Since the first PA Firefly Festival in 2013, the “Synchronous” firefly displays have become one of the most coveted tourist attractions in the forests of western Pennsylvania.  Due to this overwhelming interest and the ever-increasing demand to witness these unique and fragile creatures, the PA Firefly Events organization has found it necessary to introduce a more equitable registration process.  

 

Therefore, the registration for ALL the 2023 PA Firefly Events will now be a randomized system of selection (commonly referred to as a lottery). The lottery can be entered by anyone completing this FREE online Google Form.  If you and your family/friends are interested in attending any one of the PAFF-sponsored firefly events this June, you MUST complete this form before Friday,  March 31, at 7 pm EDT in order to be eligible for the drawing.  

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You may apply for as many event types/locations as you like, but you must apply separately, and apply ONE time per event (duplicate entries will be discarded).  For example, you may apply for each Glow & Know campout on June 24th and/or 28th and a different one for each PA Firefly Festival night #1 on June 30th, and/or #2 on July 1st, thus increasing your odds to be picked at least for one. There will be limited spaces available for ALL events based on the size and location of each event. A separate randomized drawing will be by name for each event.  

 

If your name is chosen to attend an event you selected, you will be notified by email on Sunday, April 2.  You will receive a link and a code to the ticketing website (TBA), so you can register for the event of your choice within 48 hours of that notification.  Only adults need to be registered for the events.  Children 5 to 11 years old are FREE and do not need to be registered.  These events are not intended for children under 5-yo.  If you choose to not register for an event you entered or miss the deadline (April 4, 2023), your space will open to the next person in the queue.  Those notified after April 4, or subsequent dates, will also have 48 hours in which to register, and the queue will remain active until all spaces have been claimed.  

 

We hope by using a “lottery” system, the registration will be fairer to those who are not able to sit by a computer waiting for the online box office to open while eliminating the website crashes and anyone trying to take advantage of a ticket-buying app.  It is PAFF’s mission to educate the public about the fireflies of Pennsylvania in order to protect and preserve the fireflies for future generations.  So, we hope you will appreciate this effort as we strive to provide the most responsible and sustainable firefly tourism programs.