Fireflies at Norton Creek 2023

Watch the Smokies’ magical fireflies in style! Our annual firefly event is a one-of-a-kind viewing experience. From the comfort of a luxurious private reserve, enjoy food and drink surrounded by gorgeous natural scenery, and witness an incredible display of synchronous and blue ghost fireflies (and other glowing critters) guided by our knowledgeable staff. Four nights to choose from. This is an evening you won’t forget! All proceeds help us at Discover Life in America carry out our mission to understand and conserve the diversity of life in the Smokies. TICKETS AVAILABLE JAN 2ND!

NOTE: This is NOT the synchronous firefly lottery at Elkmont in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This is a private fundraising event located on private land adjacent to the park.

WHAT TO EXPECT // TICKET INFO // CANDLELIGHT DINNER // FAQs

Limited tickets for Saturday, June 10th and Sunday, June 11th now available!

A gorgeous venue

Fireflies, galore!

What to expect

• Location: Norton Creek Preserve, a 3000-acre tract adjacent to Great Smoky Mountains NP, near Gatlinburg, TN. Detailed directions will be sent to ticketholders before the event.
• Food is included: heavy hors d’oeuvres by Whole Earth Grocery, including vegetarian options
• Drinks are included: local beer as well as wine, sodas, and tea
• Includes expert-guided firefly viewing: we’ll point out different firefly species and answer your firefly questions
• Light, uphill walking will be involved on paved and gravel surfaces
• Rain or shine: we’ll hold the event even if rain is forecast (see FAQs)
• No pets allowed
• Open to kids 10 and up (ticket required for each child)
• More information: ticketholders will receive directions and details via email in mid-May
• FAQs: read our list of frequently asked questions for more information

COVID-19 POLICY: We believe in science and things are changing fast with COVID-19! We will follow the latest CDC guidance at this event to keep our guests, staff, and volunteers safe. We will update ticketholders with current information as the event approaches. Please keep in mind that you may be required to wear a mask during the indoor part of the event.

What people love about our event

• Guided firefly viewing. Our knowledgeable staff will point out different firefly species to you and can tell you what makes each one special.
• It’s private. This event is held on private land and we only host around 50 guests per night. Each guest can witness the magic on their own without the crowds.
• The venue is magnificent! You’ll love exploring the guest house where we start our event and the gorgeous surrounding property nestled in the Smoky Mountains.
• It’s dark. We try to keep things very dark so your eyes can adjust, allowing you to see the wonderful bioluminescence around you. (Don’t worry, we’ve got lights if you need them.)

Four nights to choose from

• Thursday, June 8 @ 7pm – $250 per person
• Friday, June 9 @ 6pm – candlelight dinner, $750 per person
• Saturday, June 10 @ 7pm – $250 per person
• Sunday, June 11 @ 7pm – $250 per person

Tickets

Tickets for Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday nights are $250 per person and $750 per person for Friday. Tickets are open to anyone 10 years of age or older (children under 10 are not allowed at this event). Each ticket is for a single night of the event. Tickets for Thursday June 8th, Saturday, June 10th and Sunday, June 11th are currently sold out. Join the waiting list below to be contacted if spots become available. All proceeds from this event support DLiA and our work in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (learn more).

Cancellation policy

Full payment is due at checkout. We will be happy to refund your payment if and only if we are able to fill your slot, up until May 23rd, 2023. After that date, no refunds will be given.

FAQs

Q. Is this event related to the synchronous firefly lottery in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

A. Nope. Discover Life in America is a non-profit partner of the Park; however, this is a private fundraising event that is not associated with the Park’s lottery for synchronous firefly viewing at Elkmont. That is a totally separate event and we cannot answer questions about the lottery, dates for the lottery, or anything else related to it. Information about the lottery can be found at https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/fireflies.htm.

Q. $250 per person seems expensive. Is this event really worth it?

A. We certainly think so! You can expect a lot of value for the ticket price AND you’re supporting Discover Life in America and our important work in the Smokies! There’ll be delicious food, made from scratch by our friends at Whole Earth Grocery, and yummy alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. You’ll get to explore the private venue, which is not open to the public. It’s a gorgeous house made from rough-hewn hemlocks and decorated with birch bark that’s set on a pastoral hilltop right next to the national park. You’ll have one-on-one time with Will Kuhn, our resident entomologist, who will tell you more than you ever wanted to know about the 19 species of fireflies that live in the Smokies. And of course you’ll get to see the magical display of the synchronous fireflies, but not among a crowd in the national park. Rather, you’ll see them in a leisurely, small-group setting with guides to point them out and answer all your questions. We are confident that you’ll enjoy yourself and learn something new!

Q. How do you know the synchronous fireflies will be active?

A. Synchronous fireflies in the Smokies region typically reach their peak activity around the end of May to middle of June; however, this can vary from year to year based on temperature and weather. The Park uses temperature data to plan the dates of their lottery system, typically releasing those dates around late April. We, however, must book the venue for our Fireflies Event a year in advance, so we carefully select a date that falls within the peak season for synchronous firefly activity from previous years. In the nine years that we’ve been doing this event, we’ve never been disappointed.

Q. I can’t find the exact location of this event on your website. Why is that?

A. As the synchronous fireflies have become extremely popular in the Smokies, we don’t post our event location for fear that the public will trespass on the private property of our generous hosts and trample the pristine firefly habitat. Rest assured though: we will contact all ticket holders with detailed directions to the event and other information that you’ll need to know for this once-in-a-lifetime evening.

Q. Where should I stay during the event?

A. Lodging is not included as part of the Fireflies Event; but there are lots of hotel options in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. These are the two closest large communities to the venue and they’re about equal distance from the venue. There are also lots of cabins and small rental properties along “The Spur” (The Spur is a section of the Foothills Parkway connecting Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg; a.k.a. HWY 441).

Q. Are kids allowed at this event?

A. Children 10 years of age or older may attend this event with ticket purchase. Children under 10 years of age are not allowed to attend this event.

Q. Will the event be canceled if rain is in forecast?

A. Nope. The Smokies region gets lots of rain (one of the reasons it’s so rich in fireflies) but it has not affected our firefly viewing. The first part of the event takes places inside, under cover, and the viewing is outside under decent canopy cover. We highly recommend that you bring a light rain jacket in case we get a little rain during viewing. Rain or shine, it’s going to be great!

Q. In the description for this event, you mention “other glowing critters.” What do you mean?

A. There is a veritable menagerie of glowing critters to see at the Fireflies Event! Apart from synchronous fireflies (Photinus carolinus) and blue ghost fireflies (Phausis reticulata), we’ve seen railroad worms (Phengodes spp.), which are another type of beetle with glowing larvae and adult females, and also fungus gnat larvae (a.k.a. foxfire flies, Orfelia fultoni), which glow faintly blue from seeps on the hillside. We will see some of the region’s 9 other glowing firefly species, too, as we wait for the synchronous and blue ghost fireflies to start their show. We usually find the glowing larvae of a number of firefly species, as well. So much bioluminescence to see and we’ll point glowers out to you as we encounter them!

Q. Other questions?

A. Please carefully read our FAQ for answers to common questions, then ask Todd if you still need help: todd@dlia.org or (865)-430-4757.