YMCAs Across the Country to Gather for “Campfire Across America,” a Nationwide Night of Connection and Belonging
On July 22, 2026, communities coast to coast will come together around campfires, real and symbolic, at YMCAs nationwide.
CHICAGO, July 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On July 22, 2026, YMCAs from across the United States will host Campfire Across America, a one-time, nationwide gathering centered on connection, community, and belonging.
From outdoor summer camps with warm bonfires to gym floors glowing with tissue paper and flashlight flames, Ys in communities large and small will invite people to gather around campfires, real or symbolic, to share stories, reflect, and be present with one another. The initiative is designed to spotlight the YMCA’s long-standing role as a place where people come together, and everyone belongs.
“For generations, campfires have been places where stories are shared, differences fade, and community is built,” said Suzanne McCormick, President and CEO of YMCA of the USA. “Campfire Across America brings that tradition into the present moment, creating a shared experience across communities nationwide that reminds us how powerful simple human connection can be.”
Campfire Across America is taking place at YMCAs in all 50 states, at over 1,200 locations, bringing together tens of thousands of people at the same moment across the country. Together, these local gatherings form a single national story—one that highlights connection over isolation, belonging over division, and presence over distraction.
The Y has been creating spaces for community for more than 175 years. Campfire Across America builds on that legacy by offering a moment that is intentionally simple, welcoming, and adaptable. Each Y’s campfire reflects its local community, while contributing to a collective national experience.
“This is about more than a campfire,” added McCormick. “It’s about what happens around it; people showing up for one another, listening, and feeling connected. When that happens simultaneously across the country, it becomes something truly meaningful.”
Photos and stories from Campfire Across America events nationwide will be shared following the gathering, capturing how communities from coast to coast came together for this shared moment.
For more information about Campfire Across America, visit ymca.org/campfire.
About the Y
Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community for more than 175 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they’re from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships and opportunities for all to learn, grow and thrive. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives and generations, the Y’s goal is to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment and demonstrate the importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities nationwide. Learn more at ymca.org.
Contact:
YMCA of the USA
312-419-8756
media@ymca.net
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