Imagine showing up at school on an ordinary Monday wearing a yellow scarf around your neck. Someone will ask. Someone always asks. And that's exactly the point: during Scarf Week, Pathfinders wear their identity for seven days straight — like a fan who wears the team jersey all week long — turning every "what's that scarf for?" into a conversation about faith, friendship, and service.
What is Scarf Week?
First, the basics. The Pathfinder Club is the Adventist Church's program for ages 10 to 15: camping, honors, service, and faith. And the scarf is that triangular piece of yellow fabric worn around the neck, over the uniform — the item that identifies a Pathfinder from a distance. If you want to know every detail about this piece, we have a full guide to the Pathfinder scarf.
Scarf Week is a project of the South American Division, the church's headquarters for eight South American countries. It takes place during the week leading up to Pathfinder World Day — the Saturday when clubs across the whole planet celebrate together. During those seven days, Pathfinders wear the scarf every day, wherever they are, and complete a series of challenges.
The vibe is like a social-media scavenger hunt: every challenge completed becomes a photo or video posted with the club. In 2022, the mobilization involved clubs across all of Latin America — that year, the South American Division had 13,301 clubs and about 356,000 Pathfinders, among more than 61,000 clubs worldwide.
A special week full of challenges and social media interaction marks the arrival of Pathfinder World Day.Notícias Adventistas, 2022
When is Scarf Week in 2026?
The rule is easy to remember: Pathfinder World Day always falls on the third Saturday of September, and Scarf Week covers the seven days that end on it. In 2026, the third Saturday is September 19 — so the week is expected to run from September 13 to 19, 2026.
A friendly heads-up: the official artwork and guide for each edition come out through church channels around the middle of the year. Before planning your club's schedule, confirm the calendar with your Conference or Mission — the regional organization that coordinates clubs in your area.
What are the 7 Scarf Week challenges?
You know those daily quests in video games, the ones you complete one day at a time until the week wraps up? Scarf Week works the same way — except in the real world. There are seven challenges, one per day, mixing service, creativity, gratitude, and invitation. The table below shows the list from the 2025 edition; each year may bring variations.
One detail every Pathfinder loves: Monday's challenge uses the clove hitch, a classic from knots and lashings activities. The idea is to tie the knot linking you to a friend or an object, post the photo, and pair it with a prayer — a visual way of saying that no one walks alone.
| Day | Challenge | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Unexpected Help | Clean up a public area near the church and sort the recyclables |
| Monday | Knot of Connection | Tie a clove hitch linking you to someone (or a flagpole) and post it with a prayer |
| Tuesday | Good Seed | Share a Bible message with someone |
| Wednesday | Useful Talent | Use a talent in the worship service: drawing, singing, playing an instrument, praying, greeting |
| Thursday | Gratitude | Write a message thanking someone who has helped or inspired you |
| Friday | Rescue a Friend | Reach out to a Pathfinder or friend who has drifted from the club or church |
| Saturday | Invitation | Invite a friend at the World Day service to study the Bible |
The 7 challenges from the 2025 edition, according to Notícias Adventistas. The list may change each year.
Read alsoWorld Pathfinder Day 2026What does Scarf Week have to do with Yellow September?
September, in Brazil, is the month of Yellow September — the national campaign for valuing life and preventing suicide. And Scarf Week happens right in that month, with a scarf... that's yellow. The connection is no coincidence: according to Notícias Adventistas, the week also aims to support the campaign, in solidarity with those facing depression.
In practice, the challenges take care of the whole person: there's a challenge for the body (serving, moving, eating well), for the mind (gratitude, reconnecting with friends), and for faith (Bible, prayer, invitation). That's by design — the official 2022 article mentions reading the Bible and the lesson right alongside exercise and good nutrition.
Why wear the scarf all week long?
Think about your team's jersey. Wearing it at the stadium is easy — everyone's cheering together there. The hard part is wearing it to school on an ordinary Monday. Scarf Week proposes something similar: wearing the scarf outside the club, in everyday life, is the week's courage challenge.
And that's where the magic happens. The scarf draws attention, someone asks, and you get the chance to tell them what the club is about — no rehearsed speech, just your own story. The official articles record Pathfinders wearing their scarves at school, at college, and even at work during the week. Every question answered is a potential friend at the club's next meeting.
How can you join in with your club?
If you're a Pathfinder: talk to your Counselor or Director and ask how the club plans to take on the week. If the club hasn't organized anything yet, show them this article — the challenges work even for small groups.
If you're on the staff: follow the official channels of the South American Division and your Conference starting in August, when the year's artwork and guide usually go out — the ministry's official downloads repository gathers promotional materials. And coordinate with the church on the World Day service, which closes out the week on Saturday.
What about the younger siblings? The Adventurers — the club for kids ages 6 to 9 — have also been celebrating their own Scarf Week in several regions, usually in May, with special programs and scarf inductions. Dates vary by region.