of humor.
Run away with the circus!
A host of theater and circus art skills are offered for both the accomplished artist and the total beginner by world-renowned teachers and facilitators. Campers choose from a wide range of classes and workshops that encourage creativity, skills mastery, personal growth and physical development. Activities range from physically demanding to “no sweat” for those of you who prefer to take your vacation slow and quiet.
What to Expect
Between classes you will fuel your body with delicious meals from our kitchen, sleep under the stars, enjoy leisurely swims in Lake Veronica, and enjoy ample unstructured free time.
We aim to create a space to share creativity and child-like freedom and wonder through art, performance, circus skills and social justice.
Dates and Rates
Adult campers can join in on the fun for the full 4 days, or just pop in for a jolt of joy for two days.
When: June 18-22
Four days: $600
Two days: $300
Classes and Programs
Classes
During the camp day, campers have two classes each morning, as well as casual class and workshop options during afternoon free time. Almost all of our classes are free choice, meaning that for each period, you can choose which class you want to attend. The skills classes we offer include, but are not limited to: Aerials (Trapeze, Silks, Cloud Swing, Rope), Art, Clowning, Dance, Acrobatics, Juggling, Improv, Poetry, Songwriting, Stilts, Tight Rope, and Unicycling.
Evening Programs
Every night after dinner, Camp enjoys an Evening Program together. These events range from Teacher Talent night, to Camper performances in the Tornado of Talent, to a jam-filled Costume Dance Party. No night is the same! Our Performance Coordinators work with campers to prepare & polish their acts until they shine like stars on our Rainbow Stage. Counselors & campers gather in the theater to watch & cheer – we laugh, we cry, we are amazed!
Our Teachers
Our amazing staff at Camp are skilled teachers with years of background and training in their performance arts. Many of our staff first learned their skills here at Camp, and some perform their circus talents professionally throughout the year! If you are curious about what classes at camp look like, don’t hesitate to reach out to us by phone or email.
Teacher Highlights
This year we are pleased to welcome back two world-class teachers to Adult Camp, Moshe Cohen and Thessaly Lerner.
Moshe Cohen will be offering his early morning “Clownzen” class-walking meditation and “Clown-gong” (qi gong clown style), as well as a ‘Find Your Funny/Clowning’ class, helping direct some acts for the stage, and running a very special camp-wide croquet game.
Thessaly Lerner will Join us this year as our EmCee extraordinaire. Thessaly is producer/writer/director/
Amenities and Lodging
Camp Winnarainbow is held at the Black Oak Ranch in Mendocino County. The land’s black oak trees, California bay laurel, beautiful Streeter Creek, wide open field, and surrounding mountains are an integral part of the Camp experience.
“Downtown Camp” features a circle of tipis where campers live, a large circus tent, a costume shop, a state-of-the-art aerial rig, a stage and amphitheater equipped with lighting and sound system.
Our kitchen, outdoor dining area, single-stall showers, restrooms, nurse’s dome, and laundry facilities are nearby. The facility also boasts a three acre lake (Lake Veronica) for swimming where you can cool off in the afternoon. Camp life is lived outdoors and there are many shaded areas for classes, hiking, camp outs, and other adventures. The weather is usually warm to hot during the day and cool at night. Please note that while our accommodations and facilities are beautiful, well integrated with nature, and comfortable, they are simple and rustic. For example, everyone sleeps on mats on the floors of the tipis – they make for a great night’s sleep, but they are not fancy!
Tipis — WHY & what they are like
With deep reverence and gratitude to First Nations peoples, we recognize the cultural and historical significance of our use of tipis as our lodging at Camp Winnarainbow.
We view tipis as indigenous technology that is brilliant in its functionality, sustainability, and capacity to offer safe lodging to a very large community. CWR is fortunate to have Lakota community leaders who have shared the cultural significance of tipi living to many generations of CWR campers. We recognize the building of Camp’s village in a tipi circle as coming directly from the ingenuity of the indigenous communities of North America.
In a tipi circle, the entire community can be cared for—especially while the camp is sleeping—by a small number of people sitting at the center fire. Tipi living offers campers an experience of interconnectedness and responsibility to one another, while leaving very little impact on the natural environment.
Packing List
The suggested packing list for adult campers can be found here. It is the same list as kid campers! Please also make note of the list of what not to bring: alcohol and drugs are prohibited at Camp Winnarainbow, and other items are also prohibited to maintain the safety of all participants.