The summer season is upon us, and with it comes the return of a fan-favored Gettysburg freebie for noted history buffs and anyone else who enjoys gathering around a blazing evening campfire for some optimal storytelling. It’s the long-awaited installment of 2025 Campfire Programs.
Presented by the Gettysburg National Park Service, these special evening enticements will occur every Friday between June and August. The start time for each featured talk will be at 8:30 p.m. sharp and run for a 45-minute to an hour duration.
Every featured program will be showcased on location at the Pitzer Woods Amphitheater, near Auto Tour Stop #6. While bench seating is available to all interested attendees, visitors are also welcome to bring along their own chairs if they so choose to do so. It’s also highly recommended to consider bringing along bug spray and appropriate summertime evening attire, being ever mindful of weather conditions while planning your wardrobe and accessories. Bringing along a flashlight may be a good idea as well, as the parking lot and amphitheater area are prone to extremely dark conditions.
As mentioned previously, these ongoing Campfire Programs are free and open to all to take part in. On that note, it’s also worth mentioning that pets are welcome to attend!
Every Campfire Program will present a different topic of conversation. No two programs will be repeated, although each one shares the commonality of focusing on some aspect of the American Civil War. Many will be specific to the Battle of Gettysburg. Each will be presented by a knowledgeable Park Ranger who is well-versed in the featured subject matter.
June 6 kicked off the first of the Campfire Programs for the season with “An Ornament to the Town,” The Gettysburg Railroad Station, presented by Ranger D. Welch. The featured event on June 13 was Gettysburg’s Fantasyland: “A Quaint Village of Yesteryear with Storybook People,” with Ranger J. Hoptak presenting. The upcoming program on Friday, June 20, will be “Seeing the Elephant” The Soldier Experience, with Ranger J. Nicholas.
In light of the 162nd anniversary, a special Thursday program will be offered on June 26. It is Baptism of Fire: June 26th and the First Shots of the Battle of Gettysburg, presented by Ranger A. Regiec. The Friday, June 27 program will be “A Closer Look at Civil War Food…in Camp, on Campaign, and at the Field Hospitals,” presented by Ranger B. Sanders.
Other programs for the season will include the following: “War is a hellish way to settle a dispute,” Camp Letterman & the Treatment of Gettysburg’s Wounded (July 4, with Ranger M. Atkinson); “We fought like Lions,” General Włodzimierz Krzyżanowski (July 11, with Ranger A. Regiec); Soldiers of Faith: Union Chaplains at Gettysburg (July 18, with Ranger D. Brennan); “To Ransom a Borderland”: Slavery, Emancipation, and the Second Maryland Campaign (July 25, with Ranger R. Nicholas), and Twilight of the Blue & Gray: The Last Reunion of Surviving Civil War Veterans at Gettysburg (August 1, with Ranger C. Gwinn).
As is always the case, all event listings are subject to change. While in some cases little or no notice may be given in advance, it’s still always best to check the website for any updates.