Daily ScheduleOpenVan Tours & DIY ContestRaffle InfoFood TrucksTiki BarMusic

Please be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page, below the schedule table for details about the activities and the food trucks that will be available each day. Changes and additions to the schedule are likely at this early stage of planning!

General Information

Campers be sure to arrive between 11:00 am and 6:30pm on Friday. Gates to the park close at 6:30pm and do not re-open until 9:00 am on Saturday. Gates close at 6:30pm on Saturday and Sunday. We highly recommend campers arrive on Friday or early Saturday. Please check out our FAQs for more information.

Day pass ticket holders are welcome to join us between the hours of 10:00am to 9:00pm on Saturday and Sunday. However, the park gates close at 6:30pm. So, if you’re a day pass attendee, please exit the park by 6:30pm or, if you stay later, we will be opening the gates for a 10 minute window at 7:30pm and 9:00. Those windows will be your ONLY opportunity to exit the park after 6:30pm and overnight camping for day pass attendees is not allowed. So, please plan accordingly!

Leafy Lounge Tiki Bar hours are Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5pm to 11pm.

We recommend bringing your own chair/blanket and refreshments to each location.

One of our goals as organizers of this event is to minimize waste. So, please bring your own cups, dishware and silverware for the festivities. There will be food and drinks for sale but you’re welcome to bring your own.

If you ever have any questions, please visit the Vanlife Outfitters Pavilion – there will be at least one team member there from noon until 7:00 pm on Friday and from 10:00am to 6:00pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Leafy Lounge and Village Green are hangout spots that are open each day.  Some special events will be hosted at these locations which are detailed below.

Check out our maps page to see a site map of the amazing Withlacoochee River Park and the “village map” of what we’ll create together over the weekend including the various venue and street names that are unique to Peace Love & Vans.

Daily Schedule

Please note we’re early in our planning process. Be sure to check back often as the schedule gets updated over time!

What When Where Go on… tell me more…
Friday, March 7th, 2025 (Camping Ticket Holders Only)
Arrival & Welcome 11:00am – 6:30pm Groovy Grove Campground You made it! Welcome! Please don’t arrive earlier than 11:00am on Friday and be sure to have arrived by the time the gates close at 6:30pm on Friday or Saturday or you’ll have to wait outside the park, which would suck.
Live Music: Moonstone Riders 4:00pm – 5:00pm Swingin’ Stage We’ll kick off the live music at the Swingin’ Stage with the first performance by Moonstone Riders on a swampy journey to a world of psychedelic country funk.
Kickoff with Campfire and S’mores 5:30pm – 10:00pm Leafy Lounge & Village Green Join us for drinks, socializing, and s’more!
Live Music: Smashbox Symphony 7:00pm – 9:00pm Swingin’ Stage Smashbox Symphony is 6-piece group of talented and accomplished musicians joining forces to celebrate the music of David Bowie.
Late Night at the Lounge 9:00pm – midnight Leafy Lounge Calling all night owls to the Leafy Lounge! We’ll keep the campfires going so the late-nighters can gather at the lounge and enjoy music and conversation before retiring to camp. The evening chill will also feature live music from Steve McAllister!
Saturday, March 8th, 2025
Good Vibes Morning Coffee 8:00am – 10:00am Vanlife Outfitters Pavilion Bring your favorite morning beverage or sample the offerings from the food truck, Glazed & Confused and join the community at the Vanlife Outfitters Pavilion and Village Green.
Yoga: Instructor TBD 9:00am – 10:00am Talking Tree Join us for some yoga and salute the sun! A gentle flow through accessible postures with light breath work. All levels are welcome🙏☀️- bring a yoga mat or towel.
Day pass ticket holder entry begins at 10:00am.
Expo area open.
Victron Energy Trailer Tours & Expert Electrical System Advice 10:00am – 5:00pm Victron Energy Trailer Come by the Victron Energy training trailer to tour example power systems and get your questions on their products or electrial systems in general answered by experts from Victron Energy and Vanlife Outfitters. We’ve also partnered with War Horse All Terrain to demo a state-of-the-art 48-volt secondary alternator Victron-based power system in a Sprinter van that you can check out right next to the Victron trailer. Go blue power!
Guided Tour/Hike of Withlacoochiee Park 10:00am – 11:30am Vanlife Outfitters Pavilion Gather up at the Vanlife Outfitters Pavilion to join other cool cats for a fun exploration of the beautiful nature park that is the venue for the event with Duane who has been the park administrator for decades!
Workshop: TBD 10:00am – 11:00am Talking Tree
OpenVan Tours & DIY Contest Voting 11:00am – 5:30pm Groovy Grove and Chillville Campgrounds Check out the creativity and diversity of our community and meet fellow vanlifers by touring their vans. Participating rigs will have signs/info so you know which vans you can tour. Use your DIY Contest voting card that you received when you arrived at the event to vote for your favorite! More information on the OpenVan Tours and DIY contest .
Workshop: TBD 11:00am – noon Talking Tree
Live Music: John Taylor noon – 1:00pm Swingin’ Stage John Taylor is an emerging solo artist from Sarasota, Florida, whose musical repertoire spans Country, Blues, Folk, and Classic genres, among others.
Workshop: TBD 1:00pm – 2:00pm Talking Tree
Workshop: Tips on Choosing a Power System for Your Van 3:00pm – 4:00pm Talking Tree Join Justin from Victron Energy and Zach from Vanlife Outfitters as they share the tips they’ve learned helping thousands of people on how to plan an electrical system for your camper van.
Saturday Raffle 5:30pm – 6:00pm Swingin’ Stage There will be awesome prizes in our raffle on both Saturday and Sunday. Raffle tickets can be purchased at the Vanlife Outfitters Pavilion. More info.
Note: park gates close at 6:30pm.

If you’re a day pass attendee, please exit the park by 6:30pm or, if you stay later, we will be opening the gates for a 10 minute window at 7:30pm and 9:00. Those windows will be your ONLY opportunity to exit the park after 6:30pm and overnight camping for day pass attendees is not allowed. So, please plan accordingly!
Happy Hour sponsored by Mabru Air Conditioners 6:00pm – 7:00pm Leafy Lounge & Village Green Join us for drinks, socializing, and sunset at the Leafy Lounge & Village Green. Thanks to our sponsor, camper ticket holders will get one free drink ticket that can be redeemed at the Leafy Lounge bar during happy hour. You’re welcome to bring your own food or drink. There will also be live music from the talented Eugene Music at the Swingin’ Stage.
Star Gazing 7:00pm – 9:00pm Connected Camp Campground Join our friends from the St. Petersburg Astronomy club who will be sharing their telescopes, knowledge and passion of the skies. Turns out Withlacoochee River Park is a particularly groovy place to star gaze.
Live Music: Moonstone Riders 7:00pm – 9:00pm Swingin’ Stage Come join Moonstone Riders on a swampy journey to a world of psychedelic country funk at the main, Swingin’ Stage!
Late Night at the Lounge 9:00pm – midnight Leafy Lounge Calling all night owls to the Leafy Lounge! We’ll keep the campfires going so the late-nighters can gather at the lounge and enjoy music and conversation before retiring to camp.

Sunday, March 9th, 2025

Note, that pesky daylight savings time means we all lost an hour! Be sure to update your clocks accordingly, there’s so much happening at the festival today!
Good Vibes Morning Coffee 8:00am – 10:00am Village Green Bring your favorite morning beverage or sample the offerings from the food truck, Glazed & Confused and join the community at the Vanlife Outfitter Pavilion and Village Green.
Yoga: Mike Lyons 9:00am – 10:00am Talking Tree Join our very own support tech, Mike and salute the sun! A gentle flow through accessible postures with light breath work. All levels are welcome🙏☀️- bring a yoga mat or towel.
Workshop: TBD 10:00am – 11:00am Talking Tree
Day pass ticket holder entry begins at 10:00am.
Expo area open.
Victron Energy Trailer Tours & Expert Electrical System Advice 10:00am – 5:00pm Victron Energy Trailer Come by the Victron Energy training trailer to tour example power systems and get your questions on their products or electrial systems in general answered by experts from Victron Energy and Vanlife Outfitters. We’ve also partnered with War Horse All Terrain to demo a state-of-the-art 48-volt secondary alternator Victron-based power system in a Sprinter van that you can check out right next to the Victron trailer. Go blue power!
Workshop: TBD 11:00am – noon Talking Tree
OpenVan Tours and DIY Build Contest Tours:
11:00am – 5:30pm
Contest:
11:00am – 2:00pm		 Groovy Grove & Chillville campgrounds Check out the creativity and diversity of our community and meet fellow vanlifers by touring their vans. Participating rigs will have signs/info so you know which vans you can tour. Use your DIY Contest voting card that you received when you arrived at the event to vote for your favorite! More information on the OpenVan Tours and DIY contest .
Workshop: TBD Noon – 1:00pm Talking Tree
Workshop: TBD 1:00pm – 2:00pm Talking Tree
Sunday Service 2:00pm – 3:00pm Leafy Lounge For those who practice, join us for worship, prayer and share gratitude with fellow vanlifers in the lounge.
DIY  Build Contest Winners Announced 3:00pm – 3:30pm Swingin’ Stage Come on down to the Swingin’ Stage for the announcement of the DIY Build Contest “Best in Row” winners for each street as well as the “Best in Show” winner! Be sure to tour the winning rigs after the winners are announced in the Groovy Grove and Chillville campgrounds – kook for the “Best in Row” and “Best in Show” flags!
Workshop: TBD 3:30pm – 4:30pm Talking Tree
Sunday Raffle 5:30pm – 6:00pm Swingin’ Stage There will be awesome prizes in our raffle on both Saturday and Sunday. Raffle tickets can be purchased at the Vanlife Outfitters Pavilion. More info.
Note: park gates close at 6:30pm.

If you’re a day pass attendee, please exit the park by 6:30pm or, if you stay later, we will be opening the gates for a 10 minute window at 7:30pm and 9:00. Those windows will be your ONLY opportunity to exit the park after 6:30pm and overnight camping for day pass attendees is not allowed. So, please plan accordingly!
Happy Hour sponsored by Vanlife Outfitters 6:00pm – 7:00pm Village Green & Leafy Lounge Join us for drinks, socializing, and sunset at the Leafy Lounge & Village Green. Thanks to our sponsor, camper ticket holders will get one free drink ticket that can be redeemed at the Leafy Lounge bar during happy hour. You’re welcome to bring your own food or drink. There will also be live music from the talented Eugene Music at the Swingin’ Stage.
Trivia Night 6:00pm – 7:00pm Swingin’ Stage Let’s get trivial! Come down to the Swingin’ Stage for trivia night. You can either form your own team or ask to be assigned to a team randomly. This is sure to be a fun hour!
Evening Chill at the Lounge 7:00pm – 9:00pm Leafy Lounge Come and chill out with all the cool cats in the Leafy Lounge which is tucked inside a forest of trees. We’ll set the vibe with campfires and mood lighting. Expect lively conversation and plenty of opportunities to meet and mingle with other vanlifers.
Live Music: Dead Set 7:00pm – 9:00pm Swingin’ Stage Dead Set is one of Florida’s best Grateful Dead tribute bands. Whether you’re a dead head or not, you’ll want to come down and shake your bones at the Swingin’ Stage. Never miss a Sunday show!
Late Night at the Lounge 9:00pm – midnight Leafy Lounge Calling all night owls to the Leafy Lounge! We’ll keep the campfires going so the late-nighters can gather at the lounge and enjoy music and conversation before retiring to camp. The evening chill will also feature live music from Steve McAllister!
Monday, March 10th, 2025
Good Vibes Morning Coffee 8:00am – 10:00am Village Green Bring your favorite morning beverage and join the community at the Pavilion and Village Green. Sorry, no food trucks are available.
Fare Thee Wells 10:00am – 11:00am All vans must be gone by 11am Please help us clean up the area so we are invited back next year!

OpenVan Tours – Get Inspired!

We are consistently amazed at the creativity and innovation we see in DIY van builds, so we wanted to showcase this talent in the OpenVan tour and a DIY Van Build contest. Past attendees have said these are some of their favorite activities during the gathering!

On Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5:30pm participating campers will open their vans for tours. This will be an awesome opportunity to see a huge range of layouts and get inspiration!

The OpenVan tours are in the Groovy Grove and Chillville campgrounds only (check out the village map).

If you’re “van curious” and want to check out vans, be sure to roam the streets of these campgrounds to check out tons of conversions. You’re almost guaranteed to be inspired!

If your rig is for sale, you’re welcome to promote that during the OpenVan tours as well.

It’s Up To You To Promote Your Rig!

If you’d like to participate in the OpenVan tours and/or the DIY Build Contest and show off your rig, we highly recommend that you bring stuff to decorate and promote your work. This can include signs with information about the build, flags, lights or even hand-outs! Be creative and be sure to include the name you’ve given your build. We will NOT be providing signs about the tour/contest.

DIY Build Contest

Entering Contest
Anyone who participates in the OpenVan tours in Groovy Grove or Chillville campgrounds (see village map) can choose to enter our DIY Build Contest! To enter, visit the Vanlife Outfitters Pavilion and ask for a contest voting box – these are available for free. The top of the voting box has a label that you need to complete by filling in your name, your rig’s name and the street you’re parked at in the village. The voting box should look something like this photo. Then, of course, place it in a prominent area so other attendees can vote! Importantly, you MUST bring your voting box to the Vanlife Outfitters Pavilion by 2:15pm on Sunday to be considered.

Please remember this contest is for DIY rigs which means that you did all or substantially all of the work on the build yourself!

Voting
All attendees (campers and day pass) will be given a voting card. As they tour vans they can choose their favorite and vote for it by simply placing their voting card into the voting box at their favorite rig. Voting will end at 2pm on Sunday. Our team will count the votes around 2:30pm on Sunday afternoon. A rig with the most votes in each named street in the Groovy Grove campground and two rigs with the most votes in Chillville will win a “Best in Row” award and the rig with the most votes in the entire contest will win “Best In Show”. Winners will be announced at the Swingin’ Stage at 3:00pm on Sunday. Be sure to tour the winning rigs after the winners are announced in the Groovy Grove and Chillville campgrounds – kook for the “Best in Row” and “Best in Show” flags!

DIY Build Contest Prizes

Best in Row winners will receive a free ticket to next year’s event, a Best in Row sticker. These rigs will also be marked with a “Best in Row” flag so you can find them after they are announced. The Best in Show winner will receive a free ticket to next year’s event, 2x Flat-Jack air levelers, a $200 gift card to Vanlife Outfitters, a free event t-shirt, and a Best in Show sticker.

Raffles

Every camping ticket holder will receive one raffle ticket in their welcome folder. Both campers and day pass ticket holders can purchase additional raffle tickets at the Vanlife Outfitters Pavilion at a cost of $1 per ticket or 6x tickets for $5. We have nearly $15,000 in raffle prizes lined up – everything from Webasto heaters to one-of-a-kind crafts! Raffle ticket sales support the St. Petersburg Astronomy Club.

Raffle winners will be announced at 5:30pm on both Saturday and Sunday at the Swingin’ Stage. Raffle prizes are distinct for Saturday and Sunday. To enter the raffle, simply drop your raffle ticket(s) into the box corresponding to the prize you want to win. In some cases, there will be more than one of the same prizes, in which case, there will be multiple winners and this will be noted on the raffle box. You must be present to win.

Food Trucks

We’ll have a variety of food trucks each day. We have made it our goal to support locally owned businesses as much as possible during the Florida Vanlife Gathering.  Below is a listing of the food trucks that will be providing their delicious food from approximately 11am to 7pm. They are mostly based in Dade City or in the area directly surrounding Dade City, FL. This list may change at any time.

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Tiki Bar in the Leafy Lounge

You asked and, well, the dudes abide! New for 2025 is a Tiki Bar in the Leafy Lounge that will be serving amazingly delicious frozen margaritas and pina coladas in commemorative cups. We’ll also have a variety of beers, hard seltzers and wine. The Leafy Lounge is an awesome hangout space tucked into the woods with free smores on Friday night and live music each night. It can be found on the southern end of the site across from Shakedown Street on our village map.

Tiki Bar hours are between 4pm and 11pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Best of all, camper ticket holders get a few free drinks – details on the camping ticket page.

Awesome Live Music at the Swingin’ Stage and Leafy Lounge

Dead Set

Dead Set Florida (DSF) began in 2017 when Christian Walker (St. Petersburg, FL), born and raised in Upstate New York, and newly transplanted to Tampa Bay, decided to continue performing Grateful Dead music live in Tampa Bay. After serving for the better part of a decade in Syracuse’s finest Grateful Dead Tribute, Dark Hollow, and after moving closer to family that transplanted to Florida 20 years prior, he followed his heart and searched for like minded individuals to share the passion of performing regularly throughout the Bay Area.

Paul Wolff (Apollo Beach, FL) answered the call immediately and has been the band’s lead guitarist since Day 1. Paul channels Jerry Garcia through his leads and technique, continuously leaving fans in awe. Tucker Waud (St. Petersburg, FL) began with the band on Day 1 as well, and is a true champion on keyboards, continuously pushing the band to its limits. Michael Pandiscio (Cape Cod, MA), a veteran in Grateful Dead music for over 30 years, has since rounded out the DSF lineup singing lead and harmony vocals as well as playing a tasty rhythm guitar. Currently, the band is blessed to perform with several of Florida’s top drummers, including Mike Garrie & Harley Smith, both extremely talented and versatile musicians performing some of the very best Grateful Dead drums you’ll hear around.

Dead Set Florida has secured and performed several standing Grateful Dead nights and continue to drive the train throughout Tampa Bay. As one endearing fan stated, “I can see it, I can tell you guys work so hard at making the music right.” The band works their tail off to bring you an excellent finished product and they will never stop working so hard. A local lead guitar player in another Florida based GD tribute stated, “I’m so impressed with you guys and how much you’ve accomplished in such a short amount of time.” DSF is extremely thankful for love and support from area Grateful Dead bands, but first and foremost can not do what they do without the audience. The fans truly are the lightening to the band’s thunder for without them the music would not be so energized.

Moonstone Riders

Moonstone Riders are a jam band from Naples, Florida, known for their eclectic mix of rock, funk, blues, and country.  The band features Matt Benfield on guitar and vocals, Marcia Winslow on vocals and percussion, Jeffrey James on bass and vocals, and Frank Lewis on drums.

The band is known for their energetic live shows, which often feature extended improvisational jams that weave from one song to the next. The band is building a large and dedicated following, who are drawn to their unique sound and their ability to connect with audiences on a personal level.

Inspired by the music of jam bands like Grateful Dead and Phish as well as old school country greats, Moonstone Riders produces an energy and vibe that contains sounds from the past and elements of the future that gives birth to something that is inventive and intuitive.

Smashbox Symphony

Smashbox Symphony is a very talented David Bowie tribute band founded by John West and Jeff Adams. They have since relocated to Sarasota, Florida, adding the musical expertise of Ron Principe, Terry Fritts, John Barrett, and John Ledbetter, as they celebrate the music of David Bowie.

John Taylor

John Taylor is an emerging solo artist from Sarasota, Florida, whose musical repertoire spans Country, Blues, Folk, and Classic genres, among others. His performances consistently deliver an engaging and enjoyable experience. In addition to his impressive covers, Taylor features a selection of compelling original compositions in his sets.

Eugene Music

Eugene is a singer-songwriter who began his career singing in the streets of Tel Aviv in 2015. Since then, music has taken him through over 18 countries and has shared countless experiences moving people through music. After 8 years of singing in the streets, Eugene finally bought his dream van which he’s been converting into a recording studio and a stage. He now travels North America with it, entertaining people wherever he goes. He even started offering Driveway Concerts. The songs Eugene is currently working on, shine light on inspiration, hope & coming together.

Steve McAllister

The easiest way to describe Steve’s music is pure Americana but his influences through various genres is a musical panorama. From classics everybody loves to showtunes they adore, he’s also got originals that will leave you wanting more. Sometimes he plays alone and sometimes he plays with others and whoever he plays with in the Wandering Soul Band are his musical sisters and brothers So if you’re looking for music to make you feel alive, you’ve got to understand you need not look any further than Steve McAllister. As an avid storyteller and wordsmith, Steve McAllister crafts musical compositions that reach to the heart of listeners and the challenges and celebrations they experience.