The first Boy Scouts of America national jamboree was scheduled to be held in Washington, D.C., in 1935 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Scouting in America. Unfortunately, the jamboree was canceled because of a polio outbreak in Washington. When the first jamboree was finally held in 1937, Dan Beard lit the opening campfire using flint and steel. Scouts from all 48 states brought the wood that was used in the campfire. There were some 27,232 Scouts camped on the National Mall under the Washington Monument. Since that time, 16 national jamborees have been held, the last in 2010.

At the second jamboree to be held at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, you’ll be able to explore the mystery, adventure, and beauty of a West Virginia summer. And the adventure of Scouting.

You’ll join more than 30,000 Scouts from all over the country, as they enjoy 10,600 acres of wild, wonderful West Virginia at the Summit and find out first hand just what it’s like to Live Scouting’s Adventure.

That’s it! That’s the theme for the 2017 National Scout Jamboree:
Live Scouting’s Adventure.

In Scouting, as in life, adventure takes on many meanings: high adventure, learning, camaraderie, and simply being part of something bigger.

The 2017 jamboree theme encompasses all of these aspects, and participants will quite literally experience every element of adventure in what will be a mega-event of any Scout’s lifetime.

This is not merely a theme and a logo for the Jamboree, but a call to a way of life. To Live Scouting’s Adventure is to be fully invested in the experience, the thrill, and the purpose Scouting offers, not only to ourselves, but also to our communities and to the world.

So get ready to Live Scouting’s Adventure at the 2017 jamboree from July 19-28, 2017.