Our Worktrade is now closed for 2022.
Thank you for everyone who applied! Passes are still available for purchase online until Saturday, June 4th, and at the gate starting Tuesday, June 7th.
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, including most commonly asked questions, are here for you on this page!
There are a limited number of Worktrade opportunities for the Gathering. We make our best effort to assign applicants to one of their top three choices (which you can indicate on your application), but please note that we can’t accommodate everyone. We’ll make sure to clear your assignment with you before committing you to it.
We won’t assign you a shift until we receive your Attendance Fee and Refundable Deposit. Read more about how to submit or why we ask for a deposit below in our Worktrade FAQ section.
Filling out the Worktrade Application does not guarantee you a spot in the Worktrade Program. If you don’t get assigned, your Attendance Fee and Refundable Deposit will be reimbursed.
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.
There are a wide variety of worktrade positions available. Please read the Position Descriptions (below) thoroughly so you know what you’re signing up for. If a position has a specific skill set that is required, 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 and special skills. Some include working closely with staff and instructors.
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 $175 Attendance Fee
Refundable $50 Deposit
Non-Refundable $40 Attendance Fee
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 $175 Attendance Fee
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 Attendance Fee
Refundable $75 Deposit
MEALS
2 meals/day during the event
3 meals/day during Setup/Breakdown
PRE-EVENT Now – Saturday, June 17th
SETUP Saturday, June 17th – Tuesday, June 20th
DURING Tuesday, June 20th – Sunday, June 25th
BREAKDOWN Sunday, June 25th – Tuesday, June 27th
POST-EVENT: Tuesday, June 27th – Saturday, July 15th
Errand Runner
Setup, During, Breakdown
Run errands for the Site and Administrative Crews. Must have your own reliable vehicle – applicants with a truck or car with large cargo area preferred. You will be reimbursed for mileage.
Firewood
Setup, During, Breakdown
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.
First Aid
During Event
Administer first aid at the gathering. Must have experience with treating common wounds experienced from outdoor living, adventure and crafting. Herbalists, nurses, wilderness first responders, and other professional health practitioners are welcome to apply. Please describe your experience and training in your application.
First Aid Lead
During Event
Calling all experienced nurses, paramedics, and emergency room physicians! The First Aid Lead is an “on call” position. Instead of having a set schedule, they carry a radio at all times to respond to medical emergencies (should they arise). This superhero is willing to respond to medical calls throughout the night. In the event of an emergency, they work closely with the Health and Safety Coordinator and/or the Security Lead. They are welcome to attend classes or help with the fantastic herbalists at the first aid booth during the day. This position is not only an extremely important and valued role, but also a great opportunity to expand your knowledge of alternative modalities and work in collaboration with experienced herbalists.
This position may not be right for you at this time if:
-You require a full, uninterrupted night of sleep
-You are not easily woken or fully functioning if you were to be woken up
-You are not interested and excited to sleep near the first aid booth
-You have little to no hands-on experience or expired certifications
-You are the single caretaker of a minor on site and are unable to leave the minor unattended during a medical situation that requires your full attention
Please consider applying as a first aid booth volunteer instead. Your help is still needed and appreciated!
Owl Gate Keeper (Full or Partial Trade)
During
The Owl Gate Keeper is someone who ideally wants to turn in early and head to bed. They will be on call at night but are still welcome to catch some sleep. They will camp at the main gate and keep watch (from their campsite) to monitor incoming traffic. This position is ideal for someone who isn’t camping alone but is not camping with children either! This position could be ideal for a couple (as two partial trades) or a person with a friend or two who would be down to camp with them.
Parking (Full or Partial Trade)
Setup, During, Breakdown
Set up parking lots, help people park, welcome folks to the event, and maybe wear a cool vest! Crewmembers must have good spatial awareness and the ability to be simultaneously assertive and welcoming. You’ll be working closely with our Site Crew.
Photography
During Event, Post-Event
Take high-quality photos during the event. 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 to complete ~4 hours per day of photography at the event, plus one round of basic editing and photo transfer (for a total of 20 hours at event, and a maxiumum of 10 post event). Staying for full event is preferred, potential partial trade for weekend also considered. Note: at this time we are giving preference to folks who can photograph in the evenings. Please include a link to samples of your work with your application.
Registration
Setup, During Event
Be the first to greet folks as they arrive at the gathering! Register and direct participants as they arrive. Must be available starting the Monday before the event. This is a great position for those who are friendly, organized, have great people skills, and don’t mind the hustle/calm ebb and flow.
Safety
During
Do you practice your communication skills often? Are you experienced in deescalation 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 Health and 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 lake).
Shuttle Driver (Full or Partial Trade)
During Event
Help shuttle folks from our satellite parking lot to the main gathering site. This is ONLY a Full Worktrade if you have a vehicle that can pull a trailer full of folks with their gear in the back of the truck (we have the trailer). We will compensate you for gas.
Site Hand
Setup, During, Breakdown
Help with carpentry, plumbing, clearing and other infrastructure projects onsite leading up to the gathering, and/or assist a Site Staff Member during the event. Specific schedule and hours will be arranged with the Site Manager. We’re especially looking for experienced carpenters.
Tarps
Setup, Breakdown
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 tarps or canvas structure. Must be physically capable, focused, and able to follow directions. This position requires attendance of all of Setup and Breakdown.
Truck & Trailer Driver
Setup and Breakdown
Must have a truck able to haul a trailer. If you have a flat-bed trailer we could use, that would be awesome, but it’s not required. We will compensate you for gas. Promptness and ability to keep a schedule are crucial. You will need to be on-call at some points, especially during Setup. As a Truck & Trailer Driver you will be responsible for moving materials (with additional helping hands) from off-site storage locations to the site. Please be local to the Asheville area.
Videography
During Event, Post-Event
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.
Youth Program
During Event
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 comfortability in leading activities with children, specifying what you hope to bring to Youth Village.
Administrative Assistant
During Event
Help Firefly Staff with all their needs! Must be GoogleDrive/spreadsheet savvy, and good at working with others. Often includes a lot of “office” time (we promise it’s more fun than it sounds!), printing, running things out to other parts of the venue, and cleaning up. You will be working with our core staff, so it’s a great way to get behind the scenes with our organization. If you’re considering applying to work with Firefly in the future, this is the position for you. This position requires someone who can arrive on site the morning of Tuesday, June 20th.
Conch Blower
During Event
This person will be responsible for keeping track of time and blowing the conch to announce the beginning and end of classes. Must be good with timekeeping, as this person holds the pulse of the event. A bike would make this job much easier because the venue is large and we need the conch blown in several locations back to back. Conch blowing experience is ideal!
Flyering
Pre-Event
Help spread the word about Firefly Gathering and reach those outside of the Asheville area! A flyering worktrader ideally lives in/near a densely populated area in the Southeast, such as Charlotte or Raleigh/Durham, NC or Atlanta, GA. This position works closely with our Marketing Coordinator and Flyering Assistant. Must use own vehicle.
Main Event Kitchen
During
Help feed the masses! This shift is perfect for anyone who loves to nourish the community. Plug in and help our Main Event Cook love everyone by feeding them good food! Full trades include time helping with Setup/Breakdown. Most positions are partials and will be during the event. These positions are especially great for those with kitchen experience and/or a desire to learn more about stepping into a kitchen leadership role in the future.
Owl Gate Keeper
During
The Owl Gate Keeper is someone who ideally wants to turn in early and head to bed. They will be on call at night but are still welcome to catch some sleep. They will camp at the main gate and keep watch (from their campsite) to monitor incoming traffic. This position is ideal for someone who isn’t camping alone but is not camping with children either! This position could be ideal for a couple (as two partial trades) or a person with a friend or two who would be down to camp with them.
Sanitation
During Event
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.
Shuttle Driver
During Event
Help shuttle folks from our satellite parking lot to the main gathering site. This is ONLY a Full Worktrade if you have a vehicle that can pull a trailer full of folks with their gear in the back of the truck (we have the trailer). We will compensate you for gas.
Questions? See our FAQ below. For further inquiries, please contact our Worktrade Coordinator at worktrade@fireflygathering.org
Shuttle Driver (Full or Partial Trade)
During Event
Help shuttle folks from our satellite parking lot to the main gathering site. This is ONLY a Full Worktrade if you have a vehicle that can pull a trailer full of folks with their gear in the back of the truck (we have the trailer); In this case, you’re responsible for completing 20 hours during the event. We will compensate you for gas.
Questions? Please contact our Worktrade Coordinator at worktrade@fireflygathering.org
The Worktrade Application will be available starting February 1, 2023. We encourage folks to apply sooner rather than later!
Options for this are 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.
Attendance Fee – A $40 fee is passed on to our site hosts, Deerfields Retreat Center, for every person on-site during our gathering. The $175 Attendance Fee paid by Partial Worktraders includes this fee and the cost of a discounted full-event ticket.
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 an immediate family member dies or you break your leg, and/or you cancel by April 30, 2023, 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. We rely on worktraders to run this event, so please resolve what you need to resolve in order to follow through on your commitment! We thank you.
You can expect to hear from us within 10 business days. We only process Worktrade Applications once the Worktrade Attendance Fee and Deposits are received. If you are mailing a check, please give adequate time for the check to get to us. If it has been more than 10 business days since you’ve submitted your Attendance Fee and Refundable Deposit, please contact our Worktrade Coordinator at worktrade@fireflygathering.org.
We accept payment by credit/debit card upon submission of your online application. All Attendance Fees must be paid online. Your Refundable Deposit can be paid online upon submission of your application, or you can choose to send us a check if you apply prior to May 15th. Mailing a personal check is a great alternative for folks who don’t have the funds to pay online, as we will not cash your deposit unless you do not show up for your worktrade as agreed.
If you wish to pay your refundable deposit by check:
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 or rip up your check.
Our worktrade positions require a lot of care and focus, and can involve equipment and activity 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 you trust care for your children’s needs during your worktrade shifts. If you are worktrading during setup/breakdown, please arrange to have your children cared for offsite. 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 worktrade@fireflygathering.org 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 worktrade@fireflygathering.org 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 limitations of our kitchen, Firefly is unable to offer meals to additional guests and adult family members of worktraders, and adult guests will not have the option to purchase meals from our kitchen.
Worktraders will receive free satellite parking, but if you would like an onsite parking pass you’ll need to purchase it separately. If your position requires you to have a vehicle onsite, the Worktrade Coordinator will let you know and you will receive a free onsite parking pass.
Contact our Worktrade Coordinator with questions at worktrade@fireflygathering.org.
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fireflygathering.org
PO Box 18758 Asheville, NC 28814
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Having grown up in a multicultural family, Kimberly’s love for languages and traditional cultures is infused into everything she creates. After many years overseas, she now calls the Appalachian mountains her home and continues to keep the adventure alive by staying close to the wild. Kimberly is a singer songwriter, dancer, women’s circle facilitator, personal finance astrologer, bookkeeper, yoga teacher, and chef.