Welcome to Firefly, a circle of circles of friends. Each year we gather in the beauty of the Woods to build our own village from the ground up. This is a unique and inspiring community, and we invite you to create a unique and inspired home within it.

A “theme camp” means a camp that’s more than a camp. It can be a place to share your art and your wisdom, to celebrate your beliefs and your community, to spend time with friends and welcome visitors, to host classes or rituals, to party, to chill, to dance, and eventually to sleep.

Camps are the organs that make up the Firefly creature; we depend on them for fun and for survival.

To see what kinds of camps we've created in the past, use the previous year's links in the line up section of this web site.

SPACE
This year you will be able to choose from a grassy, sunny field or new-growth forest with a clear underbrush.

There is no official system for assigning or reserving camp sites at Firefly. The best way to lay claim to a space is to start setting up something there. We have plenty of space, so conflicts are rare, and camps who are interested in the same site often end up collaborating to create something even better.

Camps with amplified sound or other loud noise should find sites that are not too close to our neighbors. Check the event map for help.

LEAVE NO TRACE
Firefly is a Leave No Trace event. This means we are expected to remove everything we bring to the land, down to the last cigarette butt. We plan ahead to have minimal impact on the land, and we don’t change the land unless we’re able to change it back. Please check before digging a firepit. Personal and camp firepits are not permitted. All established firepits are communal--go warm up and meet your fellow Fireflies! Plan to have your camp sweep the area to search for errant objects, trash, and recycling.

FOOD AND DRINK
Firefly participants provide their own food and drink. Collaborating with your friends to plan good meals for your camp can be a lot of fun, and planning extra food or drink to share with visitors can be a great way to make friends and participate. When planning, keep in mind that you will be expected to bring away any trash, so you may want to leave unnecessary packaging at home.

PERFORMANCE
Firefly attracts amazing DJ’s, musicians, bands, and performance artists, and we often hear from new ones who would like to play for us. This year there will be no official “main stage” at Firefly, so musicians will be looking to play at camps. You may want to provide them with a mellow place to jam. Or if you are ambitious you may want to provide a performance space with amplified sound. If your camp is hosting musicians, post to the discussion lists and they will be happy to hear from you.

GETTING IN AND OUT
Depending on how far your camp happens to be from the parking lot, you may need to move your gear quite a ways on foot. Think big, but be prepared. If you’re new to Firefly and planning an elaborate camp, use the discussion lists to network with experienced Fireflies and learn what to expect.

WORKING WITH THE LAND
Nature often puts Firefly to the test with rain, mud, and cold. In these times, your camp has the opportunity to become truly legendary if you can successfully provide your neighbors with shelter, warmth, and dry places to chill.

It is possible to shelter large clearings with tarps hung from trees. Use the discussion lists to learn more from our community’s many self-made tarp experts.

The ground at the Firefly site contains clay, so water often collects or flows along the surface before being absorbed. Before you set up, take a close look at your site and think about how it will drain. Choosing the right place for your tent will help you avoid waking up in a puddle.

Ground that is completely cleared of leaves and brush is more likely to erode and turn to mud under rain and feet. Don’t clear an area completely if you don’t need to, and do your best to re-cover cleared areas at the end of the weekend.

FIRE
Out of respect for safety and wise use of our land, camps at Firefly do not have their own fires—instead we have the beautiful experience of gathering around communal fires in designated areas. If you have a project idea that requires fire, or if you have other questions, please write to fire@fireflyartscollective.org.

ELECTRICTY
Electricity is available in limited areas at Firefly. For more information, write to dpw@fireflyartscollective.org.

TRAILS
In order for your neighbors to enjoy your camp, they’ll need to be able to get to it. A volunteer crew will mark the main trails at Firefly, but you may want to take responsibility for marking smaller trails near your site. If you notice trails turning to mud-puddles in the rain, do your best to fill or reinforce them with brush.

Fireflies are known to stay up all night, wandering the woods with eyes half-blinded by the many glowy wonders. You may want to mark trails and entrances to your camp with glow-sticks or glow-in-the-dark art. If you set up any art or structures that someone could trip on, crash into, or be clothes-lined by, it is very important to light them at night.

HEAD STARTS
If you’re thinking big, you’re welcome to get started setting up your camp during one of the work weekends. We ask that you and your crew also devote some of your time to projects that are vital to the whole event, such as maintaining outhouses, trails, and firepits. When packing, keep in mind that what you bring to the site over multiple weekends may be difficult to remove in one.

MAKING CONTACT
No one needs permission to have a theme camp at Firefly. However, if you’re planning something, we’d love to hear from you—send a description of your camp to themecamp@fireflyartscollective.org and we’ll post it to the line up section of this web site so your fellow Fireflies can start getting psyched about it. Also feel free to write to themecamp@fireflyartscollective.org if you need help finding a site or have other questions for Firefly organizers.

Anything is possible at Firefly with collaboration between participants. If you have a great idea but need volunteers, advice, or resources to make it happen, use the discussion lists and tribe to find them. You may be amazed by what our village can provide.