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Events

Hip Hop Camp Out

Chicago Hip Hop Heritage Museum. Save the date! Hip Hop Camp Out 2026. July 31st to August 2nd. Camp Shabbona Woods, 15810 Torrence Ave, South Holland, IL.Past

A Family Camping & Cultural Experience

Culture. Community. Creativity. Outdoors.

Hip Hop Camp Out is an immersive family-centered outdoor cultural 2 day event led by the Chicago Hip Hop Heritage Museum, presented in partnership with the Cook County Forest Preserves, and produced by Diverse City.

Held at Camp Shabbona Woods in South Holland Illinois, Hip Hop Camp Out invites families, community organizations, teams, and participants in hip hop culture to come together for a weekend of camping, nature exploration, and culturally rooted programming designed for all ages.

This experience blends outdoor recreation with the creative, educational, and healing power of hip hop—encouraging families to disconnect from routine, reconnect with nature, and engage with culture together.

Supported by Custom Resources, TRECC Community Development Foundation, Chi Rock Nation, and Soul Selector DJs.

BOOK PACKAGE

Who It’s For

Hip Hop Camp Out is designed for:

  • Families and youth involved in hip hop culture
  • Community organizations and cultural groups
  • Sports teams, school groups, and youth collectives
  • Anyone seeking a creative, nature-based family experience
  • Vendors trying to reach this market

No camping or hip hop experience is required—just a willingness to participate, learn, and build community.

Hip Hop Camp Out logo: a camper in a cap with a backpack, in a circle of pine trees.

Two Day Overnight Camping Package

Check In July 31st after 3PM - Check Out Sunday August 2, 2026 12PM

  • Cabins EARLY BIRD PRICE $200 until June 1st (sleeps 8)
  • Tent Site EARLY BIRD PRICE $100 until June 1st (up to 6 people must provide own tent)
  • Oversize Tent Site EARLY BIRD PRICE $400 until June 1st (up to 40 people must provide tents)
  • Access to Sand Ridge Nature Center, Camp Shabbona Woods, and Green Lake Family Aquatic Center
  • All Programming for Hip Hop Kids, United, Under the Stars, and Rise

BOOK PACKAGE

Camp Site Pictures

  • A cabin at Camp Shabbona Woods.
  • A wooded tent site with a picnic table at Camp Shabbona Woods.
  • A ring of stump seats around a fire pit at Camp Shabbona Woods.
  • A wooden tent platform and stump seats at a campsite, with a person walking past.
  • A picnic shelter with a fire ring in front of it.
  • A gravel path past a campsite with a tent platform and log benches.
  • An open grassy clearing ringed by bare trees.
  • A gravel campsite with a fire pit and a picnic table, edged by trees.
  • A gravel path leading to a campsite with a fire pit.
  • A man outside the restroom building, by a bench under the covered walkway.
  • A grassy area under bare trees.
  • Inside a covered picnic shelter with tables.
  • A picnic shelter with wooden posts and tables.
  • A parking lot at the edge of the woods.
Map of Camp Shabbona Woods showing tent sites, cabins, shelter, restrooms and showers, nature play space, the oversize group camp site and the trail to Sand Ridge Nature Center. www.hiphopcampout.com

Program Experiences

  1. Hip Hop Kids poster, Hip Hop Camp Out. www.hiphopcampout.com

    Hip Hop Kids

    Saturday August 1, 20269AM - 12PM

    Sand Ridge Nature Center

    FREE OPEN TO PUBLIC

    A youth- and family-focused experience combining environmental learning with creative expression:

    • Interactive presentations on local wildlife and cultural history
    • Creative arts activities including face painting, graffiti murals, drum-making from natural materials, and beatboxing
    • Environmental education facilitated by Forest Preserve staff, connecting hip hop values to environmental stewardship

    Be A Vendor

    Find Out More

    Aug 01, 2026, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
    Sand Ridge Nature Center, 15891 Paxton Ave, South Holland, IL 60473, USA

    🎨🎤 Hip Hop Kids

    Where Creativity, Culture & Nature Come Together

    Hip Hop Kids is the youth-centered experience at Hip Hop Camp Out — a vibrant, hands-on space where children explore hip hop culture while connecting with nature, creativity, and community.

    Created by the Chicago Hip Hop Heritage Museum, in partnership with the Cook County Forest Preserves, and produced by Diverse City, Hip Hop Kids reflects a shared commitment to cultural education, environmental stewardship, and community wellness.

    Designed for elementary and middle school-aged youth, this immersive outdoor program introduces the foundational elements of hip hop in a fun, safe, and empowering environment. Hip Hop Kids blends artistic expression, cultural education, and environmental awareness to create an unforgettable experience rooted in positivity and unity.

    Sand Ridge Nature Center Pictures

    • The welcome sign at Sand Ridge Nature Center.
    • The path to the Sand Ridge Nature Center building.
    • Nature signs on posts outside Sand Ridge Nature Center.
    • A "Leave No Child Inside" banner from the Forest Preserve District of Cook County.
    • A biodiversity sign with photos of plants and animals.
    • The Sand Ridge Nature Center trail map.
    • A display of bird photos at the nature center.
    • A display panel of bird pictures.
    • Another display panel of birds.
    • An information sign on a stand at the nature center.
    • A welcome sign by the nature center door.
    • A poster of plant photos.
    • A poster grid of nature photos.
    • A turtle in a tank at the nature center.
    • A turtle in an enclosure under wire mesh.
    • A snake in a terrarium with an information card.
    • A snake coiled in a tank at the nature center.
    • A snake stretched along a log in a glass tank.
  2. Hip Hop United poster, Hip Hop Camp Out. www.hiphopcampout.com

    Hip Hop United

    Saturday August 1, 202612PM - 7PM

    Camp Shabbona Woods Pavillion

    FREE OPEN TO PUBLIC

    A central gathering space celebrating culture, family, and intergenerational learning:

    • Family-friendly hip hop showcases featuring DJs, performers, and cultural educators
    • Educational circles exploring the Five Elements of Hip Hop

    Camping experiences and family engagement activities that encourage collaboration and connection

    Be A Vendor

    Find Out More

    Aug 01, 2026, 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
    Camp Shabbona Woods, 15810 Torrence Ave, South Holland, IL 60473, USA

    🎧🎤 Hip Hop United

    Culture. Community. Connection.

    Hip Hop United is the collective energy center of Hip Hop Camp Out — where artists, families, and culture bearers gather to celebrate the living elements of hip hop in an outdoor, intergenerational setting.

    Created by the Chicago Hip Hop Heritage Museum, in partnership with the Cook County Forest Preserves, and produced by Diverse City, Hip Hop United embodies the spirit of unity, expression, and shared cultural experience.

    This immersive gathering space blends live performance, education, dialogue, and participatory engagement — creating an atmosphere where hip hop is not just performed, but experienced.

  3. Splash Hip Hop poster, Hip Hop Camp Out. www.hiphopcampout.com

    Splash Hip Hop

    Friday July 31st - August 2, 202610AM - 6PM

    Green Lake Family Aquatic Center

    NOMINAL COST- OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

    A fun, accessible aquatic experience for families and community groups:

    • Family-focused aquatic programming
    • Discounted access for community participants

    Find Out More

  4. Hip Hop Under the Stars poster, Hip Hop Camp Out. www.hiphopcampout.com

    Hip Hop Under the Stars

    Friday July 31st and Saturday August 1, 20268PM - 10:30PM

    Camp Shabbona Woods Pavillion

    OVERNIGHT CAMPERS ONLY - REGISTER OVERNIGHT CAMPING

    An evening experience that blends culture, storytelling, and nature:

    • Outdoor movie night centered on hip hop culture
    • Bonfire, s’mores, and guided night hikes
    • A shared, nature-based family recreation experience under the stars
  5. Hip Hop Rise poster, Hip Hop Camp Out. www.hiphopcampout.com

    Hip Hop Rise

    Saturday August 1 and Sunday August 2, 20269AM - 11AM

    Camp Shabbona Woods Pavillion

    OVERNIGHT CAMPERS ONLY - REGISTER OVERNIGHT CAMPING

    A restorative start to the day focused on wellness and care:

    • Morning wellness programming combining yoga, breathing, and meditation with hip hop music
    • Wellness circles addressing suicide prevention and anti-harassment awareness
    • Continental breakfast provided for participants

Why Hip Hop Camp Out Matters

Hip Hop Camp Out uses culture as a bridge—connecting families to nature, youth to elders, and creativity to wellness. By situating hip hop programming within the forest preserve environment, the event promotes:

  • Family bonding and intergenerational learning
  • Mental health awareness and emotional well-being
  • Environmental appreciation and stewardship
  • Cultural preservation through lived experience

Join Us

Hip Hop Camp Out is more than an event—it’s a shared cultural retreat.

  • Register your family or group
  • Bring your organization or team
  • Partner or sponsor the experience
  • Support community access to outdoor and cultural programming
  • Be A Vendor

Come camp. Come connect. Come experience hip hop in nature.

2018 Recap

  • A group of men posing together on a basketball court at the 2018 Hip Hop Camp Out.
  • Kids sitting under a vendor tent behind a table of goods.
  • A vendor table under a tent with snacks, chips and jugs of drinks.
  • A man and a woman posing in the park with a small dog.
  • A woman standing at a vendor table of bottles under a tent.
  • A vendor table covered in an African print cloth, with goods for sale.
  • A vendor table of oils and goods on a colorful cloth.
  • Two vendors under a tent at a table with a laptop and a banner.
  • A vendor selling jewelry under a blue tent.
  • A table of baskets and crafts under a tent.
  • A bounce house on the grass.
  • A tent pitched in a grassy field, with people nearby.
  • Tents in a field by the trees.
  • People gathered under the picnic shelter by a speaker.
  • A DJ setup under the picnic shelter.
  • Two men smiling for a selfie under the shelter.
  • People seated at a table under the trees.
  • Forest preserve staff showing animal pelts to visitors.
  • A hand touching animal pelts on a picnic table.
  • Kids playing on an inflatable slide.
  • Tents pitched in a sunny field by the woods.
  • A man in a red shirt rapping into a microphone under the shelter.
  • A man in red performing under the shelter.
  • A man dancing with a little girl under the shelter.
  • A man and a child dancing on the pavilion floor.