I was involved in putting on a small music camp for several years. Lots of folks told us it was the best camp they had ever been to. Here's why, I think:

We had a board of eight putting on the camp, and we divided up the tasks pretty evenly. None of us were overworked. We had five work study students doing the dishes and carrying heavy things when needed.

No detail was too small to be planned in advance. Try to think of everything that could possibly happen and decide what to do if it does.

We had a staff meeting every morning, and more often if needed.

We gave the instructors separate housing. It kept them more cheerful.

We cheerfully told campers "No" or "Stop that" if they were asking for or doing things that were unreasonable.

We programmed in a half hour between classes, and plenty of "down time" in general.

We made sure there were plenty of different spaces for evening jams.

Most of the evening concerts were instructor shows, but one was an open mike followed by a rock and roll jam.

We hired very good professional cooks.We rented a portable hot tub and brought it to the site.

We held the camp in a very beautiful natural setting that didn't cost too much (Ft. Flagler on Marrowstone Island in the Puget Sound).

While I was serving as camp director I tried to spend at least a few minutes chatting with every camper.

One of the board broght a portable store with toothpaste, batteries, blank cassettes, umbrellas, pens, aspirin, and lots more.

The coffee was the first thing that got turned on every morning. It was always going before anyone but me was up.

The sleeping quarters were quiet space 24/7.

John Peekstok