If you’ve ever wished summer camp came with better cocktails and fewer mosquito bites, Adult Summer Camp at Work & Leisure is your dream come to life. Back for its second year and running June 11-28, this immersive pop-up transforms Midtown into a kitschy, joy-filled, nostalgia-fueled wonderland where grown-ups can play like kids with a drink in hand and a cause in their hearts.
The brainchild of a local creative who brought us the wildly successful Avalanche winter pop-up, Adult Summer Camp was inspired by a love for Wet Hot American Summer, vintage camp chaos and a desire to give St. Louis artists and chefs a platform to shine. “I wanted to build a space where STL creatives could take center stage,”said creative events producer and beverage director, Raven Wienrich, “It’s part fever dream, part variety show, part community love letter – with a beer in hand.”
The space itself is a visual playground. Picture a faux forest made of 60+ fake trees, photo-ready canoe installations, a kiddie pool lounge, a balloon wall by Fête Booth and even kayaks and lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Around every corner, there’s a punchline or a photo op just waiting to happen.
Food and drink are just as over-the-top, in the best way. Chef Liz Schuster of Tenacious Eats is slinging a core menu of camp-inspired comfort food with a gourmet twist. The Nutty Nest Salad offers a fresh, unexpected mix of local baby greens and microgreens from Itty Bitty Farms, topped with crunchy sunflower and pepita seeds, candied Missouri pecans and bursts of sweetness from fresh blackberries. For something heartier, the Bunkhaus Dawg Bahn Mi Dog gives an all-beef Hebrew National hot dog a bold camp-style upgrade that’s equal parts playful and satisfying. And don’t sleep on the Smoke Signal Nachos piled high with mesquite-smoked chicken, queso fresco, black beans and pickled jalapeños. Bring your appetite, and maybe a calendar, because this loaded menu is sticking around all month.
Drinks range from thoughtful to theatrical. There are cocktails served in Capri Sun-style pouches (like the Get’n’Hikey With It), mocktails from Mighty Kind for sober campers and creative concoctions like the Glampagne Problems featuring tequila, sauvignon blanc and passionfruit-Dijon syrup, garnished with a few elegant drops of olive oil. “I tried to hit all the notes on the drink menu, sweet, salty, herbal, savory, so there’s something for every camper,” shared Weinrich.
And yes, there are crafts, games and team events. Tie-dye night, birdhouse painting, and friendship bracelet stations channel your inner camp kid, while high-stakes rock-paper-scissors and DIY relay races keep the vibe delightfully unhinged. The Improv Shop Takeover, where comedians play over-the-top camp counselors in an interactive performance that blurs the line between dinner and theater.
Opening night kicks things off with nostalgic beats from DJ So’n’So and a fundraiser for the Diaper Bank of Greater St. Louis. Throughout the run, the event supports multiple local organizations, including Uhuru House, Gateway to Hope and the STL Food Bank – proving that playtime can have real impact.
Whether you’re in it for the crafts, the chaos or the cocktails, Adult Summer Camp is pure summer magic – and it’s just the beginning. In 2026, the team plans to take it to the woods with a weekend retreat at Woodchuck Farms in Bourbon, Missouri.
Until then? Grab your tickets online and pack your (emotional) bug spray, grab your camp crush and get ready to make memories. Because this isn’t just summer camp for adults – it’s St. Louis at its most playful, creative and community-driven.
