Happy Campers

Now is the time to make arrangements for kids’ summer camp, and a good way to jump-start the process is “Camp-Fair 2001” on Saturday in Calabasas, where camp directors and their staffs will be on hand at dozens of information booths.

“Enrollment actually starts in January,” said Mark Greenblatt, director of Camp Summertime in the hills above Agoura.

Last week, he escorted Jeanette Brown of Agoura Hills, her 12-year-old daughter, Alex, and 9-year-old son, Bobby, around his camp. He recommends that parents and children tour facilities before enrolling in any summer camp.

With 120 acres, two fishing ponds and three swimming pools, Camp Summertime is one of the largest privately run day camp sites in the area. It offers a traditional program of water sports, archery and hiking for boys and girls ages 4 to 14.

Camp-Fair will also provide information on other types of camps, including residential, travel, nautical, sports, performing arts, high-tech and religious.

Locations range from municipal camps in the San Fernando Valley to Catalina, Carmel Valley, Idyllwild and Yosemite. Some camp programs will fly the children to Italy to learn the language, view the art and sample cooking. At Celluloid Heroes Movie Camp in Van Nuys, children can make their own animated movies.

Camp-Fair organizer Steve Siegel is a 20-year veteran of directing summer camps. Most camps participating Saturday are accredited by the American Camping Assn., one of the event’s sponsors.

“To a degree, parents can rely on that, [but] their every question and concern is important,” Siegel said.

On his Web site, https://www.camp-fair.com, he has posted a list of questions that parents should ask camp directors, as well as a list of day and residential camps arranged by geographical area.

BE THERE

Camp-Fair 2001, Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center, 27040 Malibu Hills Drive, Calabasas. Free. Call (800) 939-CAMP. Other Camp-Fairs are scheduled Monday at Balboa Recreation Center in Encino and Tuesday at Westwood Recreation Center.