There's just something about recapping our annual summer camp (for adults!) weekend like 4 months later that hits just so good. Actually it slays. Like did that really all happen in just one/two weekends?! Also why can't I have a dance party every weekend like camp under the stars, ending with fireworks, and a giant campfire with all my new friends?
And because it's so far removed from the actual event, it's impossible to narrow down the best moments and photos because they all seem like the best moments and photos. So you just get to experience SO MANY of them. You're welcome. But it's still like only a quarter of what the crazy talented Studio Freshly captured. Because camp is full of moments both crazy & exciting and incredibly chill & slow. And this year actually sunshiney!!
So please enjoy this mostly photos-only recap of our most favorite time of the year! Our 8th year of Unglued Summer Camp at the gorgeous YMCA Camp Cormorant - once again for 2 separate weekends with 150 adults cabin-ing, crafting, connecting, camp battle-ing, dancing, and kicking ass. And this reminds me it's time to send in our contract for 2024 bb!!
Campers pulled up under the rustic (perhaps vintage?) YMCA sign to be greeted by our camp crew ready to go and slay the day (weekend).
After getting checked in, cabin assignments, and claiming a bunk they made their way down the road to a beach patio mixer complete with DJ Pretty Ricky's sweet tunes, social bingo, and campy games to kick it off! We truly design this to be a weekend I (Ashley) could socially awkwardly handle if I were attending as a solo camper.
(This was incredible. TBH I cried.)
(And hot doggies in a crock pot because, man, does a hot dog ready to go slap so hard on a night like this.)
After getting those social anxiety wiggles out and realizing we are now surrounded with the world's greatest people in one place under the stars, it was time to head to the main campfire for camp orientation followed by our camp variety show!
And since year 5 of camp we SNL'd it up with a 5 timers club, honoring those who were kicking off their 5th year of Unglued Summer Camp complete with a fancy SASH bb.
Followed by the camp 4-1-1 (of which the main rule is to kick ass and help others kick ass), the camp show started! Emcee'd by best friend duo Max and Erica we were led through games inspired by candy that cabins sent a participant up to compete it out! It never ceases to surprise me just how far people can take something - and camp is the perfect setting for that lol.
With one highlight being a dancing axolotl and twerking performance by Hannah and Katherine that campers painted the crazy scene using only candy pieces as their paint brushes.
And sing-a-longs with myself and Justin in between the gamey moments. This time featuring a Barbie movie favorite (and our teen years?): Push by Matchbox Twenty LOLZ.
It was also a first year for our cabin hosts to compete against each other in a camp game! I can't actually show you the first weekend's game because Kristina and I really didn't think that one through and it got super weird (in the best way if you weren't actually participating!!) and now I can't sleep at night without worrying I'll get smothered in jell-o by Amanda Booher.
And then it was trivia time under the lights!
(This is Brittany with Annie ON HER BIRTHDAY leading trivia at 11pm and still getting up the next morning to run morning clubs like a freaking boss).
ALSO HOW IS THIS REAL LIFE. I believe it was the first weekend that I was walking back to the cabins around 1:30am to find a bunch of campers to join laying out on the small hill just quietly gazing up at the stars together - and seeing shooting stars. It was like a dream.
Also somehow this is actually the moon. WHAT.
Then we woke up to a gorgeous morning ready to earn fitness badges, join in on a morning club of our choosing, or try to keep sleeping with cpap machines, snoring, and early birds.
AND SOMEHOW THIS HAPPENED. Hot air balloons rose over the horizon during water aerobics as Jodi blasted Meghan Thee Stallion across the morning lake.
Following fitness was time for morning clubs - including canoe and kayak club, morning mingle, coffee club, book club, and Saturday morning cartoons if you weren't ready to talk to anybody.
McKaila and Justin kicked off our traditional coffee cup stretching and introduced CHEF SCOTT!!! Who crushed the kitchen all weekend (both weekends!) with our sous chef-ing crew.
After filling up on the most delicious foods and fully caffeinating it was time for 2 workshop sessions back-to-back to craft it up BECAUSE THIS IS CRAFT CAMP!
"It feels like the first week of college. Everyone wants to be friends, and you all get to relax and do what you'd like. It bends time in a way that is difficult to achieve as an adult. Also, there's DANCING." - 2023 camper
Over 60 workshops happen each weekend. I know. I can't believe it either and I organize all of them - with all the kick ass local makers and artists! Our community is bursting at the seams with crazy talented makers who not only share their handcrafted products through their small businesses BUT ARE WILLING TO TEACH THEIR SKILLS to the people!
If you're like, well I think my _____ (insert anyone you generalize besides yourself who'd like a "craft camp") would like this, please go ahead and correct yourself to say I think I(!!) would like this. Yes, you, who hasn't held a hot glue gun since high school...or you who thinks you have no creative bone in your body.
We've got your food workshops, mixology workshops, outdoors workshops, and crafts for everyone that don't even involve googley eyes or a bird feeder. Picture 90's beaded lizard floaties, stained glass, printmaking, neon weaving, cyanotypes, musical workshops, wood turning, pole and aerial arts, punch needle, quilling, and more.
"It is the best most creative 44 hours you could ever fever dream into existence!" - 2023 camper
(Some are even on the pontoon Justin restored of his grandma's!).
Then I was like WE GET TO EAT AGAIN! And we dove into beans and weenies lunch time!
With Langston's aunt's sangria.
And Kristina's BARS!
As early afternoon hit and we needed a break, we prepped for straight up free time and the camp battle.
AND THEN IT WAS BATTLE TIME! Ahead of camp you're assigned a color and as the battle kicks off you craft it up and game it out to see who is the ultimate battle champion. #yaysports? but really it's #yaycraftssports!
"Camp is getting to be yourself with 150 of your new closest friends." - 2023 camper
"You can prepare all you want, but nothing will ever make you fully ready for the experience of camp! The people will be warmer than you could have imagined. The food will be more delicious than you could have dreamed. Your back will both hate the bunks and not hate the bunks as much as you thought. And you will find that you are able to create things you never thought possible before! Camp is about leaving your limiting beliefs at home, taking off your cool cap (unless it really is a cool hat), and diving into the deep end of life for a weekend! No judgement just JOY!" - 2023 camper
"It’s the most kick ass, magical weekend and I look forward to it all summer! Where else can you go to craft your ass off, eat great food, meet excellent people and DANCE. And while the weekend is laid out for you, you can opt in and out of whatever you’d like. It’s literally a choose your own adventure weekend. Seriously the best." - 2023 camper
"It feels like the first week of college. Everyone wants to be friends, and you all get to relax and do what you'd like. It bends time in a way that is difficult to achieve as an adult. Also, there's DANCING." - 2023 camper
And by some summer camp miracle we got 2 beautiful weekends post-battle to happy hour it up like never before! Full lakeside vibes of floaties, campers, and a pontoon DJ - both DJ DizzyB and DJ LNZ graced the lake with their endless summer vibes creating core memories for all.
After some suns out buns out, it was time for workshop sesh 3 to round out the early evening!
And then we ate MORE FOOD, not just cupcakes, but that was also included.
"If you ever want to cry over a chocolate cupcake, Unglued Camp is the place to be!" - 2023 camper
And made delicious s'mores thanks to Wondermade Marshmallows!!
Then we followed the call of the spool disco ball (created from scratchy scratch by Justin and Kristina!) to the dance tent in full DIY Dreamworld costumes and Barbie vibes.
(and NA drinks in the cutest way ever!).
And Drekker beer! And cocktails by Langston!
When it was time to end with some fireworks and friendship, we headed over to the fire pit with fire boss Jon Walters to SING IT OUT to campfire karaoke.
And wake up Sunday morning after a dreamworld evening to yet another gorgeous, slow Sunday day!
Complete with more fitness and clubs - but this time CRANKY coffee club included.
And after taking our giant group photos and eating another breakfast of craft champions we CRAFTED MORE in workshop session 4.
"You will come back feeling grounded and FREE!!!! It really is welcoming for all, regardless of your #crafty energy!!!" - 2023 camper
"Camp is great. Genuinely my favorite weekend of the year. It's basically Christmas." - 2023 camper
And then Dex smashed all the patties to get some handcrafted carbs and protein in to revive us all.
Then it was time for camp swag making and an all camp craft tie die sesh on the beach!
Or smash both patties AND wasps.
As camp came to close, Justin blasted some Vitamin C and Baz Lurhmann "Wear Suncreen" commencement vibes and call campers back to the main campfire. One weekend got serenaded by the ukelele class with Emily from Amped School of Music!
The high five line is one of our favorite moments where anyone who earned their merit badges (#everyone) is rewarded with their end-of-camp swag!
"Camp is a magical place where you can go to meet new people and hang out with old friends. You may get sunburned, lose the camp battle, and get stung by a wasp... but it is 100% worth it. Because you get to try new things, let go and be messy, dance until your legs can't dance anymore, and be your authentic self in a safe space with amazing people who are so genuine and caring." - 2023 camper
And then we wrap it up with the most wholesome vibes thanks to Green Day and say good-bye til next year!!
OK BUT HOW AWESOME IS THIS MUG BRI LEE DESIGNED FOR CAMP SWAG?! #crushedit.
And then our camp crew does our traditional group photo - in which we should look absolutely destroyed, but somehow, by the grace of creating the most kick ass fun, creativity, and magic together, we feel totally fulfilled...and still get to clean up for a few hours ;)
I can guarantee you there is no where in the world that you will find a more dedicated, genuine, give-a-shit, hard working, problem smashing, figure-outing, werking and twerking, destroying the dance floor, being truly themselves, not getting any sleep because they choose to stargaze, generous, creative, magical group of humans than this camp crew.
So here's to coffee, craft, and camp! Thank you for going on this #journey with me in late December 2023 to reminisce and confirm we really do need to open an uncountry club in the next 2 years.
Special thanks to our incredible sponsors: Drekker Brewing Company, Thunder Coffee, Wondermade Marshmallows, and Yeobo Sweet Shop! Please support the hell outta them for creative so many good things in our community and beyond.
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