Camp Sloop is a website that hosts information on summer camps taking place from Georgetown to New Braunfels.[/caption]

Three years ago a website launched to help parents find summer camps near them. Now the company behind the website will host its first summer camp fair Feb. 22.

Camp Sloop, founded by Rebecca Cole and Rebecca D'Amico, provides camp organizations a free way to list their events and parents a free way to search for area summer camps.

"You can plan [your summer]out, you can see the price points, see what you need and have [the site] be a tool for you," Cole said."Before this site, I would literally spend 20 to 30 hours to plan a summer because there was nothing were all my kids were in one place."

The website hosts more than 800 camp organizations and currently has 2,000-plus summer camp dates in its database. The complementary free summer camp fair will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Feb. 22 at Norris Conference Centers, 2525 W. Anderson Lane. The event will include representatives from 50 camps.

Each camp will host its own booth allowing parents to interact with staff and learn whether the camp might be a good fit for their child and their budget, Cole said. Free parking and child care will also be provided at the event so parents do not feel rushed through the stations, she said.

Summer camps offer a way for working parents to find care for their children, Cole said, but they also allow kids opportunities to make new friends and have new adventures.

"The variety of activities on our website are absolutely insane," she said.

Themes for camps on Camp Sloop's website include science, technology, business skills, leadership, art, dance, jewelry making, magic, adventure, robotics and vacation bible school, among others, Cole said. Camp listings span the Austin area from Georgetown to as far south as New Braunfels.

All camps on the website take place at some point between June and August, with registration already open, Cole said. The site underwent some changes this year. Annual after-school classes can now be found on Camp Sloop as well as summer camps in Dallas.