Bardstock (LARP Adventures Summer Festival)
- Dates
- Jul 17 to 20, 2025
- Status
- Expected
- Venue
- Oakenshield, 153 Oakenshield Dr
- Price
- $75
- Camping
- Available
- Last checked
- Aug 24, 2026
The experience
What's special
Bardstock is the summer LARP festival of LARP Adventures, a mid-Atlantic live-action roleplaying group, held over a long weekend at Oakenshield in central Pennsylvania. Set in the fantasy world of Osterra using the beginner-friendly C.O.M.B.a.T. system, it combines foam-weapon battles, bardic competitions, puzzles, scavenger hunts, and woodland adventures with creek-side tavern and bonfire revelry, and is built to welcome both first-timers and veterans (ages 16+ for combat, with non-combatant options).
See it before you go
Costumes & what to wear
Do I need a costume?
Costumes are strongly encouraged but newcomers should not be intimidated, the aim is a good look rather than historical accuracy, DIY and budget builds are welcomed, and rental weapons and costume are available for first-timers who just want to show up and play
Costume rules
Everyone is encouraged to wear garb/costume; the stated goal is 'TV/Movie quality' looks rather than strict period accuracy, and the organizers emphasize inclusivity and DIY options. Costume inspiration ranges from post-Roman Britons through the Viking age, and high fantasy is welcome as 'portal travelers.'
Weapons policy
Uses realistic latex-covered and injection-molded foam weapons (from partners such as Calimacil and Epic Armouries) rather than boffer weapons; DIY and plastidip shields are welcome and all weapons are safety-checked. Archery uses bows under 35-pound draw with slow-style foam arrows; no head shots are legal
Joining in
An immersive, unscripted four-day LARP set in the fantasy world of Osterra using the easy-to-learn C.O.M.B.a.T. system: combat scenarios, bardic competitions, puzzles, scavenger hunts, woodland adventures, and evening tavern revelry. Non-combatant roles (spectator, day player) are available
Getting there
Nearest airport SCE.
How do I get to Bardstock (LARP Adventures Summer Festival)?
By bus 1
Intercity coach service (Fullington Trailways, Greyhound, FlixBus) reaches the State College area, listed on University Park Airport's own ground-transportation page. These serve State College town, not Beech Creek, a traveller would still need a ~30-mile rideshare or rental car for the last leg to the venue. Useful mainly for attendees coming overland from other Pennsylvania cities rather than flying
Book / info →Taxi & rideshare 1
From SCE the venue is roughly a 30-mile, 40-minute drive northeast toward Beech Creek. Uber and Lyft both operate at SCE, alongside several named local taxi/shuttle/limo operators. There is no transit or festival shuttle out to Beech Creek, so a rideshare would cover the whole trip, but for a four-day campout with gear, most fly-in players rent a car. Book a return ride ahead, as driver supply is thin in rural Clinton County
Book / info →By train
No direct passenger rail to the venue was found. Use the airport transfers or shuttle options above.
🅿 Parking
On site parking available. Cost On-site parking at Oakenshield (no separate parking charge documented). Prepay via None, on-site parking at the venue, no prepay system noted. The four-day campout takes place on Oakenshield's 18+ acres of forest and fields, with players camping on site from Thursday set-up through the weekend; on-site parking is available. Specific parking layout and any capacity limits were not documented this pass
🚙 Car hire
Compare car hire at SCE
The primary option for fly-in attendees: a four-day forest campout near Bald Eagle State Park, ~30 miles from SCE with no transit or shuttle to the site, and players haul tents and gear. Six major rental brands operate at SCE; a car covers the trip and the last-mile rural roads
Search car hire →Live price search coming soon.
Where
Venue
Oakenshield, 153 Oakenshield Dr
Camping & Accommodation
Is there camping at Bardstock (LARP Adventures Summer Festival)?
Yes, on site camping is available.
Camping site types 3
A four-day campout at Oakenshield; camp set-up begins Thursday and camping is included in the festival ticket ($75). Rental weapons and costume are available for first-timers; the event is BYOB
Van/vehicle camping fits within the four-day campout (bring your own setup); camping is primitive with facilities not detailed. Same festival-ticket-included camping applies
The campground is primitive forest and fields (facilities not detailed); combat is for ages 16+, with a family-friendly atmosphere and a kids' adventure path in development
Pricing
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