Updated 6/27/2026
Drum ’N’ Splash 2026!
Our 32nd Year!
Wednesday, July 1st - Sunday, July 5th, 2026
“Sharing the Power of the Drum and the Grace of the Dance
with the next generation of Drummers, Dancers, and Teachers”
2026 Draft Schedule Preview - Click Here!
Download a PDF of the 2025 Drum ’N’ Splash Draft Program [7. MB ]
We are aware of the Heat Advisories issued for most of the nation for July 1st through 4th.
Fear not. We will have free ice for water bottles, cold showers, fans in shared spaces, ice cream & ice bags for sale, and the cool spring water. Come join us for drumming and dance workshops this weekend, we will have a lot of cool things taking place. We remind everyone to: Be Responsible. Slow Down. Stay Hydrated. Monitor and Pace Yourself.
The Schedule will flex as needed. Come to The Daily Run-Down for Updates!
NEW FOR 2026! COMMUNITY RUBBER DUCKY BURN!
Inspired by his annual effigy at Mythicon, this year Ken Crampton is helping us emphasize the SPLASH in Drum N Splash with our very own custom Rubber Duck effigy. This year we are getting silly with it & celebrating with this collaborative, communal work of art. We will be decorating the duck throughout the week, and we will add our intentions to the effigy before offering it to the fire as part of Saturday Night’s Festivities.
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https://www.4qf.org/drumandsplash#sigProIdcf7e46b274
“Fire Circle is Sacred Space, the beating heart of our community,
something precious that glows brighter as it is shared.”
One of Four Quarters best kept secrets, Drum and Splash is simply a Very Good Time, and a great way to Celebrate an Alternative Nation’s Birthday with Family, Friends and Tribe, with no agenda other than to Drum all Night and Swim all Day, sharing a working vision of the possible through Community, Sustainability, and Personal Responsibility.
We have developed over the years an alternative idea of community and of the greatness of our nation, a modern day American Tribe of flourishing diversity and tolerance. A place that values family in all of its flavors and supports the family choices of each individual. Where, for a time, we can return to our human roots and take simple pleasure in simple things. Song and Dance. A swim in the river. The laughter of children. Sharing a meal under a spreading oak tree. For these are the things that are worth keeping close, and worth celebrating on this nation’s birthday.
Drum and Dance go together in a deeply symbiotic relationship that’s existed since the dawn of percussion. The Drum feeds Rhythm to the dancers, who provide Purpose for the Drum, in its own small ecosystem of light and spirit. Beyond the Fire Circle, a parallel schedule of Dance workshops complements Drum teachings.
Since our beginning there has been a Fire Circle at Four Quarters. Once again as we celebrate Drum and Splash, we continue to dedicate ourselves to holding the Sacred Space within the Fire Circle as we focus on sharing the Power of the Drum and the Grace of the Dance with the next generation of Drummers, Dancers and Teachers who will continue to hold Sacred Space for the next 20 years of Drum and Splash and, in turn, cultivate the generations of Drummers and Dancers yet to come.
Registration Information for Drum and Splash 2026
Call our office to pre-register with your credit card
Or with your questions at 814-784-3080.
.: Register in our Shopping Cart :.
Pre-Registrations by June 19
Members Pre-Registration: Arrive Weds-Fri: $120
Non-Mems PreReg: Arrive Weds-Thurs: $150,
Arrive Fri: $125, Arrive Sat: $100
Gate Arrival, Weds-Thur: $175, Fri: $150, Sat: $125
Handicapped, Special Circumstances? CALL US!
Children under 16 are loved, cherished and FREE!
Call our office at 814-784-3080 with your registration or questions.
Meal Plans, Accommodations and Facilities
The Starvin’ Artist serves Brunch and Dinner with Herbivore and Omnivore selections, all you can possibly eat, Pre-Registered only.
And our Saturday Ice Cream Social & Amazing Omni-Vegi-Vorian Block Party Feast is Free for everyone attending, you’re invited!
Dinner Weds - Sun Brunch, 7 meals & 1 feast: $140
Dinner Thurs - Sun Brunch, 5 meals & 1 feast: $105
Dinner Fri - Sun Brunch, 3 meals & 1 feast: $70
Brunch Sat - Sun Brunch, 2 meals & 1 feast: $50
Wed- Teriyaki Beef Tips & Portobello Mushrooms
Rice Noodles, Egg Rolls, Curried Carrot Salad
Broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, onions, snap peas, water chestnuts, baby corn, salad
Thr- Peppercorn Cream Pork/Chicken/Tofu
Scallop potatoes, green beans, pea/carrot/corn mix, dinner rolls, pickled beets, salad
Fri- Cajun chicken/andouille sausage/Portobello Mushrooms
Red beans, dirty rice, okra stewed tomatoes, collard greens, corn bread, salad, remoulade
Sat- Burgers/Veggie Burgers & Hot dogs/Carrot dogs
Macaroni salad, potato wedges, baked beans, corn on the cob, watermelon, salad, ice cream social!
Lodging at Four Quarters - is available, call the office to inquire.
Rooms have double-beds, blankets and pillows; Bunks have fitted sheets.
During events rooms and bunks are bundled with meal plans and are booked for Wednesday thru Sunday or Friday thru Sunday.
You must call the Office to reserve. 814-784-3080.
Flush toilets and hot showers at both the Upper and Lower Shower Houses.
You are welcome to arrive before Wednesday and stay later than Sunday. Early In and Late Out camping is $12 a night for Members and $20 a night for non-members.
In-Camp Car Camping Permits are $15 per night additional. In-Camp Car Parking passes are $25 and very limited. Unlimited free Main Parking.
Handicapped? Please contact us for your free In-Camp parking pass.
Merchants
Merchant Booths are juried, pre-registered and very limited. Contact us early to merchant.
Just Some of our Presenters, Performers, and Master Teachers!
Ken Crampton
Everybody Drum!
Artist, Facilitator, Event Designer and Owner has over 25 years experience in Building Community through the Rhythm and Arts. Ken has helped develop communities and events such as First Fridays (a monthly gallery hop), First Night Fredericksburg (founding member), The Drum Circle Facilitators Guild (founding director). Schools (pre through college), Libraries, Banks, Festivals, Church Retreats, Adult Care Facilities, and Corporations have all included Everybody Drum into their events as workshops, icebreakers or keynote presentations. Working with the various communities, he designs successful programs that are fun, enlightening and exciting! Ken has trained with Arthur Hull, Babatunde Olatunji, Mamady Keita, Keith Terry, Kalani and Jaqui MacMillan and is a graduate of HealthRHYTHMS, Village Music Circles, and Drum Circle Music.
Djembè Care and Repair - Have a busted drum? Need new rope? A skin? I brought tools! Visit Ken's booth and talk about the care and tuning of your beloved noisemaker or arrange for a repair.
$30 Skins / $50 full tune back to verticals / $20 pulling diamonds
$275 BUILD IT! Skin, Rings, Rope and Shell
Pre-Registration helps with bringing enough supplies for the classes! Pre-payment ROCKS PAYPAL This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ken will bring some supplies for last minute registrations and those still on the fence about taking his classes
Shahrazad Shiraz
Shahrazad Shiraz has been performing as a professional belly dancer and
instructor for over 25 years her style is Raqs Sharqi. She performs regularly with
Dragon Song, and she teaches at her dance studio Shimmy Headquarters in
Maryland. her specialty is double sword, she is very high energy and loves to
share her love of this beautiful art form.
Drumlady Kristen Arant
& the Bele Bele Rhythm Collective
Drumlady Kristen Arant is a musician, activist and teaching artist whose mission is to facilitate skilled artistry & self-expression, build intergenerational community rooted in diversity, and create joyful music that deepens and expands the world's knowledge and appreciation of West African musical instruments, genres and culture. Kristen was originally an oboist, switching to the drum due to its natural fit with her activist pursuits. Kristen was heavily involved in fighting against the Iraq war and occupation. In 2003, Kristen became known for cutting off Donald Rumsfeld in the middle of a speech at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. From the rafters, while lowering a sign reading "Bloody Hands," she spoke the truth to him for nearly 30 seconds before being taken away. The event was covered on international news. During this time she was instrumental in setting up the Rhythm Workers Union activist drumming ensemble, which ultimately led her to begin studying West African drumming with masters including Baile McKnight, Tammi Hessen, Mamady Keita, Mahiri Keita, Monette Marino, and Ubaka Hill. She has also been to Ghana 5 times, helped establish the Drumming Up From Poverty youth program there, taken 5 tours of her students there, and helped set up the Ghana drum shop Hands on Drums in Washington DC.
Kristen has always advocated for women to drum due to the field being so male dominated, and has used her talents to create safe spaces for women drummers including the Young Women's Drumming Empowerment Project non-profit and the Bele Bele Rhythm Collective ensemble, which she founded over 10 years ago and co-leads with partner Ayanna Gallant. Kristen is also adept at working with children. She has a certificate in Arts Integration and is currently employed as the music teacher for grades K-6th at Lee Montessori Public Charter School, and has received 22 grants over the last 20 years for her work. Kristen is known for accessible teaching style, and has been called the "Rosetta Stone of West African drumming for Westerners." Also a singer/songwriter, Kristen is currently working on a new album featuring songs she has written about the many instruments she teaches. She has many students of all ages and genders and backgrounds who have returned to her classes again and again. www.drumlady.com
20-minute private lessons available for $20 per segment.
Erro Gutshal
African Drumming
Erro Gutshall has been teaching traditional West African drumming for the past 25 years. He has been to Africa three times to travel extensively in Guinea, Mali, Senegal and Morocco to study with masters, as well as workshops with many masters here in the United States. Erro credits much of his training to Dan Trevino, since 1999. He is the founding member and creative director of “Drums of West Africa” and been performing since 2002, several times at both Penn State University and Juniata College as well as weddings and private bookings.
Erro is a past member of Nommo Performing Arts, and Barafo Drum and Dance. He has performed several times with Camara Drum & Dance including at The National Aviary and Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh.
DragonSong
World Music Ensemble
Jeremy Zacherl - band leader, songwriter, guitars, vocals, drums;
Bridget Bystry - songwriter, violin, vocals, mandolyn, drums; Mark Cheater - drums master;
Cecil Conley - bass guitar, vocals; Kylie Hillali - canun; Giacomo – drums
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| Ayanna Gallant |
Kurt Griffith |
Jason Walker |
Sa’ida Al Aziz |
Also featuring:
Colin Lennox, Billy Woods, Yoga Christie, Kaylaya Kate, Giselle Gregori, Tadashi Kato, Michael Feifer, Mike McConnell, and the Sweat Lodge Team!
We're planning another big year for 2026 with a lot going on, and a packed program wirh plenty to do. We’ve got a lot of our Crowd Favorites and some New Presenters, abundant classes and workshops, and of course the solace and shelter of the Land.
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| Dragon! |
Swimmin' Hole! |
Coffeehouse! |
Sweat Lodge |
Drum ’N’ Splash 2026 Schedule Preview
Download a PDF of the 2025 Drum ’N’ Splash Draft Program [7. MB ]
As the years have gone by, we have grown and evolved, and our experience of Fire, Drum, Dance, Ceremony, Community, and Tribe has grown and evolved also. We have come to understand that Fire Circle is Sacred Space, the beating heart of our community, something precious that glows brighter as it is shared. As we go about creating this space in a good way, we make a place of respect and of safety where the Drum supports the Dancers, the Dancers feed the Fire, and the Fire feeds us all. Inside this Sacred Space we step out of the ordinary and into our authentic selves.
Yes, Drum and Splash is all about Drumming and Splashing, but it is much more. For five days we create a village along the river, with lots to do:
Typical Weekend Highlights:
Dance and Drum Performances
Workshops with the Masters of Drum and Dance
The Middle Eastern Vibe of the Kasbah
Planned activities for the Kids’ Tribe
Fire Spinning, and Fire Arts
The Dragon Dance and Procession of Talent
Qi Gong, Meditation, Kirtan and Sacred Drum
Yoga and Sound Healing
The Body Shaking Thunder of Japanese Taiko
The Percussion Plus Open Mic Coffee House
Sweat Lodge and Native Ceremonial Drum
Bathing Aphrodite Procession
The Infamous Rubber Ducky Race
Community Feast and Ice Cream Social
All Night Fire, Dance, and Drum!!!
• Enjoy the solace of The Land itself, listed as the most ecologically diverse tract in Bedford County by the Western Pennsylvania Nature Conservancy.
• Swim in Sideling Hill Creek, an unspoiled treasure among Appalachian watersheds. Hemlock Hole is a spectacular swimming area, shadowed by our cliffs, cherished by young and old. And there are four other swimming holes strung along a creek-side trail.
• Learn something new in one of our many engaging workshops: dancing, drumming, hooping, fire-spinning, drum building... and so much more!
• Rejuvenate in one of our classes and activities in yoga, Qi Gong, chanting, trance dance, sweat lodge, and journaling.
• Explore the living natural history of The Land with guided hikes, nature walks, garden tours, and service projects.
• Experience the magic of the performances in the Upper Drum Circle at sundown every night. Children hold the place of honor here at twilight. As the night deepens and the kids fall asleep, the serious drumming begins. And even later in the night, Pure Magic!
• Relax and vacation with your family and friends while camping under a sky full of stars, Four Quarters has over 35 acres of camping space in wooded areas, by the creekside, or in sunny meadows. DEP certified drinking water, flush toilets and hot showers complement the camping.
• Participate in lively discussion or open jam at The Coffee Dragons outdoor cafe. Early morning through late night serving free coffee, tea and cocoa from their pavilion on the High Meadow. 
• Study with the Masters of Drum and Dance in intensive free and fee paid workshops for the serious drummer and dancer.
• Immerse yourself in the rich traditions of many different cultures' rhythms, dances, celebrations, and ceremonies.
• Re-enact the Bathing of Aphrodite, an Ancient Greek patriotic festival that parades through our village.
• Create some extraordinary memories to take away with you and bring back to share with others in future years.
• Discover the unique wares of our Merchants Green village within a village.
• Compete in The Rubber Ducky Race! No “sailor” wants to miss this light-hearted note!
• Witness the magic of a procession of talent at dusk, featuring an escort of fire artists, the pageantry of the dancers, the passion of the drummers, and the mystery of the Dragon Dance... building a crescendo of energy leading into an all night drum circle to the stars!
Our Energy Builds from Wednesday Night with the First Fire Circle leading into a Thursday and Friday filled with Workshops, Play and Performance, flowing into Saturday’s Masters Classes. The River waits cool and inviting. As Saturday evening descends, our Drummers and Fire Arts Procession dances the way to a Fire Circle that will Light up the Night.