PROGRAMS
Big CampOut
Some of our best memories are made when we're together.
Sharing a meal that somehow tastes even better outside. Laughing until the stars come out. Listening to stories from elders, cousins, old friends, and new ones. Watching little ones explore while someone starts another round of card games. Sitting around the fire just a little longer because nobody’s quite ready to call it a night.
That’s the spirit of the Big CampOut.
This summer, Outdoor Afro is inviting our community to gather under open skies for camping experiences that celebrate connection, wellness, and the simple gift of being together. Whether it’s your first night in a tent or camping is already one of your favorite traditions, you’ll find good company, warm welcomes, and plenty of reasons to stay for one more story around the fire.
Choose Your Adventure
Join a Big CampOut
Spend a weekend camping with Outdoor Afro!
Our volunteer leaders will help make the experience welcoming and fun, whether you’re an experienced camper or just curious to give it a try. Together we’ll cook, explore, laugh, learn a few camping tips along the way, and enjoy the simple pleasure of being outside together.
You may meet your next adventure buddy, or learn how to build a campfire from someone who’s done it a hundred times, or gather around for stories that remind you where you come from and let you imagine where you’ll go next.
No pressure. No perfect gear required. Just come ready for a little adventure.
INTRODUCING: THE LITTLE CAMPOUT
Or Join Us From Home
Can’t make it to a campground? We’d still love for you to join us. On Saturday, August 1 at 8:00 pm ET, we’re bringing the Big CampOut home with our very first Little CampOut! Pitch a tent in the backyard, cozy up on the porch, build a blanket fort in the living room, gather around a fire pit, or simply settle in with your favorite camping snacks.
Then join Outdoor Afro community members from across the country for a live virtual campfire story time filled with stories that spark laughter, curiosity, and connection. Plus, the first 50 households to register will receive a special Outdoor Afro gift.
For our inaugural Little Campout we’re looking for storytellers to help bring the magic of the campfire to homes across the country.
We’re looking for engaging storytellers who can share a short story, about 5 minutes, that campers of all ages can enjoy. Whether you’d like to share a funny camping memory, a folktale, a piece of Black history, or an original story inspired by nature, we’d love to hear your voice and amplify it. Stories may be shared live on Zoom or submitted as a pre-recorded video.
If you’re interested in joining us as a storyteller, please complete the form below. Selected storytellers will receive follow-up details, including story guidelines, scheduling information, and everything needed to prepare, plus a special thank you gift for sharing their gift with our community!
Download the Outdoor Afro App to Join
Whether you join one of our volunteer-led campouts or celebrate from your own backyard during the Little CampOut, we hope you’ll pull up a camp chair and join us. Bring your people or come ready to meet some new ones. There’s always room for one more around the campfire. Download the Outdoor Afro app and search the tag, “BigCampOut” to easily find the events happening near you!
We’ll see you outside.
Help More People Get Connected To Camping
If the Big Campout has you feeling inspired, we’d like to invite you to pay it forward!
Your gift helps Outdoor Afro create welcoming outdoor experiences where folks can find belonging and make memories that last long after the campfire fades. Donating helps make it possible for someone to experience their very first night outdoors and every donation helps keep the campfire burning for our community.
Make a gift today and help more people experience the joy of gathering in nature.
Are You a Brand?Partner With The Big CampOut!
We’re inviting mission aligned brands to join the Big CampOut through partnerships that help make camping more accessible and enjoyable. Get your brand in front of our outdoor enthusiasts.