Exclusive: Camp Punksylvania 2024: A Punk Rock Extravaganza with a New Look

Pennsylvania Punk Rock Camp Promises Best Year To Date At New Location For '24.

Camp Punksylvania, the premier punk rock "Camp" on the East Coast, is gearing up for an unforgettable 2024 with a fresh new look and feel! Taking place over the July 4th weekend (July 5-7), this three-day music and camping festival promises an exciting lineup of bands, vendors, and activities in its new home at the West End Fairgrounds in Gilbert, PA.

A Celebration of Music, Mental Health, and Community

Produced by Riot Squad Media, an all-female-powered media company, Camp Punksylvania is not just about the music; it's a celebration of community, mental health, human rights, and equality. Led by co-founder and CEO Laura Rose, the festival aims to create a family-friendly environment with an emphasis on local and regional talent.

For the 2024 event, Camp Punksylvania is partnering once again with Punk Rock Saves Lives, a nonprofit organization dedicated to mental health initiatives, bone marrow registration, equal rights, and more. Together, they aim to bring the community together through music and arts while raising awareness for these important causes.

A Growing Legacy

Since its inception in 2021, Camp Punksylvania has seen tremendous growth. The first event at Four Quarters in Artemas, PA, featured 23 bands and drew just over 300 weekend campers. By 2022, the festival had moved to The Electric City, Scranton, PA, with over 40 bands and around 750 attendees. Last year, the festival doubled in size again, hosting approximately 1200 weekend attendees in Northeastern PA.

An Exciting New Venue

This year, the festival moves to the West End Fairgrounds in Gilbert, PA,

with more than 50 bands performing on four different stages with no overlapping sets. The new venue offers a flatter terrain for easier accessibility, shady spaces, grassy areas for moshing, built-in bathroom facilities, power, and water stations, all of which were designed to enhance the overall experience for attendees.

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Exclusive Three From The Pit Q&A with Laura, Co-founder of Camp Punksylvania

We reached out to Laura for insights into this year’s event:

TFTP:         How many years has Camp Punksylvania been around?

Laura: "Five, but this is our 4th year because of ya know, Covid and the world shutting down for a bit."

TFTP:         Whose idea was it/how did it come to be?

Laura: "A group of us met at Camp Punk In Drublic in Ohio and formed some of the strongest bonds in the world. We all went back the next year, this time to “Camp Anarchy.” When they pulled the plug on that being an annual thing, we were super bummed. We wanted to camp out and hang out with our friends and listen to good music. So, we made our own."

TFTP:         Tell me a little about your team.

Laura: "Riot Squad Media was created by myself and my partner in crime, Terry. I handle all the booking, advancing & operations for our events. Terry is our production queen and makes sure our stages are running smoothly. We’ve got a lot of really important and talented people on our team, like Vero who handles our volunteer & staff relations, and our marketing director, Grason and our lead audio engineer, Kyle. We are truly lucky to have such passionate & motivated people on this team and I wouldn’t have it any other way."

TFTP:         How has it evolved over the years? (how did the COVID mess change the direction of the event over time)?

Laura: "For us, COVID was a massive blessing in disguise. We were just 2 chicks with full time jobs & kids who loved punk rock and going to shows with our friends. We had NO idea what we were doing and being forced to postpone that first year was pivotal for Camp. It gave us an entire year to learn things we needed to learn, to make connections with people and get our name out there. Looking back, that “dead” year was a huge year of learning and growth for us. We lost some people; we gained some people; we put some structure in place and planted our seeds."

TFTP:         How have the lineups evolved/improved (probably a bad word, but you know what I mean, lol) over the years.

Laura: "Man, it’s been a wild thing to watch over the years. Year 1, we had Voodoo Glow Skulls and the Queers headlining. To this day, that was my favorite year of Camp and I don’t know if anything will top it. This year, we’ve got Less Than Jake, The Bronx and 7Seconds. Each year has been an ABSOLUTE dream lineup and I am truly so grateful to have the opportunity to book and host these bands that have changed my life and helped mold me into who I am. Seeing The Suicide Machines last year absolutely dominate our stage that we built as the sky opened up with rain for the first time in days was an almost religious experience for me and a bunch of our crew included. For us, that was a band that we dreamed of grabbing since Camp was born. It feels really nice to say that bands now reach out to us inquiring about Camp. I think that really says something about the way we treat our artists and attendees. I love that bands love it here at Camp and want to come back or tell their band friends. It means the world to us."

TFTP:         You seem very commited to include local and regional acts.

Laura: "This is SO important for us! Every single one of your favorite bands used to be a small band. Giving these bands a place to come and play their songs, sell their merch and engage with people they may not have had the chance to engage with is huge. The talent radiating out of this region is wild and it’s important that we showcase that. I can’t tell you how many times we get submissions and say “damn, this band is going to explode in the next 2 years” and then to watch it happen is so fucking awesome! "

TFTP:         Tell me about this year’s vendors. In the past, I have spoken with a vendor or two who travelled from the middle of the country to attend.

Laura: "Our Misfits Market is always a highlight of the fest and we’ve been improving on it year after year. We have everything from record stores & oddities to tattoo shops and therapy stations. We are stoked to showcase a lot of local and regional vendors, as well as some who are making the trip out to hang! Tons of retail shops, nonprofits, service booths, arts & crafts, food & drinks and more to browse all weekend long."

TFTP:         What type of food and other refreshments can fans expect?

Laura: "Since Camp is on fairgrounds this year, we’re definitely going all out with fair food! We’ll also be showcasing some really awesome vegan spots and local pubs and food trucks. I’m really excited for the Hydration Gypsy. In the dead of summer at a festival, I have a feeling those liquid IVs are going to be huge for the crowd. Also stoked to have our friends at Monster Energy joining us this year."

TFTP:         What changes will be the most noticeable/exciting this year at the new venue?

Laura: "We REALLY listened to our attendees on what they wanted out of a venue and West End really nails it. For starters, it’s a much flatter terrain, so our guests who require ADA accommodation are able to enjoy the property with much more ease. There are tons of trees to provided shady spaces to hang, a grassy area in front of the stage…because moshing on gravel is not the best, built in bathroom facilities, power, water stations and so much more. We are so excited to show off Camp’s new home this July. It feels perfect."

TFTP:         What is Camp Punksylvania doing to set itself apart from other festivals? Fan engagement/meet and greets/late night sets/etc.

Laura: "It’s kind of funny, because we don’t call Camp a music festival. To us, it’s just a punk rock summer camp with music, and that is what we really try to enhance. Those late-night singalongs around a fire with your idols, scavenger hunts & craft stations, pop up ‘meat & greets’ (because the bands serve you hot dogs!) and building friendships & making memories are really what Camp is all about for us."

TFTP:         Anything you’d like to add about parking/lodging/camping/tickets/kids(families) friendly events or interactions with artists/etc.

Laura: "Yeah! Camp is a family affair, so kiddos 10 and under are FREE! We’ve got games, nature walks, scavenger hunts, arts & crafts, face painting and more for them to enjoy all weekend long. We’re also running a roundtrip Summer Camp Shuttle from Philly! Bus leaves Friday for Camp and heads back on Monday! "

TFTP:         Any specific bands you’d like to mention that may have something unique going on or that fans should be sure not to miss?

Laura: "You’re definitely going to want to check out The Dirty Nil’s set on Saturday night at our late night, no barricade stage. Over an hour of pure rock n roll and surprises. Also, I know it’s late when the stages are done, but if you can head over to the campfire, magic happens. I promise! "

*** I’ve seen the Dirty Nil open for The Menzingers in Scranton a few years ago and was blown away, so I can’t wait to see how they have grown as a band since then!

TFTP:         Laura, thanks so much for taking the time to do this. Is there ANYTHING else you’d like to add before we wrap this up?

Laura: "YES! We’re running a BOGO deal til the end of May…buy 2 GA weekend passes & a campsite, get 2 GA weekend passes for free! Or you can use the code SUMMERCAMP for 25% off passes."

Thanks so much for everything you and Riot Squad Media do to make this such a killer event. Can’t wait to see you there!

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A Lineup Not to Miss

The festival features national headliners including Less Than Jake, Bad Cop Bad Cop, 7Seconds, We Are The Union, and many more. Highlights include:

Day 1 will be headlined by 7Seconds the Reno Hardcore legends formed in 1980 and believed to be the first band to refer to themselves primarily as hardcore. These pioneers of punk and hardcore will be led by founding members Kevin Seconds, Steve Youth and Bobby Adams.

The day will also feature Codefendants, a new project from NOFX’s, Fat Mike. From Fat Wreck Chords website, “Fat Mike of NOFX's newly launched project, Codefendants, are the breath of fresh air and the steel-toe-cap kick in the nuts music has needed for too long. Get Dead vocalist Sam King’s graffiti crew were giving tattoos and making flash art to raise money to help rapper Ceschi Ramos when he was in prison. Months later they met at the Gilman Street Project in Berkeley, California. They bonded, talking about their love of hip-hop and punk rock, over a bottle of Jameson. They didn’t know it yet, but they had just started Codefendants. Impossible to define by traditional standards, Codefendants were forged out of a desire to make an album that sounded like nothing else; a completely genre-fluid album, a cross between hip hop, new-wave, flamenco, and the Beatles. They call the genre 'Crime Wave'.”

Also, on the bill for Day 1, is D.O.A. the pioneering Canadian punk rockers who are often referred to as being among the "founders" of hardcore punk; Koffin Kats, one of the top acts in the world of punk rockabilly; and Flatfoot 56, a hardcore-tinged Celtic punk outfit with more than 20 years under their belt.  The band exploded onto a new level with 2010’s Black Thorn. Landing the band on a total of 9 Billboard Charts. This is just the tip of the iceberg on what will be three days of insanity. Others rounding out Day 1 will be Keep Flying, Mvll Crimes, A Day Without Love, Beef, Suburban Downgrade, The Punk Cellist, One Revived and Dr. Frankenstein’s Monsters.

Day 2, Saturday will be headlined by L.A. California’s ‘The Bronx’. The band who began playing punk rock in 2002 set an original goal to bring passionate, blood-and-sweat punk rock into the 21st Century. Their first self-titled album was released in 2003 on White Drugs. Their style is influenced by bands from the 1980s Californian punk scene, such as Black Flag, Fear and Suicidal Tendencies - with subtle DC influences such as Bad Brains and Fugazi. This is blended with more traditional big rock guitar riffs and a hardcore style of drumming to further intensify the band's unique style. The current lineup features vocalist Matt Caughthran, guitarists Joby J. Ford and Ken Horne, bass guitarist Brad Magers, and drummer Joey Castillo (formerly of Queens of the Stone Age and currently a member of Circle Jerks, The Bronx, DOOM Regulator, Zakk Sabbath and Sugartooth, with former bands also including Danzig, Wasted Youth, California Breed, Zilch, and Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts).

Others on Saturday include Canadian rockers The Dirty Nil, who, as mentioned by Laura above, should not be missed, we’ll leave it at that! Big D & The Kids Table, Catbite, We Are The Union and monster list of others round out the day. Please click on the bands to check out their sites and grab some merch while you’re there!

Day 3, Sunday, will wrap up this year’s Camp in style with a laundry list of absolute bangers headlined by legendary ska/punk heroes Less Than Jake and the all-female crushers, Bad Cop Bad Cop! The rest of the lineup that day includes Escape From The Zoo, Diesel Boy, Poli Van Dam and many more including Scranton natives Old Daggers. As Laura mentioned earlier in the Q&A, it’s awesome to catch a band here that you know is going to blow up soon, this year, that band might just be Old Daggers! Be sure to make it to their set on Sunday!

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Special Offers

Don’t miss the BOGO deal until the end of May: buy two GA weekend passes and a campsite, get two GA weekend passes free! Or use the code SUMMERCAMP for 25% off passes.

Camp Punksylvania 2024 promises to be the ultimate punk rock summer camp experience. With a stellar lineup, a new and improved venue, and a commitment to community and inclusivity, this year’s festival is set to be the best one yet. Grab your tickets and get ready for a weekend of music, fun, and unforgettable memories!

BUY ALL TICKETS HERE

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