The yearly lottery for the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation’s (DPR) 2024 summer camps is officially open and will close Feb. 26. Offerings for the two-week sessions include everything from basketball to cooking camps, but some programs see such high demand that DPR uses a random digital lottery system each year to allocate the limited slots.
DPR will host four sessions this summer from June 26 through Aug. 16. With more than 50 sites across the District, families can choose from summer camp locations in all eight wards.
The offerings fall into four categories: signature camps, sports camps, specialty camps and therapeutic recreation camps. Generally, children between the ages of 3 and 13 qualify, though certain therapeutic recreation camps can accommodate adolescents up to 16 years old.
Costs per session range from $135 to $220, depending on the program; families in need can also apply for reduced rates. Regular camp hours run from 9 a.m. through 5 p.m., though for an extra $20 kids can join before or after care, which adds an extra hour on either end of the day.
Registering for the lottery does not guarantee a slot—for many of the summer camps, demand often exceeds supply. According to DPR’s website, specialty camps tend to be particularly popular; this year’s specialties include programs focused on swimming, performing arts, cooking and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math).
On the lottery site, families can choose four choices per child.
“Residents should apply for the camps they most want their children to attend, and every family has different needs,” DPR’s online summer camp FAQs page reads. “Some families will prioritize the type of camp and some place a higher preference on the location of the camp.”
Still, DPR recommends applying to a nearby signature camp as a backup if a specialty camp is the first choice. The agency says some of the most in-demand locations in the past have been Turkey Thicket, Takoma, Sherwood, Hillcrest and Jelleff.
Signing up early doesn’t help or hurt a registrant’s chances—all names added before the Feb. 26 deadline count the same.
By March 1, families selected in the camp lottery will be notified of an enrollment offer via email.
Within each email, parents and guardians can officially sign up their children for their chosen session. The final deadline to confirm camp slots and payment is March 6.
