Updated February 3, 2026
We are ready to open registration for English Trifle 2026! It will take place over Memorial Day weekend (this year that’s May 23-24-25), from early Saturday afternoon (to avoid horrendous Friday afternoon traffic) through Monday afternoon. We are very pleased to be again at The Claggett Center, 3035 Buckeystown Pike, Adamstown, MD (a few miles south of Frederick).
We have a stellar line-up. Our callers are Melissa Running and Joanna Reiner Wilkinson. As some of you know, we do not hire an established band; instead, we hire eight musicians, and each workshop has a different combination of musicians and instruments. This year, our two keyboard masters are Jonathan Jensen and Kendall Rogers. Violin virtuosi are Elke Baker and David Knight. Owen Morrison will add guitar and the excitement of foot percussion; multi-instrumentalist Paul Oorts will play mandolin, banjo and more, all brilliantly. Bruce Edwards contributes the elegance and sometimes the comedy of bassoon; Tina Chancey’s masterful viola da gamba has its very special magic. And speaking of magic, The Sound Guy, Jamie Platt, will be on hand to ensure perfect balance and clarity.
In the past, we have used a free online “shopping cart” service (they did take a fee from every transaction, of course). They have now initiated an annual fee, and as this is a once-a-year event, we have decided to simply go back to paper registration forms and checks. We do have Paypal, and if you wish to funnel payment through Paypal, we are happy to use that alternative. Give us a call at 301-422-0292.
All meals (and tea/coffee and snacks) are included and served cafeteria style, but in a comfortable, carpeted Dining Hall with round tables and real chairs (instead of cafeteria tables with benches). Six meals are included: dinner Saturday, three meals (and snacks) on Sunday, and breakfast and lunch on Monday.
We have been assigned some rooms in Claggett’s Christiane Inn (queen beds), and three of what Claggett calls Cottages, with single beds, usually no more than two per room. No dormitory style open rooms with bunk beds or cots. Rooms in the Inn are significantly more expensive than the Cottages, and as we have a limited number, they will be allocated based on registration date. There is additional information on the Registration Form, which I will link to after I’ve re-read my notes about how to do that (sorry).
We will dance in the air conditioned and ADA-compliant Barn (see photo above — it’s beautiful).
There will be a few fellowships available if you can arrive Friday, help with decorations and sound load in, assist with snacks and the tea break on Sunday, and help load out on Monday afternoon.
A tentative schedule will be available soon.
