Behind the Festival: Camp Punksylvania
Camp Punksylvania is returning to PA this July for it’s fourth year! With the move to a new location in Gilbert, PA, the festival promises to be bigger and better than ever. This punk rock summer camp is a totally unique festival experience, offering not only a carefully-curated slate of music, but interactive games, scavenger hunts, workshops, market shopping, jam sessions and more.
A focus on community and equity by the organizers results in a diverse lineup which this year includes national acts like Laura Jane Grace, Bad Cop Bad Cop, and We Are the Union alongside up and coming local acts. In all, over 50 bands will play across 4 stages with no overlapping sets.
Camp Punksylvania is produced by Riot Squad Media, a totally femme-powered media company. The leadership includes Laura, the co-founder and CEO, Terry, the co-founder and head of production, and Vero, the director of volunteer and staff relations.
I sent some questions over to Laura, who oversees events and operations, and books the talent for Camp Punksylvania. Read about what makes the festival so magical below!
This year will be the fourth edition of the fest! Has it evolved much since the first iteration? Is there anything new or different this year you are looking forward to?
Laura: Every year since the beginning has been magically different than the last. The growth has been something truly amazing to witness right before our eyes. Year one, we were in the middle of nowhere, PA with 300 people at an ACTUAL cult. Last year, we were in Scranton, PA with 1200 people. We’re really excited to move to Gilbert, PA this year to West End. This venue change allows us to do so much more. We’re able to provide more shaded, comfortable areas for our attendees, more stages, more shopping options, easier accessibility and more. I am most excited to see our attendees' reaction to the new spot. It’s really important to us that our guests are comfortable, so taking their feedback into serious consideration every year to better our fest is huge for us.
Camp Punksylvania is an all-ages, family friendly, community focused event. How do these values influence your booking process?
Laura: We take a lot of time on booking our bands to make sure the lineup is awesome and also holds true to our values. The younger generation is the future, and when they’re engaging in the scene and having fun, that’s what matters. So many of these upcoming bands are young, awesome and really inspiring. We NEED more women on stage. We need more LGBTQIA+ representation! We need MORE of all of it. Giving these talented people a platform to find other young and inspiring people is important to us and promises growth within the scene.
One unique feature of the fest is the night stage. Where did the idea for that come from?
Laura: It’s Camp! One of our visions of Camp was to just be sitting around the fire with our friends singing songs. The magic really happens when the Main Stage shuts down. It’s something you just have to see for your own eyes and take in. There’s a beautiful blend of worlds…the bands are hanging out relaxing and sharing beers with attendees. The staff is finally able to relax and kick their feet up. It’s really meant to be an escape for everyone and that’s just what it becomes. This year, we are excited to have the Shadow Stage that kicks up shortly after the Main Stage ends for the night. We also have a bunch of really amazing surprises in store for late night at the bonfire. I know I said it before, but it really is magic.
Are there other festivals that inspired/continue to inspire Camp Punksylvania?
Laura: Absolutely. The entire idea of Camp was based on our experience at Camp Anarchy back in 2018. It’s where so many relationships blossomed. When they announced that the fest was no longer happening, we kind of just wanted to keep having that reason to get together with all of these beautiful people we met. And we did that. I like to think of it as the same feeling as Punk Rock Bowling gives me - you go for more than just the music. It’s all about the experience you have. Once you go, you’re a lifer and that’s that. We wanted this to feel that way and I think we’re doing a hell of a job on that. It’s really becoming a “summer camp experience.”
Riot Squad Media is run by a leadership team entirely made up of women. Have you faced any obstacles in the industry because of this? Do you find any advantages to working together as a team of women?
Laura: Our core team is made up of pure femme power! Terry and I are the founders of Riot Squad Media and Camp Punksylvania. Terry is our production director and Vero is our director of staff relations. Being a femme operated company, it’s been a weird mix of things. We do find people trying to “pull one over on us” quite frequently. Unsure if it’s because we are still pretty fresh in this, or if we are female…or maybe a combination of both. All I know is it really fuels our fire over here. We’re not afraid to be loud, to speak our minds and to put things into action. We love to prove people wrong.
Is there anything else you'd like people to know about this year's event?
Laura: We’re stoked to showcase some amazing artists and build relationships. The lineup has a little something for everyone and there are so many special, magical moments at Camp to experience. Whether it's a moment at the Main Stage or by the campfire with your best friends…I can promise you it’s unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before.
Camp Punksylvania is July 5-7 at West End in Gilbert, PA. The event is all-ages. Weekend and single-day tickets as well as a variety of camping options are available here!