Orange Blossom Special 2026
International Star Party
January 14 through January 18
Introduction
The St. Petersburg Astronomy Club will proudly host our 33rd Orange Blossom Special International Star Party at “Withlacoochee River Park” in Dade City, Florida.
The many amenities of Withlacoochee River Park include darker skies and a 30-acre activity field for camping and viewing. There are a limited number of electric and water hookups, so you will want to register early. The park has room to roam, a 1.7-mile paved multi-purpose trail, 13 miles of hiking trails, a 40-foot observation tower, three wooden boardwalks, two playground areas for the kids, and river access for boating in your canoe or kayak.
The Park‘s well-maintained hiking trails are also perfect for bicycle riding. There are trails along the nearby Green Swamp to explore an untouched wilderness of amazing flora and fauna. Each year at OBS we conduct a guided biking tour for those interested in experiencing this unique environment.
Fishing is permitted by boat or along the riverbank. Persons 16 years of age and older must have either a valid Florida or Non-Resident fishing license. Refer to www.myfwc.com for specifics of State fishing regulations. BTW, there’s rather good bass fishing in the Withlacoochee River.
Thank you our wonderful sponsors!
Annual Telescope Raffle
We have a Dwarf 3 donated by Dwarf Lab for this year's raffle scope to be awarded at our club’s Orange Blossom Special Star Party, January 14 through January 18. It integrates a small, portable telescope, an astronomy camera, and a computerized mount into a single device, controlled primarily via a smartphone app.
Dwarf Labs also donated a matching mini tripod with a hydraulic head that's perfectly matched for the Dwarf 3. The tripod also goes to the raffle scope winner.
Online raffle tickets are $10 donation/each or 3 for $25. All donations go to the St. Petersburg Astronomy Club.
The drawing will be conducted on Saturday January 17th and the winner will be announced via email to all participants. You do not need to be present to win. However, it will be the winner’s responsibility to arrange pick-up.
Questions: Questions or concerns should be directed to Michael Partain - SpacStarParty@gmail.com.
Star Party Apparel
OBS and VSA apparel may be ordered from the manufacturer using the link below.
OBS Registration
Orange Blossom Special (OBS) Annual Star Party
Members, please Sign In before you register.
Arrival and Departure: You are welcome to arrive as early as 3PM on Monday prior to the official start of OBS. You must depart by noon on Sunday, the official end of OBS.
Arrivals and departures outside of those times must be arranged with the park staff. You may also need to relocate.
Accommodations: We have both RV and Tent camping sites located on the observation field. Our observation field has a limited number of electrical and water hook-ups which are reserved on a first registered, first served basis. See the table below for current availability.
There is virtually no limit on the number of dry camp sites we can accommodate on the field. We Have also reserved the park’s 15 campground sites for use during the star party. These sites have 30A/50A electric and water hookups for RV camping. They are located in the wooded area next to the observation field. If you choose these sites, you will need to set up your equipment on the field.
| Current Availability | ||
|---|---|---|
| Site | Qty | Cost |
| RV Campground | 5 | $25.00 |
| Thirty Amp Spaces | 0 | $20.00 |
| Twenty Amp Spaces | 0 | $15.00 |
| Telescope Power Only | 11 | $10.00 |
| Dry Camping | Unlimited | $10.00 |
Registration: You must be preregistered and pay online in order to attend our annual star party (OBS).
You may pay with your PayPal account or via credit card through PayPal. The registration fee is $30/Adult with no charge for minors accompanied by a registered adult. Camping fees are shown on the registration form.
Registration closes at 5:00 PM on December 17, 2025. No registration can be accepted after registration closes.
Refund Policy: While all payments to the Saint Petersburg Astronomy Club are considered non-refundable donations, we may refund your payment minus $10 processing fee if the cancellation is received before 5:00 pm on December 17, 2025. No refund can be issued after that time. This policy includes both registration and camping fees.
Star Party Rules: We have created a short list of rules to make your experience both safe and enjoyable. Please click the button below to view prior to arrival.
You will want to print some of the documents below just prior to your arrival.