CANCELED - xx Get Ready to Light Up the Night xx CANCELED

Greetings Explorers,

EVENT CANCELED - lack of interest
A weak cold front will bring early Saturday temps to 45 degrees even though it will warm later to mid 70s. I may go mid-week with warmer temps.

The Blue Spring Firefly festival starts in middle March to early April, annually.

This year, weather permitting, Explorers will meet for a noon picnic and firefly tour in the early evening on Saturday, March 22, 2025. The park has announced this year's extended hour days (which start March 14) for firefly evening tours.

Join us early for the picnic or try to come before 6:00 if you can and let the park staff at the gate know that you plan to stay for the Firefly Festival. You can to swim, picnic, or just look for the manatees before twilight. Firefly pros will be holding Fireside Chats at 7 and 7:30 p.m. each night behind the Thursby House which is where extended hours Firefly tickets are available if they are not sold at the gate. The Park Friends will offer their fabulous Firefly Nights T-shirts in 3 amazing colors, as well as buttons and and magnets, and glow-in-the-dark stickers!
Look for the Explorers in the picnic area close to parking and within sight of the Thursby House and bathrooms. Eat in advance, bring dinner, or grab a snack at the park Canteen.

As the sun sets at twilight, volunteers will guide park visitors along the boardwalk by the river to witness nature's spectacular display. You will likely see three different species of fireflies that will gradually emerge as the sky grows darker. The park will remain open until 9:00pm for this special event. If you are one of those special people who are able to attract UFOs, feel free – that would make the special night even more special.

I hope that you can join us. If you would like to enjoy an entire day of real fun, pack a picnic for all day, bring your bathing suit, and enjoy a dip in the crystal clear spring water. There is a Canteen on site where you can purchase food, drink and supplies.

Let us know if you plan to join us so we can look for you - Explorer members can rsvp on this site. And, be sure to check back before you come for any updates.

Here are the usual park rules for the firefly event:
LIGHTS AT NIGHT FIREFLY EVENT
Blue Spring State Park –
2100 W French Ave, 2100 W French Ave, Orange City, FL
Duration: 3 hrs, 6 - 9pm
This is a limited capacity event. NO RESERVATIONS. Visitors will be admitted on a 1st come, 1st serve basis. Once capacity is reached, or when the ranger station closes (8pm) no other visitors will be admitted.
Park Fee: $2 pedestrians and bicycles
$4 single occupant vehicle
$6 vehicle with 2-8 occupants
Firefly Donation: $14 per vehicle
Ticket sales will begin at 6pm on the day of the event inside the park. Please try to arrive at the park by 7pm. (but come earlier for the best chance to get in due to limited attendance)
All visitors must have an After-Hours Permit to attend this event.
NO FLASHLIGHTS OR FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY
NO BUG SPRAY
NO CAPTURING FIREFLIES
For updates, please contact the Ranger Station at 386-775-3663
The event may be postponed due to inclement weather.
Sponsored by the Friends of Blue Spring State Park
Blue Spring Park Facebook

What are fireflies?
Florida has just about every kind of insect that stings, bites, chews, crawls and flies -- except fireflies.
Missing from the galaxy of Central Florida insects is the one most coveted by kids with jars and most romanticized by adults. An open field of fireflies is magical, a ground-level version of the stars up above. The twinkling, flashing, blinking, near-dusk mating ritual of the firefly marks the advent of summer in neighborhoods across America. But not in Central Florida.
Fireflies have mostly abandoned Florida even though at one time the state had 20 different species of lightning bugs — more than any other state; But wait . . . there is still a firefly season. It's at Blue Spring State Park, located 35 miles north of Orlando in Orange City. This year, park rangers predict that the seasonal firefly mating ritual will start around March 19 through the first weekend of April, maybe longer. To allow visitors to enjoy this phenomenon, the park allows visitors to stay after the traditional sunset closing time to see “Mother Nature’s light show”.

Blue Spring State Park
2100 West French Ave., Orange City, FL 32763
386-775-3663

https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/blue-spring-state-park

Festival details:
https://www.friendsofbluespringstatepark.org/firefly-nights

If the event is canceled due to weather, we will reschedule,

Let's Keep Exploring,
Steve, .Explorers Organizer

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