Armistice Rules and Site Policies

Please note that all people in attendance at Armistice are expected to abide by the rules and policies of Cooper’s Lake Campground, Event Staff, and the laws and codes of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the USA. Non-compliance with these regulations may result in expulsion from the event and possible involvement of relevant authorities.

Below are the General Site Policies of Armistice, however: additional policies for Martial Activities, are also in effect and detailed in the Martial Activities section.

General Rules

1. Firearms, fireworks, airborne lanterns (including Japanese Lanterns), or chemical weapons of any kind are forbidden at Armistice. Fire performing in public spaces is likewise forbidden.


2. Cutting of trees, branches, shrubs, or other foliage for any reason, is prohibited on Cooper’s Lake Campground property. This includes, but not limited to, cutting wood to use as firewood.


3. Campground fencing may not be altered, removed, or damaged for any reason. This includes any temporary fencing or caution tape markings used for parking or traffic control. This shall include caution tape markings.


4. Bathhouse sinks may only be used for the purposes for which they are intended. Bathing, the washing of dishes, utensils and/or clothing, and other similar uses are strictly forbidden.


5. Armistice does not allow pets. Trained Service Animals are welcome, and must be registered at the gate upon arrival to the event. Trained Service Animals are defined in The Americans with Disability Act of 1990 (as amended) Title III, § 36.104: and guide and support animals as defined by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) of 1955 (as amended) section 5.i.1, and otherwise defined within the PHRA and its explanatory documents. A doctor’s letter does not turn an animal into a service animal. All service animals must be accompanied by a certificate of Rabies vaccination.


6. Horses are not permitted on site.


7. Boats are not permitted on the lake.


8. Alway obey a 10 MPH/16 KPH speed limit for all roads within the campground, being especially careful in congested areas. Posted limits above 5 MPH are too fast for event conditions and will not apply during Armistice.


9. Martial activities of any kind are prohibited outside of the designated areas. This includes all styles of martial and martial-related arts, to include armored and unarmored combat, thrown weapons, archery and siege and youth combat.


10. Advance written permission of Cooper’s Lake Campground management must be obtained prior to using any power earth moving equipment. This includes, but is not limited to: power augers and bobcats. Gas powered tools and all chainsaws are also prohibited. There are no exceptions to this prohibition.


11. No one may fill or drain any single water receptacle with a capacity of 100 gallons or more from the Cooper’s Lake water supply.


12. Any structure on site is limited to 16 feet. Structures are defined as any non-tent items. This includes, but is not limited to gates, towers, houses, scaffolding, etc.


13. The following are not permitted: bicycles, personal golf carts, rollerblades, skateboards, mopeds, scooters, hoverboards, tricycles, unicycles, and trail bikes. ECVs and electric wheelchairs are permitted, but they must obey a 5 MPH/8 KPH speed limit within the campground. Moreover, an ECV or electric wheelchair may not be attached to a trailer. Only one person per unit on ECVs and electric wheelchairs.


14. Trenches and wastewater pits must not be deeper than 3 feet. Fill all pits prior to leaving the event.
    NOTE: Digging of any sort is strictly forbidden in blocks: W02, W03, E06, & E10 without explicit permission granted in writing by the Cooper’s Lake Campground management. Stakes and digging is limited to 12 inches in the lower 1/2 of W07 .


15. After 10pm, use of public address systems is forbidden. Any amplifying system that can be heard outside of a camp must get approval in advance from the Event Stewart.


16. Notices/announcements may not be posted in or on any portable toilet or other Campground facility.


17. Electrical or electronic devices may not be plugged into any outlet in any Cooper’s Lake Campground building.


18. Cooper’s Lake Farms, Inc. prohibits the use of Drones, Deer cams, static optical devices, dash cams and any and all surveillance devices on their property.


19. Tampering with, moving, or destruction or vandalization of any facility or property of Armistice or Cooper's Lake Campground, without the express permission of staff members of Cooper's Lake Campground or Armistice staff specifically authorized to grant permission, will result in the immediate expulsion from the event, to include any person who might harbor or abet them. These properties and facilities include but are not limited to: Signs; University tents; Golf Carts; the Barn; the Great Hall; Bath Houses; Battlefield Set-ups; Tables, Chairs, Benches and Picnic Tables used by Armistice; and any other item that non-staff members are not entitled to use.


20. Swimming and wading is strictly forbidden in the lake or other water bodies on site.

Special Gas Line - Restrictions

1. Additional fire pit restrictions in blocks E11, E18, E20, E24, W02, W03, AND W21, must be observed due to an underground high-pressure natural gas line that runs through those areas.


2. No fire pits or ground fires are to be placed within the 50 feet of the Right-of-Way of the gas line. Violation of this rule may cause the gas company to exercise their right to demand that no camping of any type be allowed in this area. Violations of this rule will not be tolerated.


3. The center of the gas line will be marked with a dotted white painted line. Dotted white lines will mark the 25 feet on each side of the centerline. Tents are allowed if stakes are less than 3 feet in length.


4. No tents or other structures are to be placed within 10 feet of any gas company marker or vent. Markers and vents must be accessible from the nearest road at all times. A blue painted circle will mark markers and vents. NOTHING is to be placed within this circle.

Garbage Disposal and Recycling

Dumpsters are located throughout the campground and are the only proper location for garbage and/or refuse disposal. Prior to departing Armistice, please stack raw wood materials (plywood, 2x4's, etc.) next to the road at the edge of your camp. Please do not place wood inside the dumpster. DO NOT remove anything from the dumpster/dumpster area. Under no circumstances may garbage or refuse be burned.

Please remove all personal property from the site by NOON on SUNDAY of Armistice. Anything left on sure afternoon will be considered abandoned property and will be disposed of by the event staff and/ or Cooper’s Lake Management. Large items (furniture, mattresses, old tents, etc.) May not be left in your encampment when departing, even if the intention is to abandon them. You are responsible for the removal of large items from the event; the garbage and refuse service contracted by Cooper’s Lake Campground is not responsible for large item removal. Cooper’s Lake Campground does recycles. Recycling can be brought to the "Field Gare" recycling station located on the battlefield.

Hay/Straw and Mulch Use

Hay and/or straw is prohibited as rushes or ground cover in any area without the express written permission of the management of Coope r’s Lake Campground. In the case that permission is given, hay and/or straw (including a clean up fee) will be made available for sale at the Camp Store. BURNING HAY AND/OR STRAW IS PROHIBITED. Mulch or wood chips cannot be brought into the campground or used as ground cover due to causing severe damage to the grounds and a potential health hazard. Do not remove Hay bales from the battlefield. The bales on the battlefield are for melee scenarios. Any group caught with unauthorized hay/straw will face expulsion from the event.

Rentals and Deliveries

If attendees contract with a local vendor for rental or purchase of goods and merchandise including, but not limited to; firewood, pizza, rental tents, tables/chairs, catered food, propane, rental appliances, oxygen deliveries, and lumber deliveries, it is considered a private contract between the attendee and the vendor. It is the responsibility of the attendee to coordinate the delivery.

The staff of Armistice and Cooper’s Lake Campground will not be directly involved in the delivery of any goods. The attendee will be required to meet the vendor at the appropriate gate to accept the delivery.

Merchants

Selling, vending and/or merchanting is not permitted outside of the designated merchant area. Compliance with all applicable tax and licensing regulations and/or requirements is the responsibility of the individual merchant. Outside Catering must be coordinated through the Merchant Coordinator and will be treated as a rental and delivery when arriving on site.

Picnic Tables and Folding Tables

There are not enough picnic tables for every encampment. Any tables, picnic or folding, in the Great Hall and other Armistice tents are not to be used by any individual or group or removed from their areas.

Smoking Policies

There is no smoking permitted in any public building, public tent, or golf cart. Please dispose of cigarettes or cigar butts in the proper receptacles and be courteous of others when smoking in public areas.

Harassment and Bullying

Armistice prohibits the harassment and bullying of all groups, households and individuals. Attendees engaging in harassment, bullying or retaliation are subject to ejection from the site.

Land

Land will be claimed on a first-come, first-serve basis. We will not be allocating square footage at this time. With this in mind, please be courteous to your neighbors.

Once your group has determined where you will be setting up, notify the Sheriff of the campsite location. This will assist in locating you if necessary and also help your campmates locate you upon arrival.

Event Staff reserves the right to designate specific areas for Staff or Event purposes. Event Staff will be the final determination in land disputes.

Check In Information

Check in at the gate will be open from 8 am to 10 pm Thursday and Friday and 8 am to 6 pm Saturday. There will be no readmittance to site between the hours of 2 am and 8 am. There will be no new admittance to the site after noon Saturday.

1. What you need to check in:
   
   • A GOVERNMENT-ISSUED PHOTO ID with name and date of birth
   
   
   • Sufficient cash or credit card to cover the cost of your entry (CHECKS, MONEY ORDERS AND TRAVELER’S CHECKS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED). Personal checks will NOT be accepted. Refunds will not be issued once you have been processed through the gate.
   
   


2. Minors may not attend Armistice alone. If you are bringing any minor who is not your own child for which you are not the legal guardian:
   
   • You must be at least 21 years of age
   
   
   • Present at Sheriff the following for EACH minor child for whom you are responsible:
     
     • A notarized statement completed by the minor child’s parent/legal guardian
     
     
     • A copy of the health insurance card.
     
     
   • You will be required to sign a waiver in the child's name before admittance. After signing, YOU will be considered the notarized guardian of each minor during the event. Lying on these waivers constitutes fraud and will result in your family's expulsion from the campground.
   
   
3. We cannot transfer pre-registrations to anyone else. If you are unable to attend Armistice and are already pre-registered see Refund Policy.


4. Personal information will never be given at the gate by event staff. Event staff will not confirm if someone is on site or where an individual is camped. Please respect this privacy issue.


5. Each attendee of Armistice is given a medallion at the Sheriff Booth when they arrive. This medallion is both the proof of payment and allows access to Event activities. Always wear your medallion and produce it for Cooper’s Lake and appropriate Armistice Staff members upon request


6. Please keep your medallion on your at all times when out of camp, to include if you leave the site. If you forget your medallion, you will be escorted back to camp to produce your medallion or event receipt. If you cannot produce either, you will have to leave the event or pay to re-enter.


7. Participants attempting to enter the site at any point without a medallion (other than as described above) or sharing medallions will be evicted from the site without refund.

Refund Policy

Refund requests must be submitted via email to Sheriff@armisticellc.org by June 15, 2024 at midnight. Any requests for reimbursement after the deadline will not be fulfilled.

Service Animals

Pets are not permitted on site. Dogs with the sole function of providing comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under ADA or PHRA.

All service animals must be brought through the Sheriff's Gate when you check in for the event. The service animal handler is responsible for the care and supervision of the service animal. Service animals must be housebroken and must be harnessed, leashed or tethered. In the event that the harness, leash or tether interferes with the service animal’s work or the handler’s disability prevents using the devices, the handler must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal or other effective controls.

Service animal owners are responsible for cleaning up all dog waste and properly dispose of the waste in a waste receptacle regardless of where the animal defecates (including in weeds and bushes).

If a service animal behaves in an unacceptable manner or is perceived to not be in control, and the handler does not immediately control the animal, the handler may be required to immediately remove the animal from the event. Unacceptable behavior includes but is not limited to: uncontrolled barking, jumping on people, charging people or other animals, growling at other patrons or staff, voiding on privately owned property (tents, camp gear, etc.), in the food court, or other public or private establishments within the event.

Armistice and Cooper’s Lake are not responsible for the behavior or needs of any service animal. Please anticipate all of your animal’s needs such as medications and hygiene.