Jam Camp on the Island

August 10 - August 15, 2025

Camp Gilwell Scouts Camp near Courtenay, BC, on Vancouver Island

Come join us for our first ever: Jam Camp on the Island! This is a brand new site for the Jam Camp family, and we are excited to explore music, nature, and community together in this beautiful region of Vancouver Island.

Nestled deep in a lush forest and next to a gentle river with a swimming area, this Jam Camp will be geared more towards acoustic music making, as the site does not supply power. Camp Gilwell property is not directly on the coast, but access is just a 20 minute drive away, along with many other beautiful attractions in the area.

REGISTRATION FOR JAM CAMP ON THE ISLAND IS NOW OPEN!

Dates

Jam Camp on the Island 2025 will begin on Sunday, Aug 10. Jam Campers are invited to arrive at the site anytime after 10am and have the afternoon to set up camp, with the Welcome Potluck taking place that evening at 5pm as our first official camp activity. Please arrive before 3pm to ensure you are set up on time.

Our final performance takes place on the evening of Thursday, August 14, and Jam Camp ends on Friday, August 15. Friday will be a free day for packing up camp, saying goodbyes, and taking your last stroll in the forest before you go.

Friday, August 2nd will be a free day for packing up camp, saying goodbyes, and taking your last dip in the river before you go.

The full schedule of the week’s events will be sent out closer to the date, but will be similarly structured to those of past camps (see Past Camps for more info).

Fees

Jam Camp Registration Fee

All folks participating in Jam Camp who are aged 4 and up will pay a sliding scale registration fee of $200 to $500 CAD per person.

The fees cover 4.5 days of workshops, activities, and instruction. The fees do not cover food; each family does their own cooking. If you are able to pay more than the base fee per person, that will greatly help us meet our expenses!

Camping Fee

In addition to the registration fee, each family is required to pay a $50.00 camping fee.

Additional Fees

If you choose to pay via PayPal rather than bank transfer, a PayPal fee of approximately 3% of your registration & camping fees will be added on top of your total.

You may also choose to make a contribution to help subsidize registration for a low-income attendee, or to help Jam Camp cover its expenses.

Camp Gilwell Scouts Camp

About the Site

Jam Camp on the Island will take place at Camp Gilwell, located on 35 acres of mature second growth forest in the Comox Valley, with the meandering banks of the Brown’s River running along the edge of the camp. Located 20 minutes from the ocean, and an hour to Strathcona Provincial Park, this unceded territory of the K’ómoks First Nation is surrounded by beautiful places to explore before or after camp. There is plenty of room for tenting sites in the forest, and some spots where car camping, camper vans, or small RV’s will fit. There is no access to electricity or septic for campers, and if you bring a generator there will be quiet time restrictions. There is a good sized sports field and campfire pits available. This area usually has a fire ban in August, but you are welcome to bring your own propane burning campfire, if you like. There is access to delicious VIHA tested drinking water on site, and the toilet facilities are outhouses/pithouses.

There is no shared kitchen access for participants, and Jam Campers are asked to prepare their own food, so you need to bring your own camping kitchen set up. Besides your usual camping kitchen list, please bring a folding table, since there are a limited number of picnic tables available on site. Bring some sort of vessel to hold your drinking water. There will be wheelbarrows on site to help you carry water from the water taps to your camping site.

Besides our program and afternoon jamming, there is plenty of fun hiking, swimming and forest play to be found at this camp! Please note that cell service is extremely limited at this camp, so get ready to unplug!

River Safety

Swimming in the river is very fun, however there are no lifeguards and parents are fully responsible for their children’s safety. Parents need to be fully responsible for their children’s safety. Children should never be at the beach unattended. The river is gentle, and there is a sandy beach for safe entry, but caution is always needed. Bringing water shoes, floaties, and/or life jackets can be helpful.

Getting There

Camp Gilwell is located at 5200 Duncan Bay Main, Courtenay, BC, approximately 3 hrs from Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal, or just over one hour from Departure Bay Ferry Terminal and Duke Point Ferry Terminal in Nanaimo via Hwy 19N. Turn right at Piercy Rd, right onto Forbidden Plateau Rd, and one more right hand turn onto Duncan Bay Main Line. The camp is a 10 minute drive into Courtney, where there are all the necessities to be found, as well as ocean beach access.