Big Bird goes to Camp Echo Rock

"Big Bird goes to Camp Echo Rock" is a Sesame Street story arc that took place over several episodes in Season 14 (1982).
The episodes were taped over a six-day period in August of 1982 at Bear Mountain in New York.Children's Television Workshop. Quarterly Progress Report, July 30, 1982 to September 30, 1982.
The story involves Big Bird going away to Camp Echo Rock for a week. Accompanied by his teddy bear Radar, Big Bird is cared for by the camp director Aunt Mae (Marilyn Sokol) and his camp counselor Mickey (Giancarlo Esposito). While there, he engages in the typical camp activities, and makes friends with an Anything Muppet boy named Rusty. Following the week away at camp, Rusty comes to visit Big Bird on Sesame Street a few days later in Episode 1713.
Beginning with the second episode, a bluegrass-influenced version of the "Sesame Street Theme" played over the opening sequence, consisting of footage showing a school bus filled with campers leaving the city and driving out to the country.
Big Bird's trip to camp was chronicled for Sesame Street Magazine in a three-page spread in the .
Excluding the first episode which features Mr. Hooper, the street stories were later repeated in season 16, a point after which it had been explained on the show that the character had passed away. In May of 2020, all five episodes began streaming on HBO Max.
==Gallery==
File:Campechorock2.jpg
File:Campechorock1.jpg
File:GiancarloEspositoBigBirdRusty.jpg
File:hug Big Bird.jpg
===Sesame Street Magazine===
File:sesame mag June 1983 camp 01.jpg
File:sesame mag June 1983 camp 02.jpg
File:sesame mag June 1983 camp 03.jpg
==Episodes==
Picture	Description
 	Episode 1706
Following a rousing opening musical number about going off to camp, Big Bird has a sad moment with Mr. Snuffleupagus discussing the fact that he won't be going with him. After working through their emotions, the take guesses at how Big Bird will get to camp, soon followed by the arrival of a bus. Big Bird meets Mickey, his camp counselor, and boards the bus where he meets Rusty. After a brief mechanical problem is address by Susan, the bus leaves Sesame Street for Camp Echo Rock where they meet the Aunt Mae, the camp director, and everyone is assigned a cabin to stay in.
 	Episode 1707
The day starts military style with a reveille (and similar closes with taps) to keep everyone on a schedule. Big Bird is skittish about playing baseball, but he soon learns the game and hits a home run. He and Maria write postcards to one another, and Big Bird gets to try new foods when eating with the other campers. At night, he and Rusty both find that they're homesick, so they have a cry together in their cabin.
 	Episode 1708
Big Bird has to encourage Rusty to make his bed, and back home on Sesame Street, Telly and Oscar share their feelings about Big Bird being away. The campers receive postcards from home, including one snuffleupagus-sized one from Snuffy. After Big Bird takes note of all the differences between the city and the country, he and the kids head over to a lake where they row in a canoe and learn how to swim.
 	Episode 1709
Day three at camp is spent hiking in the woods and learning about nature (as well as some playful pranks between cabins 3 and 10). Back home, Telly reads Big Bird's letter and gets upset over his new friend Rusty, until Luis tells him it's okay to have old and new friends at the same time. Around the campfire, everyone sings songs and roasts hot dogs, followed by camping outdoors in tents instead of their cabins.
 	Episode 1710
On the last day of camp, Big Bird is feeling mixed emotions: sad to be leaving, but happy to soon be seeing his friends at home again. Cabin 10 poses for a group photo, and the camp holds an awards ceremony. Back on Sesame Street, Snuffy has cleaned Big Bird's nest just in time for his return via bus. After a warm welcome home from the adults, Big Bird tells Snuffy about his time at camp.
==Sources==
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Category:Sesame Street Story Arcs
Category:Camping