After three days, Philly folds tent on papal campground

Apparently nobody was interesting in camping out in Fairmount Park during the papal visit.

The group planning the so-called “Francis Fields” scrapped the idea three days after announcing it.

For $200, pilgrims coming to see the Pope were told they could pitch a tent in Fairmont Park. Parking your car costs an extra $100. For $1,000, visitors were welcome to park their RVs.

There would be showers, food vendors and even a general store set-up. Organizers say the response has been…crickets.

“Due to limited sales for Francis Fields, ESM Productions has elected cancel those campground accommodations,” said ESM Production’s Joshua Plant. 

He would not say if high prices scared away would-be campers.  Plant said there are plenty of other accommodations around the city, including many open hotel rooms.

The hotel association says 30 percent of Center City rooms are not booked over the papal weekend.