FAQ
Find out the answers to your most pressing questions about Sandbridge.
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Covid PolicyWhat are the vaccination requirements to attend Sandbridge?
None. What about testing? We do not require testing prior to attending. However, if you have ANY symptoms, please test. Do we need to wear masks at Sandbridge? No. |
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Location
Where is Sandbridge?
Just south of Virginia Beach, VA. Can I swim in the ocean in the Spring? Probably only if you have a wet suit. The water temp is a bit too chilly. Can I swim in the ocean in the Fall? Definitely! The water stays reasonably warm through mid-October. |
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Registration and Important Dates When can I register for Sandbridge?
Please register your intent right away - it helps us plan housing and logistics. If the registration form is not yet available, please email Ken—he maintains a pre-registration list. Registration for Fall Sandbridge begins January 1 or earlier. Registration for Spring Sandbridge begins sometime in June/July. All fees are listed on the registration form. Where is the registration form? Spring 2025: sb2025spring.paperform.co Fall 2025: sbfall2025.paperform.co What are the fees? 2025 Hammered Dulcimer Due to rising housing & food costs, we increased our fees very modestly in 2024 (2%). If you need help managing the costs, PLEASE remember that we have a scholarship fund. All you need to do is ask for help! The Zoom fee is $785 (deposit - $350) In-person is $1580 for a private room and $1150 to share with another participant (deposit - $400). On rare occasions, we have not always been able to fulfill the sharing request. Spouse/partner fee is $565 (deposit for a participant with a spouse/partner - $500) Non-refundable. Please obtain travel insurance. 2025 Fiddle Due to rising housing & food costs, we increased our fees very modestly in 2024 (2%). If you need help managing the costs, PLEASE remember that we have a scholarship fund. All you need to do is ask for help! The Zoom fee is $550 (deposit - $300) In-person is $1130 for a private room (deposit - $350) and $910 to share with another participant (deposit - $350) Spouse/partner fee is $400 (deposit for a participant with a spouse/partner - $450) Non-refundable. Please obtain travel insurance. **See below for Payment Methods When do I have to pay (Spring)? Deposits for in-person spots are due: ($400/$500) are due November 1 (non-refundable) Full payment by January 15 (non-refundable) For Zoom attendees, please register and pay as soon as you can, preferably by mid January so that you don't miss the tune survey and other important emails. Zoom attendees are accepted up to a week before class begins as long as there is room. When do I have to pay (Fall)? Deposits for in-person spots are due: ($400/$500) are due May 15; Full payment by June 15. For Zoom attendees, please register and pay as soon as you can, preferably by late June so that you don't miss the tune survey and other important emails. Zoom attendees are accepted up to a week before class begins as long as there is room. If I fill out the registration form, am I guaranteed to get in? Usually but not always. We have a limited number of in-person spots available. Zoom is a good option once in-person spots are full. I don't know which week to sign up for. Talk with Ken and/or Mary Lynn to figure this out! May I bring my spouse/partner to share my room? Yes! You will pay the private room price listed above ($1580) and an additional $500 for the extra person. May I arrive a day early? Yes. The workshop begins on Sunday at dinnertime. Rooms are available for Saturday night for an additional fee of $60 ($80 for a couple). You can sign up for Saturday arrival (4PM check in for week #1, 2:00 PM for the other weeks) and pay here: sb-early.paperform.co. What's included in the cost (Zoom)?
What's included in the cost (in-person)?
That's great that food is included but I have a special diet: food allergies or vegetarian etc. That's fine! We do a food survey and accommodate special needs. I can only eat a very specific brand of organic, gluten-free cracker. Will you supply that? If you have very specific needs or preferences, please bring your own! We can't supply 20 different kinds of crackers (or anything). Is there a senior discount? No. Many of us are seniors! We aren't going to the movies here! What is NOT included in the cost (in-person)? Friday night dinner - we go out for dinner or order takeout from a local restaurant to celebrate! Beer/wine - we maintain a beer/wine fund and all chip in for our daily happy hour! |
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Payment Methods Always confirm with Ken which method you are using.
The following payment methods are acceptable:
Early arrival fee* $60 Individual/$80 Couple) - pay here if you did not include this in your full payment. |
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Refunds I paid my deposit and now I can't come. Can I get a refund?
If it is after the deposit due date, no. All deposits are non-refundable. I paid in full and now I can't come. Can I get a refund? No (with some exceptions). Once you have paid, your spot is reserved. If you cancel and we can fill your spot, we will refund a portion of the fee. I didn't see any dolphins. Can I get a refund? No. But the main workshop space has a great view of the ocean. You will see dolphins and pelicans. And we take breaks for dolphin viewing! This seems harsh! No refunds at all? We strongly encourage that you get trip insurance. It doesn't cost very much (maybe $150) and is worth protecting your investment. We have fixed costs. In reserving your spot, that means someone else is not coming. If something prevents you from coming at the last moment, we cannot do a full or even partial refund a few weeks out. A no refund policy is standard practice for events of this sort. Hence, travel insurance is really a good thing, and is widely available from many companies. Here is one option: www.worldnomads.com I registered for in-person and want to switch to Zoom. Is my payment transferable? It's complicated... the same no refund policy applies to cancelling your in-person spot. if we can fill your spot (this is not very likely), you will get a partial refund. I registered for Zoom and now want to switch to in-person. If there is room, we would love to have you! All you'll need to do is pay the additional fee. Deposits and payments are non-refundable and non-transferrable from IN-Person to Zoom If you sign up for the IN-PERSON Sandbridge, you can not transfer your deposit from IN-Person to Zoom unless we find a replacement OR if it is not safe to hold Sandbridge. We have to secure housing at considerable cost in advance. You may transfer your deposit and additional fees from Zoom to IN-PERSON if we have space. Your deposit will not be refunded. If you have paid in full, you may not transfer payments from IN-PERSON to Zoom. Deposits are not refundable under any circumstance. Travel insurance. We strongly encourage the purchase of travel insurance to protect your investment. Some of the companies that folks use include Travelguard, Allianz, and World Nomads. |
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Scholarships and donations to SandbridgeHow do I apply for a scholarship?
Check the box on the registration form AND contact Ken to discuss. [email protected] or 410-746-8387 What types of scholarships do you offer? Youth, needs-based, and enrichment (read more about the Sandbridge Scholarship Fund) How much of a scholarship can I expect? Depending upon the number of applicants and funds available, the scholarships may cover up to 50% of the total fee. When will I find out if I am receiving a scholarship? As registrations and requests come in, we will evaluate and notify as soon as possible. How do I donate to the Scholarship Fund? See the Scholarship page for payment options. Are donations tax deductible? Yes. We partner with an arts organization for fiscal sponsorship: "Boxwood," a 501(3)c. Can I donate an instrument to the Scholarship fund? Yes. |
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Travel I want to fly in. Which airport is closest to Sandbridge?
Norfolk International Airport (ORF) is about a 45 minute drive. How do I get from the airport to the house? We can usually find a volunteer to pick you up. You may need to wait at the airport so that we can pick up more than one person at a time. You can, of course, use cabs, Uber/Lyft, or rent your own car (this is a popular option for couples, so that the non-player has transportation) Do I have to bring my dulcimer on the plane? No! Ken can provide a range of instruments (Master Works, extended range Dusty Strings, Song Bird, Rick Thum). He can also provide instrument stands, music stands, and other items that are hard to bring if flying. Do I need to bring sheets and towels? No. Those are provided for attendees. You may want to bring an extra towel, or beach towels. If flying, when should I arrive? We recommend arriving on Saturday (see early arrival above; extra fee applies). If you come on Sunday, please arrive before 4:30 pm. If flying, when should I depart? If possible, we recommend not too early on Saturday - eg, not before 9:00 a.m. If you need to leave on Friday afternoon, you might need to take an Uber/Lyft. Will I need a car when I am at Sandbridge? No. Most of us never get in a car while we are there. If you bring along a spouse, they may want a car to check out the area, go to the wildlife refuge, hit museums etc. Should I get travel insurance? That is your call! Every year, someone has to cancel. We encourage the purchase of travel insurance to protect your investment. Some of the companies folks have used include Travelguard, Allianz and World Nomads. |
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LodgingWill I have to share a room?
No. Most rooms are private. You will only share a room if you request to do so. Shared rooms have 2 beds. Can I get a discount by sharing a room with another participant? Yes. It is around $350 cheaper to share a room with another participant. Where do we stay? In lovely oceanfront houses. Can I get a room with a private bathroom? If this is necessary for you, yes. However, most of the rooms have shared bathrooms. Most typically, two private rooms share one bathroom. One of our houses has seven master suites with private bathrooms! Can I bring my spouse/partner? Yes. Many participants come with their spouse/partner. What is there to do for my spouse/partner? Lots! There is the beach of course! Wildlife preserve, hiking, bird-watching, biking, kayaking, canoeing, museums, lots of golfing...Williamsburg is a little over an hour away. Most spouses fully engage with the group, participating in the meals, games, etc... |
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Other AmenitiesIs there wireless?
All the houses have wireless. Do the rooms have TVs? Most rooms have TV (but you will be too busy playing music to watch much TV). Are there laundry facilities? All the houses have laundry facilities. We supply detergent. Are we near a hospital, in case something happens? Virginia Beach has a major hospital system. We are about 25 minutes away from the closest hospital. |
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Workshop DetailsWill I have to move my instrument?
No. Once you put your instrument in the workshop space, we typically do not move. Instruments in the additional houses If you have an extra instrument, bring it along for your room! In addition, Ken supplies at least one extra instrument for the other houses (and possibly for your room) for practicing in between classes. Do we get written music? Yes. We provide an abundance of written versions for the pieces. Typically, we include the basic melody with the chord progression, multiple accompaniment/backups, sometimes a harmony part, and multiple arranging ideas. Do I have to read music? No. We have had many attendees who do not read. We focus on using all tools: our ear; patterns; theory; and written music for those who read. Am I expected to get everything that is presented? Absolutely not! No one ever days. We suggest looking at the week as providing a syllabus for many months of learning. I can't learn by ear. Do we have to learn by ear? There are many facets to learning "by ear." Trust us that we can change the way you hear and think. Will we get written music ahead of time? Not generally. It is very important to us that you learn the pieces by thinking and seeing in a new way. Just reading the music will defeat the purpose. But reading is a helpful skill to have at Sandbridge. Can someone help me carry my luggage and dulcimer? Yes. There are plenty of folks there who will carry whatever needs to be carried. Is there any free time? Yes. Lots! See "The Schedule" below |
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The ScheduleWhat is the schedule for the workshop?
See the Schedule page for complete details. We'll answer a few key questions below. What happens on Sunday? When should I arrive? Many folks come early — on Saturday (see above). If you arrive on Sunday, plan to arrive as early as you can so that you have time to settle in. We start the workshop with Happy Hour at about 5PM on Sunday. When do we start classes in the morning? Class begins at 9:15 AM. |
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After the WorkshopHow am I going to remember all these tunes once I leave Sandbridge?
All sessions are recorded except the evening jams. I still won't remember anything. We've begun hosting an online review of the tunes 4-6 weeks after Sandbridge. This gives you an incentive to practice as soon as you get home and a chance to hear the tunes again and play along. I don't have time to listen to the entire class over again right away. Is there any other option? Ken and Laurie create a package of synopsis videos for each tune taught during the week. These are concise and complete summaries of the theory and all of the parts of each tune (including ideas we didn't have time to cover in class). Some videos will be available as soon as your week is over, and Ken and Laurie will finish recording and editing the rest as soon as possible after the retreat. There is an additional charge for these videos. Can I share the tunes with my friends and other people? Please see the Music Sharing Policy page for the answer to this important question. |
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MiscellaneousWhere do I get a t-shirt, hat or sweatshirt?
We offer these creatures occasionally. Check back for more info in early 2025. What about the calendar? I heard there is a calendar! Laurie creates the official Sandbridge Calendar filled with tunes, memories, recipes, photos, memorable holidays to celebrate every day of the year, and random wildlife sightings. You won't want to miss it. Find out more here. |