Welcome to the Nation's Largest University of Scouting presented by IU Health and hosted by the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

December 4th - 6th, 2026 at Purdue Univesity!

Tentative Event Timeline: 

March 23-June 1- Securing instructors for Merit Badge Classes, Cub Scout Adventures, and Adult Leader Classes, Event Volunteers, Sponsors, and Midway Vendors. Interested in any of these, click here to register: https://scouting.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8GqoMZ9sFVPcyh0

Week of March 23- Confirm Event Date with the University and go public with a Save the Date 

June 1- Event Registration goes live on 6/1/26 at 12:00am EST! You can complete all registrant information at this time, except for class schedules. This is also the target date for the Event Guide and Course Catalog to be available.
Why register now? Get the registration details out of the way so you can select classes on 7/1 with a less likelihood of someone taking your space while you plug in DOB, address, emergency info, etc.

July 1- Event Registration goes live for class schedules on 7/1/26 at 12:00am EST!

October 15- Early Bird Registration Ends 

October 16- Regular Registration Begins 

October 1- Neckerchief Pre-Order Deadline 

November 1- Other Merch Pre-Order Deadline

December 4- Event Set Up 

December 4-6- EVENT HAPPENS!!!

There will be an Eagle Reception Friday evening - Time and Location TBD

This event will have:

Cub Scout Adventures for all ranks; Lion through Arrow of Light

Adult Leader Training Sessions

100+ merit badges for our Scouts; Target is 120-125 merit badges! 

Food Drive

Blood Drive - Sign up Here to Secure Your Spot!

Vendor Midway - Sponsored by Joshua Design Co. - Visit their website or Facebook page today!

Patch Trading

Live Auction

This is the largest ONE DAY youth serving event that takes place at Purdue University!

While we are bragging....this is the largest University of Scouting or like event in Scouting America and we are proud of it and WE WANT YOU HERE WITH US!
 

Event Registration:

Registration will be available from 6/1/2026 at 12:01 AM (Eastern Time) through 10/15/26 for $35.

On 10/16, the cost will go up to $50 and will close at 11:59 PM  (Eastern Time) on 11/15.

***Friday evenening and Sunday Morning Scout Merit Badge classes will require an additional $10.00 fee.***

We will add classes periodically as we secure additional instructors. Once classes are full, they are full. We keep our class sizes smaller to ensure that Scouts are learning in a quality environment. Black Pug/247 Scouting will be the source for the most up-to-date class offerings. Individual Scout/Family registrations are better than unit registrations but you are able to do both.

***Please register Scouts at the rank level they will be on the day of the event.***

***Please note that paper schedules will not be provided at the event.*** If you want a paper schedule, you must print them out ahead of time. You can use the confirmation link, that is sent when you regsiter, to access your schedules in the reports section of your registration details. The reports you will want to select are the "Class Schedule", which will provide the individual schedule for each Scout, and the "Scout Summary", which will provide the leader with all their Scouts' schedules. You can also print out an event schedule and campus map if you would like a paper copy. These can be found under the attachments section on the main event page. 

User Email and Event App:
Make sure you are using a Google, Microsoft, Apple, Dropbox, Smartsheet, Box, or Salesforce email address when registering for the event so you don't have complications with the event app! Event App details will be in the Leader Guide once released. 

Event Headquarters and Opening:
Purdue Armory will be the HQ for the day! That is where headquarters/staff room, check in/registration, lunch, vendor midway, food drive, and blood drive will be as well. The opening ceremony details haven't been ironed out yet. We know that the Elliott Hall of Music is unavailable this year due to construction. Check in will begin at 6:30 AM.

Pre-requisites:
Pre-requisites will be listed in the Course Catalog and on Black Pug, not the Leader/ Parent Guide to save a little space. Some classes have an additional program fee for that specific class. Some classes have a registration cutoff date prior to the event to ensure ample time is allowed for instructor led pre-requisites. Fees and early cutoff times will be noted in Leader/Parent Guide.

Scouts BSA TEST LAB:
We will have Test Lab Merit Badges at this event. More to come!

Merch
Stickers, Hoodies, Long Sleeve Tees, Beanies, a Neckerchief, and Patches go on sale 7/1 as a part of your check out for the event.
Merch sales end on 11/1 at 11:59 PM except for neckerchiefs, they end 10/1. Items ordered for delivery will be shipped out close to or after the event, and may not arrive in time for the event day. If you choose to pick up your order at the event, you will do this in the Purdue Armory at the designated table for pre-purchased trading post orders. 

Stickers to commorate your day will be available in two different styles, as sown here. These are 3" x 3" and can be purchased for $2.00 each.

Hoodies and Long Sleeve Tees come in the following color selections.

Also, NEW this year! The Boilermaker Special is the official mascot of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. It is a massive, 13,000-pound motorized vehicle modified to resemble a Victorian era steam locomotive and is built on a heavy-duty truck chassis. Often recognized as the world's largest, heaviest, and loudest college mascot, it is operated and maintained by the student-run Purdue Reamer Club. This special edition shirt/hoodie option at this year’s event IS NOT THE REAL BOILERMAKER SPECIAL....it is a tip of the hat with a little U of S and Scouting flare!!

All long sleeve tees are a performance moisture wicking material.

All hoodies are a typical cotton hoodie.

Youth and Adult sizes available; $22 long sleeve shirts; $32 hoodies

*Add $5 for XXL and above in both the shirt or hoodie. 
**All Shirts and Hoodies will have a $5 surcharge if purchased at the event.

Some color/size exclusions are possible.

Beanies come in either grey or black and are $20 each. Image is laser engraved onto a piece of tan leather and affixed onto the beanie.

These new neckerchiefs are AMAZING! The balance between celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the USA and Purdue by way of the train, armory, space shuttle, soldier, and the famed Purdue University archway! When worn, the Purdue University archway and below will be shown and the other imagery will be hidden in the neckerchief roll. When unrolled, it will display as this amazing celebratory item.

These will be pre-order only. They will be $25 with orders being placed when you register for the event or in our online trading post!

EVENT PATCH!

Each year the University of Scouting event patch highlights a building or landmark on campus at Purdue University.

This year we highlight the Purdue Armory, fitting of course with the armory being our base of operations for the event! Appropriately noted on this patch is the 250 representing the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America.

The current Armory was built in 1918 and replaced a previous version that was destroyed by a fire. The inital armory was built on the same grounds in 1908.

Surrounding the Purdue Armory north windows noting "PURDUE ROTC" are the words Courage, Service, Honor, Education, and Leadership. You will find these words on the flag pole on the south side of the armory in "Freedom Square". Freedom Square "is a place of gathering for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to celebrate freedom, while honoring those who have fought for and are willing to fight for it. This space is offered as a spontaneous discovery that will leave a positive and hopeful impression on all who experience it."

The circular inner patch will be distributed to all event participants. The 6 outer patches (with or without the center patch) will be sold separately to complete the set that recognizes each branch of the military making one heck of a patriotic collector's edition patch!

  Center Patch Only: $5.00 

  Outer Ring Only: $20.00 

   Full Set: $25.00

Remember, all participants will receive the center patch! If you want to use that to complete the set, you will jus thave to remove the button loop. Alternatively, you can purchase a full set if you want to wear one and keepsake the other!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER MERCH NOW  or ORDER WITH YOUR REGISTRATION

For more information, contact Bryon.Haverstick@Scouting.org.