The Firefly Gathering couldn’t happen without the help of its wonderful worktraders! Thank you for your interest in contributing your hands and heart to helping make this event happen.
Before you apply, be sure to read the worktrade position descriptions and the worktrade FAQ thoroughly. Everything you need to know is here for you on this page!
There are a limited number of worktrade opportunities; although we make our best effort to assign applicants one of their top three choices (as indicated on the application), we can’t accommodate everyone. If we’re unable to assign you to one of your top choices, we’ll check in with you before committing you to another position.
Thanks so much for considering worktrading with Firefly! Our application for 2022 is now closed. We hope to see you next year! Please see the Gathering tab of our website for more information on purchasing passes.
Thanks so much for considering worktrading with Firefly!
Please read the following carefully before filling out the application.
The time commitment shared here serves as a general guideline, based on the work patterns that made past gatherings possible. Each position has its own rhythm, with unique tasks and outcomes that can shift how much time/effort is needed to complete the job. We do our best to paint an accurate picture of each position, though sometimes the reality of the Annual Gathering can differ a bit from what’s written on paper.
PARTIAL WORKTRADE
FULL WORKTRADE
TIME COMMITMENT
15 hours / 2 full days (unless otherwise noted)
30 hours / 4 full days / Entirety of Setup/Breakdown (unless otherwise noted)
WORKTRADE FEES
Non-Refundable $190 ($40 to Sustenance Support Fund and $150 discounted ticket)
Refundable $50 Deposit
Non-Refundable $40 Sustenance Support Fund
Refundable $75 Deposit
MEALS
2 meals/day during the event
3 meals/day during Setup/Breakdown
2 meals/day during the event
3 meals/day during Setup/Breakdown
PARTIAL WORKTRADE
TIME COMMITMENT
15 hours / 2 full days (unless otherwise noted)
WORKTRADE FEES
Non-Refundable $190 ($40 to Sustenance Support Fund and $150 discounted ticket)
Refundable $50 Deposit
MEALS
2 meals/day during the event
3 meals/day during Setup/Breakdown
FULL WORKTRADE
TIME COMMITMENT
30 hours / 4 full days /
Entirety of Setup/Breakdown (unless otherwise noted)
WORKTRADE FEES
Non-Refundable $40 Sustenance Support Fund
Refundable $75 Deposit
MEALS
2 meals/day during the event
3 meals/day during Setup/Breakdown
PRE-EVENT Now – Saturday, July 5th
SETUP Saturday, July 5th – Tuesday, July 8th
DURING Tuesday, July 8th – Sunday, July 13th
BREAKDOWN Sunday, July 13th – Tuesday, July 15th
POST-EVENT: Tuesday, July 15th – Monday, August 7th
There are a wide variety of General and Specialty positions available. Please thoroughly read the position descriptions below so you know what you’re signing up for. If a position has a specific skill set that is required or preferred, please be sure to list your experience/training under the “Requisites” section in your application.
General Worktrade Shifts don’t require significant expertise or special skills: simply a desire to help.
Specialty Worktrade Shifts require expertise in a specific area. Some of these positions include working closely with staff and instructors during the gathering, while some include pre-event work.
To help match you with a worktrade position where you can truly shine, we’ve created a simple rating system for all positions. Keep an eye out for the positions that align with your ideal levels of physical exertion and social energy!
Physical Demands
🔥 Not much physical effort—think sitting, light walking, or desk work
🔥🔥 You’ll be on your feet, light lifting and walking around
🔥🔥🔥 This one’s for the movers and shakers—heavy lifting, building, or being on your feet all day
🔥🔥🔥🔥 Takes grit, strength, and stamina – long hours of hard work and heavy lifting
Social Interaction
⭐ You’ll be working mostly on your own, with little need to chat or connect with others
⭐⭐ You’ll be interacting here and there, but it’s not non-stop
⭐⭐⭐ This role’s all about communication and interaction – lots of teamwork and socializing along the way
Flyering (Partial Trade)
Pre-Event | Physical Effort 🔥 | Social Interaction ⭐️
Spread the word about Firefly Gathering and reach those outside of the Asheville area! A flyering worktrader needs to live in/near a densely populated area in the Southeast, such as Charlotte or Raleigh/Durham, NC or Atlanta, GA. Flyering worktraders do not live in Asheville! This position works closely with our Marketing Coordinator and Flyering Assistant. Must use own vehicle. Please note: this role will not have meals included at the gathering
Errand Runner (Full Trade)
Setup and During the Gathering | Physical Effort 🔥🔥 | Social Interaction ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Run errands that help make the wheels of this gathering turn! This role requires close communication with the kitchen, site, and materials leads, and sometimes the office. Must have your own reliable vehicle – applicants with a truck or car with a large cargo area preferred. You will be reimbursed for mileage.
Conch Blower (Partial Trade)
During the Gathering | Physical Effort 🔥🔥 | Social Interaction ⭐️
This person will be responsible for keeping track of time and blowing the conch to announce the beginning and end of classes, as well as keeping the rest of the conch blowers on task. Must be good with timekeeping, as this person holds the pulse of the event. A bike is an asset to this job as the conch needs to be blown in several locations back to back. Conch-blowing experience is preferred!
Site Support (Full Trade)
Setup, During the Gathering, Breakdown | Physical Effort 🔥🔥🔥 | Social Interaction ⭐️⭐️
Be the best go-to person for random tasks! The Site Support worktrader arrives with few expectations and is willing and able to lend a helping hand whenever and wherever help is needed. The ability to drive a golf cart is highly preferred. A full trade requires working all of Setup and Breakdown whereas a partial trade works shifts only during the gathering.
Tarps (Full Trade)
Setup, Breakdown | Physical Effort 🔥🔥🔥🔥 | Social Interaction ⭐️⭐️
Tarps Crew is responsible for the setup of all the shelters for the event. Tarps crew is a lot like a class in that you will learn several very useful knots and how to erect a tarp or canvas structure. The work is strenuous and physical that calls for grit, focus, and the ability to follow through. Tarps crew becomes a tight-knit group who often find the work deeply fulfilling as they’re the ones who fly the shelters that hold us through the gathering.
Signs Support (Full Trade)
Setup, During the Gathering, Breakdown | Physical Effort 🔥🔥 | Social Interaction ⭐️⭐️
Construct and stake signs to help gathering goers navigate the Wild Human Preserve! This position requires basic carpentry skills, like using a drill, and spatial awareness. Art and design experience is a plus, but not required!
Firewood (Full Trade)
Setup, During the Gathering, Breakdown | Physical Effort 🔥🔥🔥🔥 | Social Interaction ⭐️⭐️
Firewood Crew’s job is to process firewood and distribute it to our many fires in preparation for the event. If you are handy with a chainsaw or a splitting maul, then the firewood crew is the perfect crew for you. This position requires attendance of all of Setup and Breakdown.
Sanitation (Partial Trade)
During the Gathering | Physical Effort 🔥🔥 | Social Interaction ⭐️
Calling for gallant defenders of health, wellness, and peace of mind. Help protect all present by keeping communal spaces clean and tidy. Spaces include our bathrooms and community kitchen, among others.
Setup/Breakdown Kitchen (Full Trade)
Setup, Breakdown | Physical Effort 🔥🔥| Social Interaction ⭐️⭐️
Help feed the folks who make Firefly possible! This shift is perfect for anyone who loves to nourish the community. Plug in and help our Setup/Breakdown kitchen chef love on our worktraders and staff by feeding them good food!
Main Event Kitchen (Full Trade)
Setup, During, Breakdown | Physical Effort 🔥🔥| Social Interaction ⭐️⭐️
Help feed the production crew! This role is perfect for anyone who loves to nourish the community. Plug in and help our Main Event Kitchen Director love everyone up by feeding them good food! Some full trades include time helping with Setup/Breakdown. Most positions only require availability during the event. These positions are especially great for those with kitchen experience and/or a desire to learn more about feeding large groups and stepping into kitchen leadership in the future.
Shuttle Driver (Full or Partial Trade)
During the Gathering | Physical Effort 
| Social Interaction 
️️
Help shuttle folks from our satellite parking lot to the main gathering site. Must have a valid US driver’s license and clean driving record, over a decade of experience driving, and significant experience driving midsize trucks and vans
Parking (Full or Partial Trade)
Setup, During the Gathering, Breakdown | Physical Effort | Social Interaction ️️️
Set up parking lots, help people park, and maybe wear a cool vest! Calling folks who are kind and welcoming, spatially capable, and who can be assertive when necessary. Parking worktraders need to be prepared to work in all weather. This position requires a lot of talking and walking. You’ll be working closely with our Site Crew. Full trades require some availability during Setup and Breakdown.
Access Cart Driver (Full or Partial Trade)
Setup, During the Gathering, Breakdown | Physical Effort | Social Interaction ️️️
Seeking kind souls who like being helpful and can drive a golf cart. You must be able to lift and load heavy luggage and delicate equipment on and off the cart.
Safety (Full Trade)
During the Gathering | Physical Effort 🔥🔥| Social Interaction ⭐️⭐️
Do you practice your communication skills often? Are you experienced in de-escalation and setting boundaries? Practicing your own personal awareness as well as an awareness as to what’s going on around you? We need you to help keep things running smoothly. This will not be a traditional work trade position. It is an “on call”/”roaming” position.
You will work closely with our Safety Coordinator to make sure people are adhering to the community’s boundaries (for example, not swimming at night or leaving unattended children in the pond). We’re especially calling on femme folks to apply so our safety crew reflects the spirit and diversity of the whole Firefly community. Strong preference for those with de-escalation training and/or hands on experience with restorative security.
Youth Program (Full Trade)
During the Gathering | Physical Effort 🔥🔥🔥| Social Interaction ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Work alongside professional educators in the magical Youth Village with a maximum of 15 total hours in person with children, and up to an additional 2 hours for staff meetings and setup/breakdown. Must have experience working with children and be kind, patient, flexible and attentive, with the ability to lead/support nature-based activities with groups. Our wonderful Youth Program Staff will provide programming ideas and structure. We invite you to collaborate in the process by bringing your individual gifts and passions to Youth Village!
To apply, please provide 2 references, list any relevant experience, and share your level of interest and comfort in leading activities with children, specifying what you hope to bring to Youth Village.
Videography (Full Trade)
During the Gathering, After the Gathering | Physical Effort 🔥🔥| Social Interaction ⭐️⭐️
Take high-quality footage during the event, and/or help manage and edit the material we collect throughout the gathering into small pieces for publication. This material is used to reach out to folks throughout the year who are looking for what we have to offer. All content created will remain the intellectual property of The Firefly Gathering. You’ll be working with our Marketing Coordinator for this 20 hour trade.
First Aid (Full Trade)
During the Gathering | Physical Effort 🔥🔥| Social Interaction ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Administer first aid during the gathering. The First Aid booth is focused on herbal wound care, digestive care, nervous and immune system support and much more. Must have prior experience with first aid, clinical environments and outdoor camping. Must be competent and confident enough to treat conditions without supervision and aware enough to transfer care when needed. Herbalists, nurses, wilderness first responders, and other professional health practitioners are welcome to apply. Please describe your experience and training in your application.
Questions? See our FAQ below. For further inquiries, please contact our Worktrade Coordinator at [email protected]
The Worktrade Application will be available starting February 1, 2025. We encourage folks to apply sooner rather than later!
Options for this are very limited. This can work well when a During Event position is paired with a Pre-Event position, but we do not allow folks to do more than one During Event position. Please note that if you are only available for Setup OR Breakdown, we cannot assign you to a Setup/Breakdown position, as these are typically full trades that we do our best not to split into partials.
Sustenance Support Fund – We ask for $40 of sustenance support from all full worktrade positions. This contribution goes straight into covering the cost of the meals we serve – helping us keep those hearty, wholesome, and deliciously nourishing meals coming while also supporting our local and organic farmers and chefs. The sustenance support we receive from worktraders helps, but it doesn’t cover the full cost of feeding our Firefly crew; in 2024, over $8,000 went towards our kitchen. We’re committed to supporting local foodways and keeping this fee as low as possible so that everyone – directly and indirectly – is nourished by the food we love to share. The $190 contribution paid by partial worktraders includes the sustenance support fund and the cost of a discounted full-event ticket (regularly $420).
Refundable Deposit – We want to know that you will come, as we need the help you are agreeing to give! Over the years, refundable deposits have provided the best assurance of accountability. We will keep your deposit only if you don’t show up or don’t complete your hours for a reason we deem unacceptable. If you cancel by April 30, 2025, we will give back your deposit. If you decide to change your plans, your ride falls through, or you cancel after April 30th, we probably won’t give it back, except in the case of extreme emergencies. Worktraders are the heart seed and backbone of this event, so your commitment is very important to us. We thank you!
If you apply for a General Position, you can expect to hear from us within 10 business days. Please allow up to 15 business days for Specialty Position applications. We only process Worktrade Applications once the Worktrade Sustenance Support Fund and Deposits are received. If you do not hear from us within 10-15 business days, please contact our Worktrade Coordinator at [email protected]
We accept payment by credit/debit card upon submission of your online application. All costs must be paid online. If paying online isn’t a possibility for you, contact our Worktrade Coordinator at [email protected].
By successfully completing your worktrade assignments and having a Firefly Staff sign off on your contribution to the gathering! If you complete your worktrade, we will refund your online payment.
No. Our worktrade positions require a lot of care and focus, and can involve equipment and activities dangerous to untrained people. For this reason, we do not allow children to hang out with you while you worktrade. Please arrange to have someone care for your child/ren offsite during your Setup/Breakdown worktrade shifts.
Children may be onsite for during gathering worktrade shifts, as long as they are supervised by a trusted caregiver and you are able to fulfill your worktrade responsibilities. We are willing to consider exceptions if your child is 12 or older as long as they can safely be onsite without supervision and you are willing to be responsible for their needs, including food, in addition to your worktrade responsibilities.
Please contact our Worktrade Coordinator at [email protected] if you have questions or would like to discuss options.
Yes! We are happy to offer a 20% discount on child and youth passes for the children of worktraders. Please note this discount is intended only for your children/those you parent, and is not available for additional kids that may come along with you. Please reach out to our Worktrade Coordinator at [email protected] for details.
Worktraders have the option of purchasing meal passes for their children attending the event. Again, please keep in mind that this is intended only for your own children/those you parent, and not your friend or neighbor’s children. Child meal tickets cover meals during the event only and do not include setup/breakdown meals. Prices are as follows:
Due to the unique setup of our kitchen and the number of folks we feed, Firefly is unable to offer meals to additional guests and adult family members of worktraders. Adult guests do not have the option to purchase meals from our kitchen.
YES! All worktraders get free basic parking, and will have the option to purchase upgraded parking passes once they become available.
Contact Anna, our Worktrade Coordinator at [email protected] with any questions.
Good question! We ask that if you have the capability to worktrade, please do that so that our Equity Fund can support as many people as possible. Our Equity fund is small but mighty, and like a seasonal spring, there’s only so much water to go around. Every year, we receive many more applications for the Equity fund than support we can give. Worktrading is a wonderful way to attend the gathering at low to no cost, while deepening your connection to the earthskills community, and giving back in ways that help make the gathering happen. Worktraders are the heart and backbone of Firefly, giving and receiving in ways that create impactful experiences and lasting bonds.
If the Equity Fund is truly the only means available for you, then that’s what it’s for. Please be sure to read through the guidelines to ensure that you are a right fit for this discount. Sometimes the two can be combined, reach out to [email protected] for questions and details.
These agreements are for all Firefly staff, instructors, worktrade crew leads, worktraders and board members, and anyone else who holds a position of responsibility at Firefly. By engaging with The Firefly Gathering in any leadership capacity, you are agreeing to the terms in these documents. You will be consenting to these terms at checkout when you purchase your application:
Yes, this is a possibility! New instructors can do a partial worktrade for a cost of $125 and a $50 refundable deposit. The $125 breaks down as $40 to the sustenance support fund and $85 for an incredibly discounted ticket. There’s also an opportunity for new instructors to do a full worktrade for just a $75 refundable deposit – sweat equity pays your way into the gathering. Please reach out to [email protected] to discuss your unique situation.
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PO Box 18758 Asheville, NC 28814
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Lily is an artist, creator, and dreamer. Since a very young age, she has been immersed in the natural world and draws heavy inspiration from the wild. Though her medium changes frequently, Lily’s art and expression always incorporate an element of the organic and unpredictable. She got her associate in fine arts in 2023, and now volunteers at her school as a ceramic studio monitor. She hopes to open a studio of her own one day to have a place to teach and inspire others. In addition to doing commission work, Lily has been creating many graphics for The Firefly Gathering since 2019. Lily grew up in the Earthskills community from the time she was eight years old, so having the opportunity to grow and give back in so many ways has been incredibly fulfilling. No matter where she ends up, this group of people and ideas will always hold a special place in her heart.