Answers to YOUR Questions
We encourage you to BOOKMARK this page on your Smartphone. Click for instructions for iPHONE or ANDROID.
What is my Itinerary? See HERE
Where are Directions to the Camp? See HERE
What is the Gate Passcode to enter the camp?
For security reasons, the main gate into the camp is closed most of the time. The passcode to open the gate is TBA.
Where is the Schedule of Activities? See PDF or MOBILE-FRIENDLY VERSION
NOTE: Be sure an refresh the Schedule of Activities webpage if you have viewed the schedule before. The schedule may be updated up until the day before the retreat begins.
Where is a Site Map? See HERE
What are the important numbers I need to have?
- Lisa Dryer (Instructor Concierge and Shuttle Coordinator between camp and hotel) – (972) 740-0738
- Margaret Graham (Golf Cart and Shuttle Dispatcher) – (469) 526-3684
- Main Office — (469) 215-1840
How do I check in at the hotel in Midlothian?
You will be staying at the Courtyard by Marriott Midlothian Conference Center Thursday through Sunday nights (some will also stay Wednesday night). It is located at 3 Community Circle Drive, Midlothian, Texas 76065 (6 miles from Camp Hoblitzelle, 11-minute drive). When you arrive, go to the front desk and give them your confirmation number. The room is listed in your name. You will be asked for your credit card for any personal expenses besides the room. Breakfast is included with your stay. It is offered from 7:30-9:30 a.m. each morning in the conference room at the hotel.
What transportation is available for me?
Our volunteers will pick you up at your designated airport and take you to the Courtyard by Marriott Midlothian Conference Center where you will be spending Thursday through Sunday nights. Those who will arrive from Ireland will also spend Wednesday night at the hotel. Margaret Graham manages all of our transportation to and from the airports. Margaret‘s number is (469) 526-3684. We have a shuttle between the hotel and the camp, and you can see the schedule HERE. Also, our “instructor concierge” Lisa Dryer will help you with other travel arrangements during the camp as needed. Her number is (972) 740-0738.
Is there one person in particular that can assist me?
While anyone on our retreat team is willing to help, we have created a position called “instructor concierge” whose role is to assist you with anything you need, and that person is Lisa Dryer. You can reach her by texting or calling (972) 740-0738. If you have an Irish phone service that can’t make U.S. calls easily, we will set up a WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger connection. As a last resort, you can call our main office number which is (469) 215-1840.
What is the schedule for the shuttle between the camp and the Marriott Hotel?
See SHUTTLE SCHEDULE for the rides offered between the camp and the Marriott Hotel. If you need rides in addition to these, contact Lisa Dryer at (972) 740-0738 and she will arrange rides if possible.
How will I get around campus?
Camp Hoblitzelle is a beautiful, large campus, and classrooms and lodging may not always be right next to each other. Bikes are welcomed and many of our participants like walking to and from activities. Our Operations staff will be driving around in golf carts with O’Flaherty signs in the windshield, and are happy to give you a lift to your next activity. If you know in advance that you will need a ride, please text or call our Golf Cart Dispatcher at (469) 526-3684 with your name, where you’d like to be picked up, and at what time, and we will do our best to accommodate you.
Please remember the following about our golf cart service:
- Our Operations team offer golf cart rides from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (unless prior arrangements are made)
- Golf carts are to be driven by authorized members of our staff only
- Camp Hoblitzelle personnel on golf carts are not permitted to offer rides to our guests – look for the O’Flaherty sign in the windshield.
What will the weather be like during the retreat? See HERE
Where do I check in at the retreat and when?
Check in is at the Chapel from 4-9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23rd and 8-10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 24th. You will receive a badge and lanyard, a wristband, a t-shirt (if pre-ordered). Because we are paperless, there will be QR codes displayed for you to use to view the Schedule of Events, the Camp Waiver and Retreat Instructor Answers on your devices. We suggest you bookmark this “Answers” webpage to access all of our documents and general info.
Must I sign a waiver?
Yes, the camp requires everyone to sign a waiver. Please review the waiver HERE. When you arrive, you will be asked to sign by your name to signify that you read and accept its provisions. A copy of the waiver will be available at check-in for review, but check-in will be faster if you review the waiver in advance of coming. You will then be given a camp wristband that must be worn at all times.
Where and when do I deliver my CDs and other merchandise for sale at the Retreat Store?
Ideally, when you check in. Our store manager Paul Dryer or one of his volunteers will log your items for sale at the Retreat Store which is adjacent to our main office in the Chapel where you will check in. If no one is available at the store, we will store your merchandise in a room near the Retreat Store and will log your items when a member of the store’s team arrives. FYI – we sell instructor CDs for $20.00.
When will I get paid for my services and merchandise?
During the retreat, we will begin making payments to you for your teaching fees using the form of payment you selected in your instructor agreement. If you submitted merchandise to be sold at our Retreat Store, after the final Sunday evening concert, we will take inventory of your items and prepare a reconciliation sheet that determines what you will be paid. We will then transport your remaining merchandise with a copy of the reconciliation sheet to the hotel. Katie Duncan will pay you within 24 hours for your merchandise sold using the form of payment you selected in your instructor agreement. (Reminder that we will subtract 3% for credit card fees for the sales made).
When and where is the Kick-Off BBQ dinner on Thursday and what is planned afterwards?
The Kick-Off BBQ dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Texas Pavilion. Food will be served for one hour only. Our Instructors Concerts will begin at 8 p.m. followed by sessions throughout the camp and at the hotel. If you remain at camp, let Lisa Dryer know when you want to go back, and she’ll arrange to take you back to the hotel when you’re ready.
Is there a “Teachers Lounge?”
Yes, and it is located at the Clinic across from the Texas Pavilion where the Kick-Off BBQ Dinner was held (see SITE MAP). This will be a place where you can relax, have coffee, water, tea, snacks and fruit, and it’s for teachers only. It is open throughout the day. On your itinerary, every time you see “Free Time/Teachers Lounge at Clinic,” you can choose to do whatever you want including attend workshops, enrichment classes, informances, sessions, walk the grounds, give private lessons, etc. It’s your time.
What if I have a medical emergency or need first aid?
For medical emergencies needing an EMT, call 911. Both the Retreat Store in the Chapel and the camp staff have first aid kits. The camp also has other medical services they can provide, so call the retreat’s main office number at (469) 215-1840 if you need medical assistance that is not of an emergency nature, and we can facilitate the camp staff to provide needed aid.
Is there public Wifi at the camp?
There is a public Wifi, and there is no password required. Warning — it is spotty in places as is wireless connection for some cell phone providers. If you need better Wifi for your presentations, contact our AV team about using a different network.
Where will our meals be?
Your breakfasts will be at the Marriott Hotel which is served from 7:30-9:30 a.m. each morning. Breakfast is offered in the conference room at the hotel from 7:30-9:30 a.m. every morning. Your lunches (12-1 p.m.) and dinners (5:30-6:30 p.m.) Friday through Sunday will be at the dining hall at the camp. The Thursday night BBQ is at the Texas Pavilion at 6:30-7:30 p.m..
Where can I get coffee?
There will be coffee available each morning at the hotel. We also will have coffee and tea in the Teachers Lounge in the Clinic open all of the time.
There will be a coffee and water station provide by Camp Hoblitzelle set up in the lobby of the Chapel that will be open at all times. We ask for donations for the coffee to offset the cost the camp will be charging us. The camp will provide a limited number of coffee cups with lids but they have asked us to encourage our participants to bring their own reusable cups/mugs with lids. We plan to give you a reusable coffee/tea cup with lid at check in.
How can I make copies?
We will have a small copier at the retreat main office in the Chapel that you can make copies for free. If you have large numbers of documents to copy, we suggest you send the documents to us in advance and we will make the copies for you. Send them to info@oflahertyretreat.org no later than Monday, October 20th. Again, there is no charge for this.
How can I share documents and MP3s with my students after the retreat?
If you have documents or MP3 files that you want to share with your students, let us know and we will set up a Goggle Drive folder where you can upload items to it and give your students access.
How are the Instructor Concerts organized?
You have been assigned to a group on one evening of the retreat to perform in concert on the main stage at the Chapel. Please refer to our Schedule (PDF or Mobile-Friendly) for the date of your performance and who is in your group. Each group will have 30 minutes. You can choose to play as one ensemble or split the time to perform individually. In groups that don’t have accompaniment, you can ask other instructors or guest musicians to participate, however, we need to be informed in advance of those plans. Because we keep to a tight schedule, please keep your overall performance to 30 minutes. By the way, on concert evenings, we will set up a “Green Room” across from the Chapel in the Silver Spur where groups can rehearse, tune and plan before performing for a period of 30 minutes before your concert. We will come get you when it is time for you to take the stage.
When and where are the sound checks in advance of my Instructor Concert
On the day you will perform, we have set aside time to do sound checks from 4-5:30 p.m. in the Chapel. Please attend these sound checks with your group members and any accompanists you’ve invited to perform. You don’t have to be there the entire time shown, just the time it takes your group to do your sound check together. we prefer that the first group does their sound check last so the mixing console settings are prepped for the first act of the night.
What is the Farewell Concert about?
On Sunday evening after the regularly scheduled concerts have ended, we will have a Farewell Concert with all of the instructors performing together. Please gather at the Silver Spur (Green Room) directly across from the Chapel between 8-8:30 p.m. to unpack instruments and tune. Decide as a group what set of three jigs and a set of three reels you’ll play. You will be called to the stage when the Farewell Concert is to begin. After that concert and you have left the stage, everyone will join in the singing of “Safe Home” and the retreat officially ends.
I’m teaching a Lecture or Workshop. What do I need to know?
Your lecture or workshop is one hour in length. You can choose to have a question and answer period at the end of your presentation, but please keep the overall time to one hour. By now, you should have been asked to submit your audio visual and teaching needs using a form the link of which was emailed to you. Our AV team will have your equipment, if requested, set up in your assigned classroom. We ask that you arrive to class at least 15 minutes before to prepare. Please note that your lecture or workshop may not be held in the same classroom as your regular core classes. For the date, time and location, see our Schedule (PDF or Mobile-Friendly).
I am giving an Informance. What do I need to know?
This event is one hour in length, and the focus should be on your musical journey. This would be a great time to talk about who influenced your playing/learning, discuss your style of playing, demonstrate the intricacies of your instrument, singing or dancing, etc. Our hope is that other students besides those enrolled in your core classes might like to hear you play/sing/talk about Irish music from your unique perspective. You can choose to have a question and answer period at the end of your presentation, but please keep the overall time to one hour. By now, you should have been asked to submit your audio visual and teaching needs using a form the link of which was emailed to you. For the date, time and location of your Informance, see our Schedule (PDF or Mobile-Friendly).
I am leading a “Play Along Session. What do I need to know?
On one evening after the instructor concerts, you will be one of several leaders assigned to an event we call “Playing Along Sessions.” Simply, for one hour, you will play tunes and the students will play along. You can decide what tunes to play or you can accept suggestions, but the purpose is to play tunes that others can join in. There may be different levels of ability present, so you might need to change the tempos to accommodate those who are playing. For the date, time and location of your Play Along Session, see our Schedule (PDF or Mobile-Friendly) or your INTINERARY.
Can I have guests come to the camp or attend the concerts?
Yes, but they must be registered as guests. For security reasons, everyone who is at camp must have a badge and wear a camp wristband. To obtain those, guests must register online at REGISTER without choosing anything. They will be charged a $25.00 “Guest Fee” which covers campus access and the concerts. Please let our Director Ken Fleming know if your guest warrants VIP treatment, and he will provide a code to waive the fees.
I recently had COVID or have some symptoms, can I still come?
If you have had COVID recently, please go to CDC’s Isolation and Exposure Calculator HERE to see guidelines. If you are having symptoms, please take a rapid antigen COVID test. If positive, please stay home unless the guidelines otherwise indicate you are safe to participate. Generally, if you are sick with any illness that is contagious, please stay home.
When are the Retreat Store, Main Office and Vendor Booths open?
The Retreat Store, Main Office and Vendor Booths will be open during the times and days below in the Chapel. If you need assistance outside of those times, seek out our Instructors Concierge Lisa Dryer by texting or calling her at (972) 740-0738 or through WhatsApp or our operations team who will be traveling around the grounds on carts at (469) 215-1840. Here are the hours for the office, store and booths located in the Chapel:
Thursday
Retreat Office: 4-9 p.m.
Friday
Retreat Office: 8-10 a.m.
Retreat Store and Vendor Booths: During evening concerts and at times when classes/workshops are not being held in the Chapel.
Saturday
Retreat Office: 8-10 a.m.
Retreat Store and Vendor Booths: During evening concerts and at times when classes/workshops are not being held in the Chapel.
Sunday
Retreat Office: Closed
Retreat Store and Vendor Booths: During evening concerts and at times when classes/workshops are not being held in the Chapel.
Monday
Retreat Office: 8-10:30 a.m.