Newport-Mesa offers an array of summer camps

For children who dream of playing guitar like Jimmy Page, commanding a Broadway stage like Sutton Foster or pulling into a Tahitian barrel like Kelly Slater, Newport-Mesa has plenty to offer with an array of summer camps. DayJams, America’s Original Rock Music Day Camp, returns to Costa Mesa for the second year, offering campers a chance to learn or improve their skills on the guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, vocals or horns while gaining knowledge of rock ‘n’ roll history.

“This is something completely different that may develop a talent in kids that might not otherwise be getting a music education,” said camp director John Carbone. “It’s something that my generation never had. The only camps available involved sports and crafts.”

Children join together to form bands and dedicate their arts and crafts time to making CD covers, posters and band T-shirts. At the end of the week, each band performs an original song for friends and family and goes home with a personalized CD.

The program is designed for children ages 9 to 15 and runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 9 through 13 at Prince of Peace Lutheran School, 2987 Mesa Verde Drive. For more information, go to www.dayjams.com or call (800) 295-5956. The fee is $610 for the week.

For the dramatically inclined, One More Productions offers an array of musical theater workshops at Sher’s Art Gallery in Newport Beach. Participants will learn all aspects of theater, including singing, acting and choreography, and have the chance to perform in a fully-staged production.

Instructors include accredited teachers and professional directors, choreographers and performers.

“Art is usually the first thing to go in school, so children are not given the opportunity to understand it,” said the group’s artistic director, Damien Lorton. “This is a way for them to create and learn the structure and discipline of art in a fun, exciting atmosphere.”

There are several three-week programs available, three designed for third- to eighth-graders and two others for grades 9 through 12. All workshops are $300 to $350.

The gallery is at 2830 Newport Blvd. For more information, go to www.onemoreproductions.com or call (714) 425-1214.

Children looking to work on their skills in the water can check out Erik Nelsen’s Ocean Adventure Program, a Quiksilver/Roxy surf camp in Newport Beach.

Nelsen has 21 years of surf instruction under his belt and has ridden some of the world’s most famed waves. Throughout the summer, he will be joined by other professional surfers as he teaches campers how to surf, in addition to ocean safety, surf etiquette and topics in marine science.

The Quiksilver camp is intended for boys and girls ages 6 to 12 and the Roxy camp is all-girls, ages 8 to 14. Both camps, running from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, cost $500 per week and are available each week starting Monday through August 31 at West Newport Park.

For camp information, call (949) 464-0077 or visit www.eriknelsensurf.com. Registration information is available online or by calling (949) 644-3151.

Though it is not a summer camp in the conventional sense, the Balboa Island Yacht Club has attracted local children to the beach each summer since 1922.

“My father started it after he noticed a lot of kids on Balboa Island that didn’t have much to do in the summer,” said Seymour Beek, who runs the Balboa Island Ferry.

The “very local and very small” yacht club is run by the children as they participate in sailing, swimming, paddleboard and rowing competitions. There is no adult supervision offered.

Sign-ups are from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Carroll Beek Community Center, 115 Agate Avenue, Balboa Island. The club will run Monday through Wednesday for eight weeks beginning next week. Dues are $100, and there are additional fees for sailing instruction. For more information, call (949) 515-0328.