Tips and Tricks – Midwest Banjo Camp

1. Registration Help (click on these links for information on the following topics)

2. Location. Camp is at Manchester University, North Manchester IN . For directions to the college, type the following information into Google Maps, Mapquest, Apple Maps or any other GPS system:

Manchester University: 1205 East St., North Manchester, IN 46962

- Here is a useful Campus Map of Manchester University note that all facilities are listed alphabetically in the key at the bottom of the page. The buildings used for the MBC program are: Cunningham Academic Center, Chinworth Hall, the Jo Young Switzer Center, and Cordier Auditorium ; our dormitories are Garver Hall, Helman Hall, and Oakwood Hall.

3. Check-in location. Our Registration Desk - which will also serve as the MBC Information Desk - is at the north end of the Cunningham Academic Center. This is in the same building as the Office of Admissions, directly across the street from the Jo Young Switzer Center.

On one end of the building is a big sign that says “Welcome Center” and our Registration Desk is at the other end of the building, a little down the street from the Welcome Center entrance. Parking is across the street by Chinworth Hall.

- Check in Times. Check in for the Full Camp begins at 2:00 PM on Thursday, June 5; check in for the Weekend Only Option begins at 9:15 AM on Friday June 6.

4. Classroom and Meals Locations. Most of our classrooms are in the Cunningham Academic Center; classes are also held in Chinworth Hall. Meals are in the Jo Young Switzer Center.

5. If you Arrive on site late in the evening, and no one is at the desk at the Cunningham Academic Center. Call the MU Campus Safety number, 260-982-5999 (here is a Campus Map)

- Note: if you plan to arrive after hours, or find yourself running very late, be sure to email us so we can alert Campus Safety that you are on the way.

6. Extra-Nights' Lodging?. If it makes your travel plans easier, lodging is available on both the night before Camp (June 4) and on the night immediately following the conclusion of Camp (June 8). Let us know on your registration form (or afterwards by email, if your plans change). The price is $45 per person, per night (note: it does not matter here whether there is single or double occupancy).

7. Parking. At Manchester U, you may park overnight at any of the lots shown in red or green on this MU parking map (do NOT park overnight in the one lot marked yellow). Note that all of the red parking lots are usually open all summer and are easily both visible and accessible for guests staying in the residence halls. Overnight parking on the street is NOT permitted, and the town police will ticket.

8. Emergency Phone Numbers: For real emergencies, call 911. The Campus Safety number is 260-982-5999. Other useful numbers will be announced later and/or may be published in your programs.

9. Linens & Bedding. We strongly recommend that students staying in the dormitories should bring their own linens and pillows. If that is not possible or convenient you can rent a set through Manchester U for $22. You can reserve and pay for the linens package on your registration form.

The content of the linens package is as follows

1 large bath towel
1 hand towel
2 washcloths
bed sheets
pillow cases
pillows
one blanket

- Note on Personal Items: All dormitory residents must bring your own shampoo, shower gel, soap and other personal items (these are NOT provided in the linens package).

- Note on Pillows & Blankets: MU does NOT provide pillows unless you rent a linens set; blankets are provided regardless of whether or not you rent a linens set.

- Note on Mattresses. You can make the dormitory mattresses more comfortable if you can bring a mattress pad.

- Note on Price of Linens Sets: the price has increased substantially because MU is using a different supplier.

10. General Logistics. All of the buildings we will be using at Camp are air-conditioned. You will have to walk outdoors from both dorms to the classroom buildings, and at mealtimes you may have to walk across the street from the Cunningham Academic Center to the dining hall in the Jo Young Switzer Center. Helman Hall is the farthest away from all the buildings we will be using (at most a 5 minute walk). Oakwood Hall is kitty-corner across the street from the Switzer Center and just down the block from the Academic Center. Garver Hall is the closest to classrooms, dining hall, and concert hall, all of which are very close together.

11. WIFI is available - and reliably strong - in all buildings on the Manchester University campus; as of last year no special password was required.

12. Those with Difficulty Walking. All buildings we are using on the Manchester University Campus are wheelchair accessible; and nearly all the facilities we'll use are quite close together. Be sure to make note of your limitation on the registration questionnaire and request Oakwood Hall as your dormitory, since it has an elevator and is located a very short distance from the classroom buildings and dining hall. If you would like to attend and may need additional mobility assistance please check with us via email.

13. Be Prepared for the Climate. Although seasonal averages for early June in this part of the country indicate pleasant weather, we could easily get warm, muggy weather during our weekend. All in all, we strongly recommend that you come prepared with an adequate supply of shorts, T-shirts, and other warm-weather gear. Do carry a sweater or light jacket with you in case the a/c is too high. We also recommend that you bring a light waterproof jacket with a hood, in the event of rain. Above all, MONITOR THE WEATHER REPORTS for North Manchester, Indiana before departing for Camp.

14. Alcohol & Tobacco Policy. Manchester University does NOT permit smoking or consumption of alcohol products on Campus property.

15. Bring a Gig Bag?: Camp logistics dictate that you'll be carrying your instrument around quite a bit throughout the course of the weekend. Unless you are comfortable carrying it around in a hard case, you might want to consider bringing a "gig bag" (soft padded carrying case) so that transporting your instrument will be more comfortable. Of course, we recommend that the gig bag you use be substantial enough to afford your instrument a reasonable degree of protection. Note that Elderly Instruments will be selling merchandise in the vendor store and will endeavor to have an assortment of gig bags along with instruments and other items for sale at Camp.

16. Instrument Check-In: We will provide instrument check-in, staffed by volunteers, for portions of the day where we think it will be most needed (these times will be announced at camp). Although we are providing this service, we are concerned that if everybody uses it at once this could become a major bottleneck. In other words, if 200 people want to check their instruments before lunch and uncheck them after lunch, we unfortunately have neither the staff nor the facilities to deal smoothly with this volume. In order to keep this situation from getting out of hand, we have a request. If you are staying in the dorm, and carrying your instrument is not a huge hardship, please park it in your dorm room during meals and concerts, or simply carry it around with you (think gig bag!). Similarly, those commuters who don't mind carrying their instruments are also requested to hold on to them.

- Note: The instrument check in will be located on the ground floor of the Academic Center fairly close to the Registration/Info table.

- Also Please Note: Instrument check-in is provided as a courtesy. Although we will make every effort to secure your instruments while they are under our care, and we fully expect them to be safe, ultimately we can not be responsible for their safety.

17. Recording Devices Many of our instructors teach by ear; we strongly recommend that you bring a recording device so you can listen at home to the tunes and techniques you learned at Camp. Nowadays your smartphones have built-in recording features that are surprisingly good; otherwise there are quite a number of excellent inexpensive dedicated recording devices on the market. As a courtesy, please ask your instructor's permission before turning on your device.

- Note: As a courtesy PLEASE REQUEST PERMISSION FROM YOUR INSTRUCTORS before beginning to record in class.

- Taping at the Faculty Concert: MBC has an official "videographer" who tapes the concerts in their entirety, and the plan is to have most performances at any given Camp up on our YouTube and Facebook sites by around the end of June. Students may also record the concert on personal recording devices provided that their set-ups are relatively simple and do not interfere with other audience members' ability to enjoy the proceedings. We do ask that no audio or video recordings made of artists at MBC be posted on the internet without their permission. Those who come up with good footage are urged to send us copies for possible use on the web site (we too will get permission from the artists involved, of course).

18. Other Music Related Items to Bring To Camp. We strongly recommend that you bring the following items with you to camp:

an electronic tuner
a music stand
capos (at least two, in case you lose one)
at least two sets of spare strings
lots of spare picks.

- If you do forget any of these items... Never fear! You can pick them up at the store that Elderly Instruments runs on site.

19. Meals. Meals are buffet-style in the air-conditioned Jo Young Switzer Center.

20. Meal Plans. MBC Students in residence must sign up for the meal plan. Commuters may sign up for the meal plan or obtain camp meals on a pay-as-you-go basis.

21. Special Diets. It is very important to let us know about your dietary restrictions or concerns on the registration form, since the folks at the Switzer Center must be alerted in order to meet your needs. The Switzer Center will prepare special meals for Vegetarians and Vegans upon request; we must provide them with fairly exact numbers so be sure to mention your vegetarian or vegan preference on the registration form. Those with food allergies or other special diets can generally be accommodated. Students who indicate that they require special diets on their registration forms will be contacted by the Switzer Center, and arrangements will be made for them to pick up specially prepared food at each meal. If you neglect to include your dietary needs on the Registration Form, you can also notify us closer to camp.

22. Dining off campus. The MU Campus is not very far from downtown North Manchester where you can find a number of restaurants, pubs and other retail facilities. To determine your restaurant options, simply type "restaurants near Manchester University, North Manchester, IN" into an internet search, or investigate the Restaurants feature of Google maps (or equivalent).

23. Attendee Email Lists: We intend to make all students' names and email addresses available to all attendees following the end of Camp. You will be asked to opt in or out of being on this list when you fill out your Registration Form.

24. Visiting Elderly Instruments. Many students have inquired when Elderly Instruments might be available to visit. Please note that Elderly is located in Lansing, MI, which is 2-3/4 hours by car from the MU Campus]. Normal business hours are Monday thru Thursday (11am - 7pm), and Saturday (10am - 6pm). The store is not open Sunday. Of course the website is open 24/7 at www.elderly.com. But Elderly will have a pop-up store in the MBC Vendor Room (in the Academic Building right near the Registration/Info Area). If you wish to order something from Elderly and have it brought to camp please contact us in advance at swerbin@elderly.com and we’ll work it out.

25. Vendor Room. Artist merchandise (CDs, videos, instruction materials and more) will be set up in the Vendor Room near the Registration/Info Area. Also, Elderly Instruments will have instruments, accessories, and an assortment of other things at MBC.

26. MBC 2025 COVID Policy

MBC strongly recommends that all participants get vaccinated against Covid-19, including with the most recent booster. MBC 2025 will follow any CDC guidelines that are present at the time of camp.
Midwest Banjo Camp will adhere to all protocols regarding masking laid out by Manchester University and the State of Indiana. At this time there are no masking requirements.
We reserve the right to ask all participants to take a home Covid test just prior to setting off for Camp.

Tips & Tricks (FAQ)