Annual Star Parties in North America

By: The Editors of Sky & Telescope January 1, 2017 2

Here’s the info you’ll need to “save the date” for some of the top annual stargazing events in the U.S. and Canada.

Find specific information about upcoming star parties and other astronomy-related events in our Events Calendar.

Name	Location	Typical Date
Death Valley Star Party	Furnace Creek Resort, CA	Jan, Oct
Winter Star Party	West Summerland Key, FL	Feb
Triad Starfest	Jamestown, NC	Feb
Global Astronomy Month	Everywhere!	April
International Dark Sky Week	Everywhere!	April
Southern Star Astronomical Convention	Little Switzerland, NC	April
Mid-South Star Gaze	French Camp, MS	April
Northeast Astronomy Forum	Suffern, NY	April
Astronomy Day (spring)	Everywhere!	April/May
Texas Star Party	Fort Davis, TX	May
Michiana Star Party	Vandalia, MI	May
Bootleg Spring Star Party	Harmon, IL	June
Bryce Canyon Astronomy Festival	Bryce Canyon National Park, UT	June
Cherry Springs Star Party	Coudersport, PA	June
Grand Canyon Star Party	Grand Canyon, AZ	June
Rocky Mountain Star Stare	G ardner, CO	June
Wisconsin Observers Weekend	Hartman Creek State Park, WI	June
Gateway to the Universe Star Party	Marten River Provincial Park, ON	July
Nebraska Star Party	Valentine, NE	July
Golden State Star Party	Adin, CA	July
Summer Star Party	Plainfield, MA	July
York County Star Party	York, PA	July
StarFest	Ayton, ON	July
Connecticut River Valley Astronomers Conjunction	Northfield, MA	July
Astronomical League Convention (ALCon)	various cities	July/Aug
Maine Astronomy Retreat	Washington, ME	July/Aug
Saskatchewan Summer Star Party	Maple Creek, SK	July/Aug
Mount Kobau Star Party	Osoyoos, BC	Aug
Table Mountain Star Party	Oroville, WA	Aug
Northwoods Starfest	Fall Creek, WI	Aug
Oregon Star Party	Indian Trail Spring, OR	Aug
Stellafane Convention	Springfield, VT	Aug
Nova East	Smileys Provincial Park, NS	Aug
Manitoulin Star Party	Manitoulin Island, ON	Aug
Almost Heaven Star Party	Spruce Knob, WV	Aug
Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Dark Sky Festival	Fort Smith, NWT	Aug
Iowa Star Party	Coon Rapids/ IA	Aug/Sept
Northern Nights Star Festival	Palisade, MN	Aug/Sept
Acadia Night Sky Festival	Bar Harbor, ME	Sept
Black Forest Star Party	Coudersport, PA	Sept
AstroAssembly	North Scituate, RI	Sept
Idaho Star Party	Bruneau, ID	Sept
Alberta Star Party	Caroline, AB	Sept
Okie-Tex Star Party	Kenton, OK	Sept
Hidden Hollow Star Party	Mansfield, OH	Sept
Astronomy at the Beach	Island Lake State Rec. Area, MI	Sept
Connecticut Star Party	Goshen, CT	Sept
Eastern Iowa Star Party	Dixon, IA	Sept
Astronomy Day (autumn)	Everywhere!	Sept/Oct
Enchanted Skies Star Party	Socorro, NM	Oct
SJAC Fall Star Party	Belleplain State Forest, NJ	Oct
Illinois Dark Skies Star Party	Chandlerville, IL	Oct
Pennyrile Stargaze	Hopkinsville, KY	Oct
NOVAC Stargaze	C. M. Crockett Park, VA	Oct
Jasper Dark Sky Festival	Jasper National Park, AB	Oct
Deep South Regional Star Gaze	McComb, MS	Oct/Nov