Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
PART I – What is Chinese Family Camp (Midwest)?
- The Midwest Chinese Family Camp (CFC) unites a multi-generational community of extended Chinese and Chinese-American families for a week of fun and recreation in a modern lakeside retreat setting. We socialize, celebrate our culture and heritage, and learn from each other about being Chinese in America. Since 1958, our annual gatherings continually create and sustain deep and lifelong friendships that are truly priceless.
CFC welcomes all families who would like to mix their interest in Chinese culture with the fun and recreation of a week-long “camp” set in the environment of an Indiana lakeside retreat. From the early years through today, the goal of CFC has been to foster a positive image and understanding of the special circumstances of Chinese, Chinese-American, blended and Chinese adoptive families.
Thanks for asking! Here’s a page chock full of organization details!
People of all ages attend CFC, usually with relatives. Their connections to China vary from direct to indirect. There are singles and couples who come without children, although most adults are parents or grandparents. Typically 75-90 people attend the entire week, with more joining us during the week. New families make new friends quickly, especially the children.
We form deep, decades long friendships among all generations and encourage everyone to grow in their own identity. Some people have been attending CFC since the late 1950’s. Some attended as children and returned when they became parents. Everyone who attends finds a fun and comforting sense of community. It’s also a chance to spend time with other extended families of varying degrees of Chinese heritage. There’s also lots of food (3 meals plus an evening snack plus whatever else everyone brought back from the grocery store or Chinatown), organized activities led by dedicated volunteers, and plenty of time to talk and play with family and friends.
CFC 2024 will be held from July 13-20, 2025.
CFC is celebrated annually over a week in mid to late July and goes from a Sunday evening to the following Sunday morning. The official schedule of events will come out in the Summer.
Registration opens during or immediately after the Chinese New Year
If you want to see what registration looked like for 2024, here's a link to the 2024 Registration Information Packet. Please note that prices will be going up for 2025.
And you can also contact Camp Director/Registrar, Lawrence Wang, at campdirector@chinesefamilycamp.org if you have any questions and/or concerns.
Please contact Camp Director/Registrar, Lawrence Wang, at campdirector@chinesefamilycamp.org to be added to our Chinese Family Camp email list.
PART II – What do you do at Chinese Family Camp?
CFC T-Shirts will be available for purchase in an announcement email in the Spring. Order a white shirt if you want to Tie Dye it during Camp! T-Shirts will be handed out at Camp. Stay tuned for new details!
Organized daily activities start at 7:30am-ish and are essentially over by 9:30pm. Usually breakfast starts at 8:00am, lunch is at noon, and dinner is at 5:00pm. The planned activities such as Arts and Crafts (all ages) and a Chinese Heritage program run in the morning, with sports in the afternoon for a couple hours (because we need to do Something until we can eat again!). Group fun is scheduled every evening from 7:00 to 9:00, with evening snacks starting around 9:00pm. Curfew is 11pm.
CFC serves three meals a day through the Cedar Lake dining hall, plus an evening snack. And there will be Chinatown goodies floating around, plus whatever fun foods you manage to bring. If you have a special dietary concern, such as a food allergy, please note this on the registration form.
We take our wisdom from the old Chinese proverb: “Family eats together in harmony, gluten free snakes on a plane.” Something might have gotten lost in translation.
No alcohol or smoking is allowed in the campground.
There are several activities on site at Cedar Lake, which can be viewed on their website.
All indoor activities will be very likely held…indoors! in one of the meeting rooms at the lower level of the Oaks Dining Hall.
None are provided. Please bring your own computer if you need to work. You are responsible for your own connectivity.
At Cedar Lake campers can go to the small beach to swim, canoe, and kayak.
The primary language is English. Grandparents and a few others speak Chinese, mostly Mandarin, amongst themselves. Most of the American-born Chinese adults and children do not speak Chinese. Teens rarely talk to anyone other than other teens, and it’s pretty hard to understand what they’re saying, even though they are apparently speaking English.
In the past we have had a Chinese language table at mealtimes for those of us who wanted to practice a little Chinese. Some of us had exhausted our meager collection of Chinese words and phrases by 12:15pm on Monday. Ai-yah!
CFC is run completely by volunteers. There are dedicated people in charge of Arts and Crafts, the Chinese Heritage Program, Evening Activities, Group Sports, Snacks, and so on. A number of volunteers have helped out at Camp for many years, following a family tradition started by their parents.
No, all activities are optional, even sleep for most of the teens.
PART III – Where, How Much, and Other Questions
Chinese Family Camp fees are determined every year based on the host facility pricing and will be published in a Registration Packet that will be released around Chinese New Year. The Chinese Family Camp pricing will include lodging, meals, and a registration fee.
Chinese Family Camp is current held at Cedar Lake Ministries. Please view their website to see details such as lodging facilities and on-site activities.
The deposit, made prior to camp, is applied to the final bill which is given to each family when you check in at Camp. The balance is paid before the end of the week to the CFC Treasurer. Chinese Family Camp cannot process credit cards, so please create an account with our online registration system to pay by e-check .
We will be staying in the Rest-A-While Lodge and the Cedars Lodges. Each room in Rest-A-While has a private bath, double bed, and a bunk bed. Each Cedars Lodge Cabin sleeps around 4-5 campers who share 1 bathroom. For pictures and more information you can visit the Cedar Lake website lodging section.
Please contact the Camp Director for accessibility needs.
Yes, a teenager may make arrangements with the Camp Director to attend without a parent. An adult sponsor must agree to be responsible for the teen.
Yes, babies and toddlers are welcome with the rest of their family. Cedar Lake is family friendly. Babies may not attend without their parents. 
Chinese Family Camp does take place at a Christian campground; however, Chinese Family Camp has no specific orientation to any religion.
Chinese Family Camp, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in the State of Illinois!
Contributions are tax deductible!
If you’ve read this far, you are eligible to receive TWO (2) water balloons for Field Day!
And if you must know more about CFC Inc., click here!