Artist routing, sometimes referred to as block booking or cooperative buying, happens when a group of buyers in the same region books the same artist or event within a short time window. This allows the artist to travel efficiently between shows, significantly reducing travel costs. When expenses like flights, gas, lodging, and truck rentals shrink, the savings are passed directly to the schools.
For example, if Camp Westmont, Pocono Springs Camp, and Camp Lindenmere are all interested in the same comedian, magician, experience, or DJ, they can coordinate to bring that act to each camp over the same week. Because the artist is not crisscrossing the country but simply driving a hour or so between locations, everyone can pay a lower fee. This is a win for the camps and for the artists, who get to fill multiple dates while reducing downtime and logistical headaches.
And while this works beautifully with camp events and regional programming, it is the same principle the big promoters use when routing national tours for arena or amphitheater acts. In fact, following the routing of large-scale artists can sometimes yield discounts for private or camp buyers, too. But that is a bigger topic for another day. Today, we are focused on how Degy can help you save money right now by routing our own roster of incredible acts for your camp for summer 2026.
It comes down to basic economics. Travel is one of the largest expenses in an experienced artist’s quote. Flights, van rentals, gas, hotels, and labor costs all pile up quickly. But when an artist has multiple shows in the same geographic area, those costs are divided among several buyers instead of being paid by just one.
The more schools or buyers that get involved, the more attractive the block is to the artist and agency. Artists are often willing to discount their fees even further when they see a block of dates come together because it guarantees more work with less downtime. Agencies like Degy are also highly motivated to help close these deals because a full route is more efficient for everyone involved.
It is not just about the money either. Block booking creates real collaboration opportunities. Camps can partner on marketing, share production assets, and even brainstorm creative ways to make events better for their campers.
The first step is getting connected. Start by reaching out to other camps in your region. If you are not sure who to talk to, attending events like the Tri-State Camps Conference (largest summer camp conference in the world) or the ACA National Conference is the best way to meet fellow programmers. Even if you cannot attend in person, both organizations post exhibitor and vendor lineups on their websites. If a vendor is exhibiting at a conference in your region, that is often a signal they are building a route and looking for nearby dates.
The next step is simple but powerful. Ask questions. When talking to an agent or artist, do not be afraid to ask when they will be in your region. Artists love routing because it saves them time and money as well. They are often willing to offer better rates when they can stack shows together.
Flexibility is a huge advantage. If your event date is open within a window of a few days, your odds of joining a routed block go up significantly. Being flexible does not mean sacrificing your event quality—it means unlocking the best pricing available.
At Degy, we are not just encouraging block booking. We are actively making it happen. Our automated routing system does the heavy lifting. When an artist has an anchor date on the calendar, you may remember getting an email that says “Booking Alert in Your Area”. Yes, those are part of the unique routing system we created to help our programmers. We share that information with buyers in the surrounding area of a date confirmation. This helps schools jump on routing opportunities before the calendar fills up.
And then there is the Dance Blast Tour (formerly known as the “You Pick Tour”). This is a dance party crew that tours the Tri-State and Northeast region each summer carrying production and the necessary equipment for a turnkey dance party at camp. Options on the tour include popular camp favorites like PaintU, Foam Drop, UV Glow Party, Swift Night, and more. Since the crew is jumping from camp to camp, the travel costs can be saved and the parties are offered at an over 50% discount from their typical pricing for an otherwise one, stand-alone date.
We are already routing dates for popular camp entertainers such as Free Daps, Michael Kent, and PaintU for summer 2026.
And then there are our Monthly Routing Sheets. These go out the first Wednesday of each month (generally) to our core buyers, listing where Degy artists are already booked and which dates are open. If you see an act heading into your region, that is your green light to reach out and see how you can grab a date at a discounted rate as part of the route.
One of the best things about block booking is that the more buyers who participate, the bigger the savings become. Whether you are booking a mentalist, a DJ, a magician, a dance party, a comedian, or anything else from our roster, the principle is the same. A route saves money. A bigger route saves even more.
Crazy enough, the same principle applies to larger, nationally touring artists, but we will save that deep dive for another day (when we talk more on “Major Artist Talent Buying”). Right now, the focus is how we can help you save money by routing acts already moving through your region.
Artist routing and block booking are some of the smartest ways to stretch your programming budget without sacrificing quality. By working together, camps can save money, create stronger events, and build community.
Degy Entertainment is here to help—from routing alerts to turnkey tours—so your camp gets the best entertainment at the best price.
Please reach out to Degy’s Camp Booking Agent with any questions or inquiries:
📩 Sophie Low – sophie@degy.com