St. Johns County families, brace yourselves for the digital raffle equivalent of 'The Hunger Games,' because the Parks and Recreation Department is about to unleash its online summer camp lottery, set for the swift, the savvy, and the lucky, commencing bright and early Monday, February 23, 2026, at 8 a.m. The county recognizes the drill each year: demand for these coveted spots skyrockets faster than a tech stock in a bull market, hence the high-tech random drawing system it employs to allot camp spots fairly to kids ages 5 through 12, and sorry out-of-towners, this local privilege is for St. Johns County residents only.
The Summer Camp 2026 web page will serve as the portal to the camping universe and don't dally, as the link shuts down at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 6, 2026, and unlike those never-ending series on your streaming platforms, there's no autoplay here; once the window closes, that's it folks. "The link will close at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 6, 2026," reminds a video produced by Parks and Recreation, so bookmark it, set your alarms, do whatever it takes to remember, as per the St. Johns County website.
If the RNG gods deem you worthy, you'll know by March 24 when the electronic gods of email will shine upon you with their verdict; be advised, the department politely requests that you don't inundate them with eager phone calls or emails, and remember to actually check your spam/junk folders because sometimes good news doesn't land where it should. Should your preferred camp be filled to the brim, your little camper will get bumped to your second choice, and if that's a no-go, brace for a denial email that will give you the option to join the waiting list purgatory.
There are four wonderlands where the magic of summer camp unfolds: Davis Park, Ketterlinus Gym, Plantation Park, and Trout Creek, each offering a kaleidoscope of activities like field trips, arts and crafts, and everybody's summer favorite — swimming, but for the parents, perhaps the most critical information is the cost, setting back the bank account $430, though reduced rates of $330 and $230 are available for families with qualifying documentation, so keep those tax returns or pay stubs handy.
Remember, summer camp season is June 8 through July 24, excluding June 19 and July 3.
