The lottery for the 2026 Synchronous Hippo Firefly Viewing Event at Congaree National Park is almost here (remember that Jeopardy moment).

Here’s what to know before it opens:

Viewing dates: Wednesday, May 13 through Wednesday, May 20
Lottery window: Opens 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 7 and closes 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 14
How to enter: Online only (no phone entries)
Limit: One application per household
Cost: $1 non-refundable entry fee, and it is $24 if selected
Winners notified: Thursday, April 17
What you get: One vehicle pass for a single evening viewing

Each spring, Congaree National Park becomes one of just a handful of places in North America where synchronous fireflies put on a coordinated light display, flashing in near-perfect unison as part of their mating ritual. The phenomenon lasts only a short window each year, which is why access is limited + demand is high.

If you’re selected, you’ll step into an old-growth floodplain forest just outside Columbia for a rare experience that draws visitors from across the country.

May the odds be ever in your glowing favor.