2025 PA Firefly Camping Event #2

PENNSYLVANIA FIREFLY FESTIVAL (PAFF) PRESENTS: PA FIREFLY CAMPOUT #2 at the Kellettville Campground. Please read the following completely and carefully before you register.

Congratulations on being selected to participate in the 2025 PA Firefly Campout #2. This unique nature experience is scheduled for Friday, June 27, 2025 at the Kellettville Recreation Area Campground. PAFF has reserved the entire campground for this event. Registration is $100 per adult/teen (maximum 4 adults per site) and includes 1 out of 16 primitive campsites. Each site can accomodate up to one RV/camper + 1 tent per site, or 2 multi-person tents per site. Campers must supply their own tent, camper, RV, and camping equipment. This event is intended for individual adults, couples and/or families with school-age children. Children 11 years old and under are FREE.  DO NOT register/pay for children. Because this is a remote location and late dark night event, it is not intended or recommended for children younger than 5 years old. Parents of young children are asked to consider this before registering or have a plan to accommodate your children.

Kellettville Recreation Area is a primitive campground located along the banks of the Tionesta Creek. There are no electric, water or sewer hookups. Each site has a fire ring, picnic table and trash/lantern hook. There are flush toilets, a dump station and additional pit toilets. There are no showers or potable water. More information and details about the campground can be found at Recreation.gov. Campers will be required to follow the Rules and Regulations for the US Army Corps of Engineers. Sites will be assigned based on the type and size of the camping vehicle/equipment you register. Three wheelchair accessible campsites are available upon request and on a first-come basis. Please read the Emergency/Medical Information below.

During the day, campers can choose from various nature activities including guided walk-abouts along the North Country Trail in the Tionesta and Salmon Creek areas, nature arts & crafts, and/or children's activities. During the afternoon, Nature Exhibits from various forest agencies and nature organizations will be exhibiting onsite and providing information about fireflies or the related flora and fauna of Pennsylvania. PAFF T-shirts and merchandise will be available for souvenirs. In the evening, a whole-group campfire with live music, followed by a firefly expert presentation and finally guided walks to view fireflies like the Synchronous firefly (Photinus carolinus) and Chinese Lanterns (Photuris genus) among others.  Stargazing and long-exposure photography are also encouraged for those with telescopes or digital cameras.

Schedule of events:

14:00-15:00...arrival, check-in and set-up

15:00...Explore the Tionesta Creek & North Country Trail; Kids Bug Bingo/Creek Critters; Photo Scavenger Hunt (sign up for these events at check-in)

15:00-17:00... Nature exhibits: USACE Tionesta Lake, Allegheny County Parks, Sierra Club Moshannon, Seneca Rocks Audubon, Xerces Society, PA Wilds, PA DCNR Bureau of Forestry, ANF Forestry, Bucknell University, The Hardwoods Development Wood Mobile, Dark Skies Pittsburgh, North Country Trail Association, and PAFF merchandise.

17:00-19:00 Dinner on your own (OYO)

19:00 ...Opening ceremony, sing-along with Matt Miskie and campfire stories, bring a chair, marshmallows provided by PAFF

21:00 ... Fireflies of Pennsylvania hosted by Allegheny County Parks Ranger Matt Golub, bring a chair

21:30...Assemble for guided viewing of Chinese Lanterns and Synchronous FF, bring walking sticks and/or chairs; optional Stargazing; Long Exposure Photography

23:00...End of program, but you may stay by the fire, stargaze or view fireflies at your campsite for as long as you wish. Remember, LIGHTS OUT FOR LIGHTNING BUGS!

Next Morning:

8:30... Optional birding walk hosted by Seneca Rocks, Audubon Society (sign up for this event at check-in); Breakfast OYO

11:00... Break Camp- Good byes

12:00-noon check-out

BEFORE YOU REGISTER,  YOU NEED TO KNOW... 

• Registration for the Campout is $100 per camper, 12 years or older (plus service fee) up to 4 campers.
• Campers must supply their own food, water and beverages for personal consumption. Alcohol is prohibited in the campground.
• Campers must be in good physical condition and able to walk unassisted to the firefly viewing sites in the forest; alternative wheelchair accessible viewing sites are available by request. Neither PAFF volunteers nor their designees will physically assist campers. Please read the Emergency/Medical Information section below. All campers will be required to sign and submit the waiver form.
• Children under 12 yrs old are free with paying adult(s); no unaccompanied children under 18 years-old.  You will be asked to list children's names at check-out. DO NOT register or pay for children under 12 y.o. on your paid registration. Children must be supervised at all times by the parent or accompanying adult(s). Parents will need to sign the waiver form for each child in attendance.
• Pets must be leashed at all times. Pets are not permitted on the night walks due to tripping hazards. PAFF and its designees assume no responsibility for children or pets.
• The Tionesta Creek is a US Army Corps of Engineers managed waterway. You may bring your personal kayaks, canoes, or tubes for a creek float.  Attendees assume all risks for the water activities including wading/swimming.  If you want to fish, be sure to bring your gear, and adults must have a valid 2025 PA Fishing License. 
• This is a RAIN-OR-SHINE event. The weather in June is unpredictable and prone to showers and frequent changes.  We do not cancel due to rain.  If campers are prepared, it should not interfere with most of the planned activities.  However, activities are subject to suspension in the event of local severe weather or threats to public safety. 

CANCELLATION POLICY: Cancellations before 7-days of the event will receive 100% refund minus processing fees.  Cancellations within 7-days to 24-hours of the event will receive 50% refund minus the processing fees.  NO SHOWS or cancellations on the day of the event will NOT receive refunds.  Your registration is transferable.  If you cannot attend the event, you may send another person(s) in your place.  Contact us immediately if you are going to transfer your registration. We ask that you DO NOT SELL your spot on the internet.   We have a waitlist, and will try to fill your spot. We will turn away anyone who shows up if their name is not on our registration list.

EMERGENCY/MEDICAL INFORMATION:Up to 64 lucky campers will be admitted to the PA Firefly Campout experience to ensure a low-impact, safe, and engaging event for all. The guided walks are considered easy to moderate activity level. Participants should be in reasonably good health and fitness. Please consider that Kellettville is remote with limited cell phone coverage and without nearby emergency services. Help from 911 can take up to an hour even for life saving situations. We recommend those with any health concerns be cautious and reconsider participating in this event. Participants assume all responsibility for any and all risks of possible injury or exposure to illnesses and viruses.  

WILDLIFE DISCLAIMER: Above all, fireflies are creatures of nature.  PAFF has been monitoring and keeping data on firefly activity in this area for over a decade.  However, firefly emergence and flashing displays are prone to temperatures and weather conditions.  There are NO guarantees nor assurances that campers will see Synchronous fireflies on the night of the scheduled campout.  The PA Firefly campout programs have been developed and designed to provide campers with enough information that they will be able to discover and observe fireflies on their own at a future date.

You will receive the waiver(s), packing list and directions 2 weeks prior to your campout. We will contact you with any last minute information or changes during the week of the event. If you have any other specific questions or concerns, please contact Peggy at pafireflyfestival@gmail.com.

PAFF is a registered 501(c)3 organization. We are a volunteer organization and are not supported by any Federal or State funding. All proceeds benefit our mission to educate the public and raise awareness about all the fireflies in NW Pennsylvania and help to support the firefly research around the world.

By registering for the event(s), the patron(s) acknowledge(s) the risks inherent at the PA Firefly Festival (PAFF) campout including the recreational activities, and both release and hold harmless PAFF and/or its designees from any and all liability arising from sickness, injuries or property damage sustained while a guest or visitor at the facilities. The patron(s) further release from liability any guide that is contracted for instruction or tours.

CROWD NOTICE / PHOTO RELEASE

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT BY ENTERING THE PA Firefly Festival EVENT, YOU CONSENT TO YOUR VOICE, NAME, AND/OR LIKENESS BEING USED, WITHOUT COMPENSATION, IN FILMS AND TAPES FOR EXPLOITATION IN ANY AND ALL MEDIA, WHETHER NOW KNOWN OR HEREAFTER DEVISED, FOR ETERNITY, AND YOU RELEASE PA Firefly Festival Inc., ITS SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNS AND LICENSEES FROM ANY LIABILITY WHATSOEVER OF ANY NATURE.

DO NOT ENTER THIS EVENT IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE SUBJECT TO THE FOREGOING.