NWSF Information

NORTHWOODS STARFEST 2026
Hobbs Observatory
Beaver Creek Reserve
Fall Creek, Wisconsin
September 11-13, 2026

Sponsored by the Chippewa Valley Astronomical Society (CVAS).

Online NWSF registration order form (registration open 6/1/26)

Mail in NWSF registration form

Please consider registering online to ensure we receive your registration before the event. Thank you!

NOTE:  Wildlands Charter School uses the Hobbs Observatory classroom as a middle school, and the Citizen Science Center (building on the SE corner of the observing field) as a high school. Classes on Friday, September 11th, are dismissed at 3pm.  There will be student drivers, parents, and a school bus coming and going from 2:45 to 3:15pm. There may be students playing games on the observing field before the 3pm dismissal.  If you arrive before 3:15pm, please proceed with caution when entering the observing field to set up tents, campers, and equipment.  CVAS members will be on site to coordinate starting at 1pm on Friday.

Join us for Northwoods Starfest (NWSF), September 11-13, 2026, at Hobbs Observatory, located in the Beaver Creek Reserve (BCR), four miles north of Fall Creek, Wisconsin.

Adults (13 and over) Est $115* (if received on or before 08/28/2026), Est $125* after 8/28/2026.

Students (5 through 12) Est $95*

Child (under 5) No charge

(* – CVAS reserves the right to change prices as necessary.)

Join a gathering of amateur astronomers from five states for observing, camaraderie, food, and astronomical presentations. A large field in front of the observatory is set up for observing. The skies are quite dark. Limited AC power is available for the observing field.

A swap fest is held late Saturday afternoon. Bring whatever astronomy gear you’d like to sell or swap.

There is a drawing for door prizes following the Saturday dinner (must be present to win).

In addition to the featured speakers on Friday and Saturday, NWSF attendees are invited to share a short talk on Saturday afternoon. If you have something astronomical to share: a presentation, a unique telescope, or anything else that people might enjoy, we encourage you to reserve a short talk session time on Saturday afternoon. Please limit your presentation to a maximum of 25 minutes. If you have a short talk to share, please note the title on the mail-in registration or in the comments box on the online registration.

The BCR campus offers a nature center, a nature store, a butterfly house, hiking trails, and an obstacle course, which NWSF attendees have access to at no additional charge.

Saturday also offers an on-your-own activity to visit the Eau Claire Planet Walk in downtown Eau Claire at Phoenix Park. An excellent Farmer’s Market at the park runs until 1 pm.

To maximize NWSF attendees’ observing experience, the observatory will not be open to the general public on Saturday night as it has in past years during NWSF.

Beaver Creek Reserve has a strict pet policy: “In the interest of health and safety of all our visitors and wildlife, pets are not allowed on the Reserve.” Please leave your pets at home.

Please let us know if you have any other special needs before NWSF, and we’ll do our best to accommodate them. If you have a certain dietary requirement, you are welcome to use the refrigerator/freezer and kitchen in the main lodge to store and prepare your own meals.

Registration fee includes BCR camp fees (camping, bunkhouse, or cabin accommodations – see photos below), Friday midnight snacks, Saturday brunch, Saturday dinner, Saturday midnight snacks, and Sunday breakfast.

Please read the Northwoods Starfest Etiquette document.

For those wishing to stay on-site, accommodations at BCR include Cedar Lodge and five cabins. Cedar Lodge provides a common area, bathrooms, showers, and two attached bunkhouses.  Cabins do not have bathrooms, but a large bathroom/shower house are available for all guests.  Towels/linens are not provided.

We will continue to assign the private rooms in Cedar Lodge to individuals and cabins to families or groups who are willing to share the same space. The private rooms and cabins are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are part of a group staying together in a cabin, please indicate the group on the registration form under the “Special Requests” section.

The east and west bunkhouses in Cedar Lodge will be a shared space; you are welcome to grab a bunk.

  • Cedar Lodge – private room 1 
  • Cedar Lodge – private room 2
  • Pine Cabin
  • Oak Cabin 
  • Birch Cabin
  • Norway Cabin 
  • Maple Cabin 

Tents and small campers may be set up along the edges of the observing field or in other open areas on the BCR grounds. There is a very limited amount of room for larger RVs – please let us know if you are bringing an RV. There are no RV electrical hookups.

For those who prefer more plush overnight accommodations, there are two hotels located 10 miles (15 minutes) west of BCR near the US 53/WI 312 intersection.

Cancellations will be honored through August 31st, 2025 (cancellation of online registrations incurs a $0.50 cancellation charge).

NWSF apparel items are in addition to registration fees. Apparel orders must be received by noon on 08/25/2026.  A limited number of apparel items may be available for purchase at check-in. For apparel choices, see the online NWSF registration page.

For more information or questions, email CVAS at: contact@cvastro.org

NWSF 2026 EVENTS

Friday, September 11th

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm — Registration/Check-in (Main Lodge).

5:00 pm to 6:00 pm — Brats and hot dogs (Main Lodge). Cost is not included in the registration fee!

  • Brats: $3
  • Hot Dogs: $2
  • Soda: $.50
  • Chips: $.50

6:30 pm — Featured speaker (Main Lodge)

  • Speaker:TBD
  • Topic: TBD
  • Abstract: TBD

7:24 pm — Sunset

7:53 pm — Twilight ends.

8:00 pm — Observing session begins.

9:00 pm to 11:00 pm — Domes open for viewing.

Midnight — Snacks (Main Lodge). 11:00 pm if cloudy if skies are clear.

Saturday, September 12th

9:30 am to 11:00 am — Brunch (Main Lodge) and registration/check-in (Main Lodge).

12:30 pm to 3:00 pm — Short talks (Main Lodge). The Short Talks schedule will be posted in the Main Lodge and Observatory Office.

3:30 pm — Swap Fest (Observatory Classroom).

4:30 pm — Group photo (Observatory Patio, Main Lodge if raining).

5:00 pm — Dinner (Main Lodge)

  • TBD

6:00 pm — Door prizes, must be present to win (Main Lodge).

6:30 pm — Featured speaker (Main Lodge).

  • Speaker: Bob King (aka Astro Bob)
  • Topic: TBD
  • Abstract: TBD

7:22 pm — Sunset

7:51 pm — Twilight ends

8:00 pm — Observing session begins.

9:00 pm – 11:00 pm — Domes open for viewing if skies are clear.

Midnight — Snacks (Main Lodge). 11:00 pm if cloudy.

Sunday, September 13th

8:00 am to 10:00 am — Breakfast (Main Lodge).

  • Pancakes (blueberry and plain), sausages, milk, juice, coffee.

Noon — Checkout

Please take a moment to visit our past and current sponsors listed below. 

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