It’s time to think about summer camp!
We recognize that the demand for Gilsland Farm summer day camps has been overwhelming and that past registration processes have caused stress for your families and our team. Over the past few years, we have observed that the number of families attempting to enroll in camp when registration opened greatly exceeded our current camp capacity. To help ease this burden, we will be introducing a lottery system for all 2026 summer camp enrollment at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth. Our goal is to create a fairer and more accessible process by eliminating the rush in registering and allowing more families to participate in Maine Audubon day camps.
Key Dates:
Lottery Enrollment: Opens Monday, February 23, and closes Sunday, March 1
Camp Placements: Announced from Wednesday, March 4, to Friday, March 6
Final Deadline to Confirm Placement (if selected): March 11
Enrollment Process:
This is not a first come, first served system. Families will have 7 days to enroll in the lottery for their desired weeks.To enroll in the lottery, you will need to submit a form with your camper(s) information, contact, and billing information. A separate form must be submitted for each week of camp. You may enroll in the lottery for as many weeks as you wish, however, each child can attend a maximum of 3 weeks of camp if selected from the lottery. Please note that enrolling in the lottery does not guarantee a spot in a specific week; it simply places your child on an interest list for that week.
Linked Sibling Enrollment:
When siblings enroll in the lottery for the same week, they will be paired during the selection process. If one sibling is selected, the other will automatically be placed in that week. If neither is selected, both will be waitlisted. You may use a single form for siblings enrolled in the same week of camp. Separate forms are required for different weeks.
For instance, enrolling a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old in Sprouts and Discovery Kids for Week 1 counts as one lottery enrollment. Both children will either be placed in their respective age groups for Week 1 or both children will be moved to the waitlist for that week.
Selection Process:
Once the enrollment period closes on Sunday, March 1, names entered into the lottery will be randomly drawn until all available spots for each week are filled. The selection process is entirely random with no specific criteria. Children who do not meet the age requirements will be automatically removed from the lottery.
Notification of Placement:
If your child(ren) is selected for a week of camp, you will be notified via email between Wednesday, March 4, and Friday, March 6. For each week that your child is placed (up to 3), you will receive an email confirming the placement. Please do not inquire about your child’s placement once the lottery enrollment has closed. During this timeframe, you will also receive an email if your child has been waitlisted.
Finalizing Enrollment:
Once you receive an email confirming that your child(ren) has been placed in a week or multiple weeks of camp, you will have until Wednesday, March 11, to decline the placement. If you accept the spot, no further action is required, and your card will be charged on March 11 for the full registration fee.
Waitlist:
Children enrolled in the lottery who are not selected will automatically be placed on a waitlist for each week of camp. Waitlist spots will also be filled randomly, so we are unable to provide details on your child’s position on the waitlist. Families who missed the opportunity to enroll in the lottery may still enroll on the waitlist up until the start of the camp session.
Financial Aid:
Partial scholarships are available for families who need financial assistance. The scholarship application process operates separately from the lottery systems. More information and the application can be found on the Day Camps page on our website.
For further details and the full schedule for this summer, please visit the Day Camps page.
