By offering a cyclical sharing of traditional craft and wisdom in community, Firefly Gathering reconnects people in the Southeast with the teachings of the past to engage with the rapidly changing present to co-create a sustainable future.
The Firefly Gathering is a grassroots, community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Western North Carolina, providing educational and cultural programming to the Asheville area since 2007.
Learn more about us here.
Annual Gathering
Firefly Gathering 2025
July 8 - 13
Passes are now on sale!
Each summer hundreds of people come together in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina for the Annual Firefly Gathering, the largest earthskills gathering in the country. Skilled instructors, artists, musicians, speakers and thinkers co-create this experience to expand our capacity to live well with one another and our beloved Earth. For many, coming to The Firefly Gathering is a life-changing experience that they return to year after year.
Perennial Workshops
The Firefly Gathering has long had an intention to make the life-changing skills that we offer at our Annual Gathering accessible to more people. Firefly’s Perennial Workshop program broadens our class offerings into every season of the year. Whether you’ve been curious about our annual gathering, but haven’t yet made it; or if you’ve attended in the past but simply want more, this is a great opportunity to learn!
Basket Weaving: Willow Picnic Baskets w/ Tyler Lavenburg
Donate
With the devastation of the area, our Fundraising Gala 2024 was canceled. Help us meet our goal and continue to share skills for resiliency below.
The Firefly Gathering is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations are a vital part of our operation.
With the vision of growing and inspiring a strong and diverse community of earth-centered peoples, The Firefly Gathering offers multiple avenues of support to make skill-sharing more abundant and accessible.
In addition to supporting our skill-sharing opportunities through the Annual Firefly Gathering and our year-round Perennial Workshops, donations also make equitable pricing options possible for these events, through our Equity Fund and Equitable Pricing Model.
To learn more and support Firefly Gathering with a donation, please click the button below.
Thank you so much for your generous support!
Blog
Bats & Sustainable Food Production: The Natural Partnership for a Balanced Ecosystem
A common bat can eat thousands of insects in a single night, making them the perfect substitute for nasty pesticides. By eating everything from beetles to mosquitoes, bats help keep your garden and your family safe.
We’ll be giving away a Bat house at the Firefly Gathering this summer. Scroll for details and get your gathering pass asap!
All about Firefly Gathering 2025: What to expect when family camping in North Carolina
Folks from around the country will gather near Asheville, NC July 8th – 13th for classes in traditional earthskills and crafts, resilience training and community building.
Learn foraging, friction fire, hide tanning, herbalism, basket weaving, native food-ways, fermentation, mutual aid, and hundreds of earthskills for all ages and skillsets.
Living and Working with Fire: The Ancient Alchemy of Flame
Fire has long been more than just a tool. It’s been a companion, a teacher, a guide. Learn to safely start and tend fire with expert, Tyler Lavenburg
Day in the Life of a Firefly Worktrader
Worktrade at Firefly Gathering is more than a ticket—it’s a path into community, purpose, and the magic behind the scenes. Join us on the beautiful Toe River in Green Mountain, NC, and trade your time and skills for an unforgettable, heart-centered experience that helps bring Firefly to life.
It’s So Important to Feel Heard… How Firefly Cares: Our Response to 2024 Annual Gathering Feedback
This month, with our Annual Gathering coming up July 8-13 at the beautiful Wild Human Preserve in Green Mountain, NC, we decided to share specific ways that The Firefly Gathering listens to you!
How to practice Mutual Aid: Support your community through asking for and offering help
Mutual Aid is more than just helping—it’s about building resilient, connected communities. At Firefly Gathering 2025 on the Toe River in Green Mountain, NC, visit the Mutual Aid tent to share resources, learn new skills, and experience the power of collective care.
