About Camp Mini Ha Ha

Camp beginnings in Harbourville (2001 – 2005):

Beautiful Harbourville, Nova Scotia

 Camp Mini Ha Ha began as the brainchild of two Nova Scotia miniaturists, Debbie Parrott and Cheryl Hartlen, who were looking for a way to do miniatures in a place where there were none.   As a result, from 2001 to 2005, a base group of 8 to 10 invitees gathered for a long weekend in May or June for a few days of miniaturist fun.  During those years, the actual yearly “project” was an open public workshop all day Saturday at the old schoolhouse, turned community centre, in beautiful Harbourville, Nova Scotia where participants learned new skills and created small items for use in future mini projects of their own.  

The cost in those days was minimal – just enough to cover the project and food.  The open house on Saturday included a seafood chowder lunch made by Debbie Parrott.  The rest of the time, from Friday afternoon until Monday morning, was spent at the nearby cottages of Debbie Parrott and Iris Sutherland where everyone shared lots of laughs and ate a lot of chocolate!

After these first few years, what started as a small gathering of miniaturists outgrew the cozy cottage venue and so a move was required to someplace that could accommodate the increased interest.

Berwick United Church Camp (2006 – 2008):

Berwick United Church Camp

In 2006, the long weekend of several small projects held in May or June, became a longer event held in September at the Berwick United Church Camp in Berwick Nova Scotia.  The move to September was to take advantage of the lower off-season rate to rent the venue.  With more space and a couple of additional days, the projects became focussed on a larger project (a room box or large container project) with a few side workshops of little projects that complemented the main one. 

Debbie Parrott reminisces about the move to the large accommodation: 

“I must say, I was grateful to no longer be full time cook! We hired cooks there. Friends of ours from the Berwick United Church camp. And the food was terrific! So was the chocolate! Ours fees were enough that I used to go to the Moirs Chocolate outlet and buy a huge supply!  The ‘duck tales’ got going at Berwick. so at the first ABCC event Janie dressed up in a Duck costume and rode a scooter all over ABCC.  Ohhh-weee - the memories of the crazy fun are sliding in!!!!”

Another Camper, Marijke Hurkens, recalls:

"In the early days, there were no background themes to Camp week, but we did do fun and silly things,  The year of the sea shanty, I think, was dress-up Tea with the Queen, with Janie and Iris as the Queen and her lady-in-waiting.  There was always a dress-up event, optional, and in Berwick we had a Frenchie's just down the street for costume material.   One year it was bag ladies....

For at least two years at Berwick, visits were made to a fascinating tea room called Daydreams and Destiny.  Campers would dress up in hats from Debbie's vintage hat collection.   In fact, there were regular excursions prior to the move to ABCC, and for a year or so after, that were optional and held on the Sunday, for visitors [Campers] who wanted to see a bit of the area.  There were also skits every year, put on primarily by the original organizers, Iris, Janie and Debbie, although one year at Berwick, Maureen Heuchert [from Alberta] did a one-woman comedy show for us - fabulous!  She seemed such a quiet person, but what a hoot she was for that show!  I can't recall when the skits and excursions stopped, but I think it came about as a result of the increasingly ambitious projects.  The dress-up theme dinners took the place of those, I think."

After just three years at the Berwick location, it was time to expand again.

Annapolis Basin Conference Centre (ABCC) (2009 – present):

Annapolis Basin Conference Centre - Guest registration and dining hall

 As interest in Camp Mini Ha Ha grew, a more permanent and easy-to-get-to location was found in the Annapolis Basin Conference Centre in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia.  Just a 15 or 20 minute drive from the Saint John (New Brunswick) to Digby (Nova Scotia) Ferry, and about 2 ½ hour drive from the Halifax airport, this former naval training base was purchased and refurbished into the conference centre and accommodations it is today. 

Camp is now a 5-day retreat that can accommodate up to 34 Campers each year.  The projects vary in size and complexity each year and the organizers put a lot of work into planning not just the main project itself but additional workshops that help increase skill sets and perhaps pique an interest in a mini-related skill we may have never tried before. 

As in previous iterations of Camp, lots of chocolate is consumed and lots of laughter and silliness takes place, even as Campers work hard for several hours a day to bring the newest project to life. One additional treat that has been added as an option is a relaxing massage provided by a local masseuse to ease any aching muscles from bending over our work for so many hours.  Campers who partake of this option come back so relaxed and renewed and ready for more mini-making and fun!  Saturday night there is a live auction held to raise funds towards next year’s Camp.  Sunday night is our closing dinner where, while not mandatory, people are encouraged to dress up in accordance with that year’s theme.  There’s lots of creativity shown and fun to be had in a portable photo booth that captures the event.

The bottom line, and the reason why so many Campers return year after year, can be summed up in one word – people!  The friendships made have stood the test of time and Campers all love coming back to share time and talents (and chocolate!) with all the wonderful and crazy miniature enthusiasts they have met through the years. 

We’ve become a family and it can’t get better than that!