About
AYF Camp includes a wide range of activities such as Wacky Olympics, Butt Volleyball, Quiz Bowl, Egg Toss, Steal the Bacon, and Educationals. The program includes social, cultural, and educational activities that promote healthy development and strengthen Armenian identity within youth. Trademark traditions at AYF Camp include Wacky Olympics, Educationals, Butt Volleyball, Quiz Bowl, Egg Toss, Steal the Bacon, and more.
• Ages: 7–17 years old
• Schedule: Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm; program has grown from one-week sessions to eight-week sessions
The Armenian Youth Federation Summer Camp of California was established in 1977, and the AYF Camp program itself was founded on the West Coast in 1969 with an inaugural one-week session with 35 campers. The program has grown from one week to eight and from 35 campers to over 900. AYF members found and purchased the Camp Big Pines campground in 1977, where the AYF Camp program has been running ever since. The founders are Khachig Khachigian, Vahe Injeyan, and Khajag Sheetelian.
AYF Camp was established to provide an opportunity for Armenian youth living in the Diaspora to learn their history, reconnect with their heritage, and foster life-long friendships. Today, the program includes social, cultural, and educational activities that promote healthy development and strengthen Armenian identity within youth. AYF Camp continues to be a place for Armenian youth to learn about Armenian history, heritage, and Hai Tad, and to make friendships that last a lifetime.
AYF Camp is the largest Armenian youth summer camp in Southern California and is a popular rental destination for schools and various community organizations. Each year, Armenian youth from all over the United States, Canada, and other countries make AYF Summer Camp an integral part of their summer agenda. AYF Camp is set to receive $2M in funding from the State of California.
The staff at AYF Camp has always been purely volunteer and remains that way. AYF Camp provides a great atmosphere for young Armenians between the ages of seven and seventeen to make new friends, become better acquainted with Armenian history and culture, and participate in a wide array of activities.
Unattributed testimonials describe the experience by saying, “You don’t just make friends, you make family,” and “AYF Camp is my home away from home.”
Last updated March 10, 2026.
• Ages: 7–17 years old
• Schedule: Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm; program has grown from one-week sessions to eight-week sessions
The Armenian Youth Federation Summer Camp of California was established in 1977, and the AYF Camp program itself was founded on the West Coast in 1969 with an inaugural one-week session with 35 campers. The program has grown from one week to eight and from 35 campers to over 900. AYF members found and purchased the Camp Big Pines campground in 1977, where the AYF Camp program has been running ever since. The founders are Khachig Khachigian, Vahe Injeyan, and Khajag Sheetelian.
AYF Camp was established to provide an opportunity for Armenian youth living in the Diaspora to learn their history, reconnect with their heritage, and foster life-long friendships. Today, the program includes social, cultural, and educational activities that promote healthy development and strengthen Armenian identity within youth. AYF Camp continues to be a place for Armenian youth to learn about Armenian history, heritage, and Hai Tad, and to make friendships that last a lifetime.
AYF Camp is the largest Armenian youth summer camp in Southern California and is a popular rental destination for schools and various community organizations. Each year, Armenian youth from all over the United States, Canada, and other countries make AYF Summer Camp an integral part of their summer agenda. AYF Camp is set to receive $2M in funding from the State of California.
The staff at AYF Camp has always been purely volunteer and remains that way. AYF Camp provides a great atmosphere for young Armenians between the ages of seven and seventeen to make new friends, become better acquainted with Armenian history and culture, and participate in a wide array of activities.
Unattributed testimonials describe the experience by saying, “You don’t just make friends, you make family,” and “AYF Camp is my home away from home.”
Last updated March 10, 2026.
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