Checkout Information

Here are the top tips to make the checkout process go smoothly for you and your student.

End-of-Session Checkout Process

  • After all artistic obligations are complete, students first check out of their cabin with their cabin counselor. At this time, we check to make sure all items are packed; borrowed uniforms, music, and instruments are turned in; and goodbyes are said.
  • Students, along with their family, then head to their division headquarters to formally check out of Camp. Families provide identification to staff, sign the check out log, and head out to pack the car.
  • Checking out at headquarters is a vital step that cannot be skipped, as this formally removes students from our headcount process.

If students are leaving by commercial bus or airplane, our Camp Life staff oversee student departures and ensure campers are ready to load the Interlochen bus to the airport or bus station.

Checkout Times

  • Junior students all attend the final music ensembles performance on Friday evening (either as performers or as audience members). They may depart Interlochen after this performance. All junior students must be checked out by Saturday at noon.   

 

  • 6-Week Session: June 27 - Aug. 8, 2027

    • Standard Departure: Classes conclude on the evening of Saturday, Aug. 7. Students not participating in the final concert may depart at this time.
    • Extended Departure (Final Concert Participants): Students in the following groups must remain on campus through the final concert on the evening of Sunday, Aug. 8:
      • All 6 week High School Orchestra and Wind majors
        • World Youth Symphony Orchestra
        • Interlochen Philharmonic
        • World Youth Wind Symphony
      • Dance Majors (High School & Intermediate Session 2)
    • Final Departure Deadline: All students must depart no later than noon on Monday, Aug. 9. 

     

  • First 3-Week Session: June 27 - July 17, 2027
    • All first 3-week students must depart no later than noon on Saturday, July 17.
    • Organ majors will perform in “Chapel Organ” on Sunday, July 18 at 5 p.m. and may leave any time after that performance has ended.  

 

  • Second 3-Week Session: July 18 - Aug. 8, 2027
    • Standard Departure: Classes conclude on the evening of Saturday, Aug. 7. Students not participating in the final concert may depart at this time.
    • Extended Departure (Final Concert Participants): Students in the following groups must remain on campus through the final concert on the evening of Sunday, Aug. 8:
      • All 6 week High School Orchestra and Wind majors
        • World Youth Symphony Orchestra
        • Interlochen Philharmonic
        • World Youth Wind Symphony
      • Dance Majors (High School & Intermediate Session 2)
    • Final Departure Deadline: All students must depart no later than noon on Monday, Aug. 9. 

 

  • Intensive students
    • Intensive students may depart Thursday evening after their final artistic commitment and no later than noon on Friday, June 25, 2027.
    • Program activities will end by 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 24.  Students staying to attend additional programs will be housed and supervised until their registration begins the evening of June 26. Due to the logistics of preparing for the next session, students will likely be consolidated into cabins for Thursday and Friday nights.
    • Parents may request to depart one day late for a $500 fee. All requests for late departure must be submitted in writing to campquestions@interlochen.org. Families will be notified if their request is approved.  Requests for late departure are challenging to accommodate and require extreme circumstances.

Departure from Campus

Departing Campus via Interlochen Bus to Airport or Bus Station  
Students will be transported by uniformed Interlochen personnel to the Traverse City airport or bus station. Students departing from Traverse City airport will be chaperoned through the ticketing and security process to their departure gate.  

Departing Campus by Car

  • Families will meet Camp staff at their respective headquarters to begin the checkout process.
  • Students will complete a checkout card to ensure they have returned any library books, artistic supplies, or rented uniform pieces and have collected all of their belongings from the cabin, divisional headquarters, and health services.
  • Following completion of the checkout card, students can depart campus with their families or other pre-approved adults.

Shipping - Homeward Bound

Boxes and packing/shipping materials can be purchased from the Scholarshop, Interlochen’s on-campus store. Scholarshop staff will also arrange for shipping packages home at the end of each session via United States Postal Service (USPS) or United Parcel Service (UPS) depending on the size and/or destination of the shipment. The required peel-and-stick Shipping Address labels are available at the Scholarshop and division headquarters. Students may use their own boxes but must still have the required Shipping Address label. All homeward-bound shipping will be charged to the student account unless another payment type has been arranged with the Scholarshop. The Scholarshop cannot ship packages internationally or to U.S. territories. Families must make these arrangements directly with The Packaging Store in Traverse City. Camp Life staff can assist students after the family has initiated the service.

The fees for shipping are:

  • $10 plus actual UPS shipping cost (per package)
  • Prepaid UPS packages will incur a $5 handling fee per package
  • $5-30 special handling fees (per package) (for example, custom boxes for large instruments or artwork)
  • Boxes: $4.50 each, up to 24 inches; $10 each for larger boxes (duffel size)
  • Bubble wrap: $1.00 (6’ length)

Pickup Dates  
Packages will be collected during departure weekends. Packages must be in their designated pickup area no later than 2 p.m. on the following pickup dates: 

  • Saturday, July 10, 2027
  • Saturday, July 17, 2027
  • Saturday, July 24, 2027
  • Saturday, August 7, 2027
  • Sunday, August 8, 2027
  • Monday, August 9, 2027

Pines pickup locations:

  • Pines Evergreen: PE Rec Pavilion
  • Pines Woodland: PW Rec Pavilion

Lakeside pickup locations:

  • Lakeside Shores: Headquarters
  • Lakeside Grove: Braeside
  • Lakeside Meadows: LM Rec Pavilion
  • Lakeside Bluffs: LB Sundecker Pavilion   

All packages left at the pickup locations for shipping must be kept separate from luggage and packages being transported to the airport. Packages without shipping labels will not be collected.

Additional Packing and Shipping Information
Wrap each item separately. Fragile items should be separated from one another and kept at least two inches from the sides, corners, top, and bottom of the box. Use enough cushioning material to prevent the contents from moving when the box is gently shaken. Use bubble wrap or similar materials for cushioning purposes; improper materials include clothing, blankets, towels, newspaper, and pillows. Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Scholarshop are not responsible for items damaged during transport or shipment.  

  • Please fill out the address label completely with address, phone number, and email. Address labels can be picked up at the Scholarshop or division headquarters. The Scholarshop will not be liable for mislabeled packages.
  • Do not pack the following items: liquids, plants, food, medications, currency (including stamps), combustibles, or pressurized containers.
  • Totes, trunks, and other containers may be shipped via UPS. Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Scholarshop are not liable for any damages incurred during transport or shipment, to either the container or contents. Oversized bags, duffels, boxes, and containers will incur additional charges determined by the carrier.
  • If you need to ship an instrument, please contact the Scholarshop shipping department directly at 231.276.7386 to make individual arrangements.
  • The Scholarshop reserves the right to open and repack boxes as required.
  • Students traveling by airplane must be mindful of the high cost of excess and overweight baggage. Students who leave Interlochen early due to unforeseen circumstances will have all packages shipped using funds from their personal account. Parents and students should be aware the on-campus post office will not ship COD (collect on delivery).

Special note for students taking visual arts classes: Students taking visual arts classes will produce work that must be transported or shipped home. Some work can be rolled or carried flat, while other work, such as ceramics or sculpture, may be bulky or fragile. Faculty will assist students with packing, but students are responsible for taking their work home or arranging for shipment. Interlochen Center for the Arts, including the Scholarshop, is not responsible for shipping or transporting student work or for work left behind.

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your student with us. We hope to see you on campus again soon!