Mini Camp

Mini-Camp sessions combine the best of day and overnight camp into a one-week hybrid session.

Mini-camp is perfect for the camper who is excited for sleep away camp, but a week feels too long.

2025 Mini Camp spaces are available now:

  • Dates & Rates

    RC/DC 2: 6/30 - 7/4

    RC/DC 8: 8/11 - 8/15

    *Waitlists available for all sessions

    —

    Tier A: $885

    Scholarship Tier B: $815

    Scholarship Tier C: $755

    Additional scholarships available via our Circle of Girls+ Program.

    Each additional session you register for qualifies you for $100 off the total tuition price. The discount is cumulative and can apply for non-consecutive weeks. Coupon codes will be provided during your registration process to allow you to access your savings.

  • Note on Readiness

    Our Mini Camp programming is intended for campers who have experience with sleepovers//staying evenings away from home already, whom are not quite yet sure if they’re feeling ready to spend a full week away from home.

    If your camper has not had a sleepover before, we would recommend joining our Day Camp program where they will still be able to participate in a single overnight stay at camp to help in building their confidence on their own.

  • Drop Off/Pick Up & Transportation

    Camp Hochelaga offers free bus rides from the Burlington area in the University Mall parking lot (on Dorset Street) with a stop at the Chimney Corners Park & Ride on Route 7 in Milton/Colchester.

    This full size school bus will be staffed by Hochelaga counselors in addition to a trained and licensed driver.

    Please ensure that you have a valid Driver’s license or Identification when picking up your camper. Please make sure whoever picks up your camper is on the approved pick up list. We will not release your camper without proper identification or approval. If anything changes last minute please give us a call.

  • Transportation Schedule

    *For Mini-Campers, transportation via our Day Camp bus is available Monday (all day) through Wednesday morning. It is expected that all Mini-Campers be picked up on Friday with our Overnight Campers based on their grade: MORE INFO HERE

    Morning Pickup/Drop Off

    7:30am – Depart from Burlington Location
    8:00am – Depart from Chimney Corners Park & Ride
    8:30am – Arrive at Camp Hochelaga 8:30am - Camper drop off (if not on bus)

    Afternoon Drop Off/Pickup*

    4:45pm – Depart from Camp Hochelaga
    4:45pm - Camper Pick Up (if not on bus)
    5:00pm – Drop off at Chimney Corners Park & Ride
    5:30pm – Drop off at Burlington Location

    *Please note that our team is doing their best to transition 30 campers from programming to the bus and the bus can often run 10 minutes late. Any later our team will notify you.

What Makes Mini-Camp Special?

  • Gentle Ease Into Overnight Camper Life

    Mini-Campers will arrive with our Day Camp cohort Monday-Wednesday of their session, and transition into overnight campers for Wednesday and Thursday evenings.

    Mini-Campers will be assigned their own cabin from day-one of their session (which they’ll get to instantly start settling into and decorating for their sleepover nights), as well as cabin counselors who will get to know them individually to help support them throughout the week as they begin to connect with their Overnight Camper peers who they’ll be living near.

    THIS YEAR:

    Both of our Mini-Camp sessions are being held on weeks which hold Camp Banquets! Camp Banquets are a special part of our traditional programming at Hochelaga and consist of a special secret themed dinner party for all of camp created by our camper banquet teams. Banquets are held on Wednesday evenings of the sessions they occur, so our Mini-Campers will get to experience this the first night of their stay.

    Thursday evenings also hold special Hochelaga traditions as the last evening together of the session. These evenings will include special pizza and ice cream dinners, and time at our bonfire for our special Candlelight programming where we each get to reflect on what camp has meant to us during our time together, the friends we’ve made, and the joys we’ve been able to share.

  • Support from Staff and Peers

    Our Mini-Campers will get to meet counselors from both our Day Camp Staff Team, and their Overnight Cabin Counselors from day one. This means they’ll already be able to begin building a network of support across camp, and familiarity with a variety of friendly faces around our camp space.

    Our Mini-Campers not only create their own cohort, they’re also able to bond with our day campers at meals and on the camp bus*; and with our overnight campers who will be in their neighboring cabins during leisure times at camp, and through their camp classes.

    This hopefully helps ensure that all of our Mini-Campers can feel confident as they prep for their stay at camp, and excited about the friends and counselors they know they can expect to see there.

    *Bus schedule for Mini-Camp listed above

Everything you’ll need to ensure your time at Hochelaga is a success

  • Complete Camper Family Resources

    Explore our Camper Family Resource page for all-in-one access to our Camper Family Handbook, photos from the summer, and more!

    Have everything you need for your stay at camp? Check out our Suggested Packing List to make sure you’re not leaving anything behind

  • Scholarship

    Interested in more ways Hochelaga can help support your future camper access camp? Our Circle of Girls+ Scholarship strives to dismantle financial barriers to our camp space.

  • Day in the Life

    Click to view our daily schedule.

    To learn more about the programming we offer, feel free to explore our Activities page, and remember to see below for dates of our upcoming camper Traditions and Events

Explore Our Unique Traditional Programming:

See here for dates of our upcoming banquets, musicals, and more to help ensure you pick your optimal sessions!

Please reach out to lyle.johnston@ywcavt.org with any questions

  • *Lower Mid Banquet: class runs RC1-RC2 (6/22 - 7/4), banquet held on 7/2

    Upper Mid Banquet: class runs RC3-RC5 (7/6 - 7/25), banquet held on 7/23

    Senior Banquet: class runs RC5-RC8 (7/20 - 8/15), banquet held on 8/13

    Banquet programming is a special Hochelaga tradition. This program is camper led. Campers choose a theme, the menu, and work together to create decorations and transform our main dining hall into an all camp party.

    Each banquet program takes place over multiple camp sessions. If your camper works on banquet prior to the actual banquet event they will be invited back free of charge for the event. Banquets take place on Wednesday evenings (all dates listed).

    *Lower Mid Banquet will also be available to Day Campers who have completed the 2nd grade or higher if they would like to participate in its creation.

  • Musical 1 : 7/7 - 7/17

    Musical 2 : 7/28 - 8/14

    This summer, musical 1 will take place during Sessions 3 and 4. Musical 2 takes place during Sessions 6, 7 and 8.

    Performances will take place on the second date listed in each musical’s timeline. Musicals take place Thursdays during block 4 so that all of camp can enjoy.

    The initial weeks include auditions and rehearsals. These take place during a normal block period. Campers may be expected to practice during their line or leisure times as the performance day approaches.

    Any campers coming for consecutive weeks that are interested in participating in the musicals are encouraged to audition! If your camper is attending camp for only one week, there’s still opportunity for them to be involved in bringing our musicals to life through our Costume and Set Design classes.

  • Log Programming : 7/14 - 8/15

    Log is our traditional camper created “yearbook.” Log is a Senior Line camper activity. Campers will work on this project for five weeks. Your camper does not need to attend for five weeks in order to participate. Log will be shared at Senior Banquet by present campers.

Interested in learning about the other enriching, empowering, and exciting classes your camper can enjoy during their stay at Hochelaga?

Learn more on our Activities Page

Cancellation Policy

Please notify the camp office immediately if you need to cancel your child’s enrollment. Cancellation must be in writing or by telephone at least two weeks in advance of the camper’s arrival at camp. Cancellation notices received less than 2 weeks from the start of the session registered are not eligible for refund. The deposit fee is non-refundable.

We reserve the right to withdraw, with no refund, any camper whose influence or actions are deemed harmful or who will not live within the rules and policies of the camp. Homesickness is not a condition for refund.

PAYMENT OR ACCOUNT QUESTIONS?

Please contact the YWCA’s Office Manager at (802) 372-4510 or contactus@ywcavt.org. Please note that you can check your balance, make credit card payments, and print an account statement that lists camp’s Federal Tax ID Number from your online account.