Of all the special days at camp, we have to admit that the 4th of July is one of the absolute best! The fun kicks off the moment the sun peeks over Cliff Hill and doesn’t stop until the last firework fades from the night sky.

At Pine Forest Camp, it’s tradition for our oldest girl campers, the Hi-Senior 10s, to wake up at the crack of dawn, decked out head to toe in red, white, and blue. They blast music and run through camp, spreading excitement (and a lot of energy!) as they wake everyone up for the big day. By breakfast, campers are leaping out of bed, pulling on patriotic tutus, silly headbands, wigs, face paint, and anything else they can find, transforming PFC into a sea of stars and stripes.

Breakfast is an all-American feast: stacks of fluffy French toast topped with strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream, served on festive plates. And just when you think it can’t get sweeter — we bring out the Krispy Kreme donuts! And in true 4th of July fashion, lunch is a classic BBQ with all the fixings.

The afternoon brings one of our favorite traditions: the epic counselor parade! Our counselors dress up as iconic American figures and march through camp to cheers and laughter. Next, our juniors, inters, and seniors dive into a carnival bursting with fun games (run by our spirited Hi-Senior 10s!), splashes in the pool, and bouncing around on giant inflatables. Pure summertime magic! Meanwhile, the Hi-Senior 9s kick back at a 4th of July Lake Luau, making memories by the water.

After a mouthwatering dinner of fried chicken, the whole camp gathers at Netsy Playhouse for the legendary 4th of July Talent Show. Campers and counselors have been rehearsing for weeks and trust us, it’s always the show of the century! There’s singing, dancing, and even a few surprises.

And of course, no 4th of July at PFC would be complete without fireworks. We’ll all head together to Mitchell Field with our glow necklaces and blankets to watch the night sky burst with color, OOOOH-ing and AHHHH-ing at every spark.

When it’s all over, we’ll drift off to sleep, hearts full and faces still painted, dreaming of another epic day ahead. There’s truly no better place to celebrate the 4th of July than “Up Where the Sky Begins!”

Cue the confetti!

Our 95th Summer at Pine Forest Camp has officially begun!

FINALLY! We’re back! Together in Greeley, here in the place we’ve been dreaming of all year long. We are so ready for another unforgettable summer in the beautiful Pocono Mountains! It’s hard to adequately explain the feeling in the air today. The joy, the love, the excitement, the anticipation…It’s in the dining hall, in the bunks… Someone pinch us! We’ve been counting down for the past 10 months to get to this moment. And for some, it’s a dream that’s been years in the making (we’re looking at you, first-time campers!).

The morning began with families arriving by car, bringing hopes and dreams and joyful reunions down the winding road. Soon after, buses rolled into camp from Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, carrying campers from near and far (including Florida, Colorado, Arizona, California, and beyond!). Did it rain? It sure did. But ya know what?! It didn’t even matter! A little rain can’t bring us down today. The dining hall was filled with cheers and chants like we never left. And all buses arrived by 12:45PM in time for a camp pizza lunch – the stuff of dreams!

The afternoon was filled with icebreakers, bunk bonding, meeting new friends, reconnecting with old ones, divisional welcomes from our leadership team, and the ever-important health screenings and lice checks at the health center from a professional company, Lice Free Noggins (if you don’t get a call, your camper is lice-free)!

Tonight, the excitement continues with what we know will be a dining hall full of singing, dancing, and our favorite opening day dinner: Chinese food! Chicken, veggie fried rice, lo mein, roasted vegetables, fresh fruit, fortune cookies, and a whole lot of happy campers. We’re heading to the official summer kick-off at Netsy Playhouse and then onto evening activities.

We made it. You made it. Camp is officially underway, and what a beautiful, joyful first day it’s been here in Greeley. Summer 2026 is off to an amazing start, and if today is any indication, it’s going to be our best summer yet!