Melissa & Doug Goes CAMP-ing to Celebrate 35 Years in Business

Melissa & Doug is partnering with experiential retailer CAMP on a pop-up event in New York City to celebrate the toy brand’s 35th anniversary and the opening of the its first permanent brick-and-mortar store in White Plains, N.Y.

The CAMP pop-up experience, titled “Let’s Play Pizza Party!” will be held Nov. 4, 2023 at the retailer’s Columbus Circle location. Kids will have the opportunity to play with CAMP counselors, dress up as chefs as well as imagine and create their own pizza dishes with Melissa & Doug’s pretend play toys. They’ll also be able to watch a child-friendly comedy show hosted by Chef Al Dente. The 45-minute ticketed event will end with a pizza party, including real pizza and ice pops.

“The CAMP experience we’ve designed for families is unlike anything they’ve seen from Melissa & Doug before,” said Bridgette Miller, Chief Marketing and Sustainability Officer at Melissa & Doug in a statement. “Creating high-quality, realistic pretend play toys — especially food-themed products — is such a huge part of who we are as a brand, so developing new ways for our customers to experience this firsthand and see how their kids light up when engaged in hands-on, screen-free play is really exciting.”

This is the latest themed activation taking over the Columbus Circle store. CAMP has a rolling calendar of events and experiences with well-known brand partners, including Disney, PAW Patrol and Trolls, which are hosted in CAMP’s eight stores nationwide.