The First Space Center "All Nighter" Since the Last Week of July 2012. It Was A Long Time Coming. The Imaginarium Theater

The Staff and Crew of the First Annual Staff All Nighter.  Thank you James Porter for making it possible. 

Thirteen years in the making.

On August 1, 2025, the Space Center stayed awake all night for the first time since 2012. No campers. No chaperones. Just our staff, a mission that wouldn’t quit, and the return of a tradition we thought was gone forever.

Friday, August 1, 2025

After thirteen long years, the lights of the Space Center burned late into the night once again. On Friday, August 1, we held our very first “All Nighter” mission—a moment many of us thought we’d never see again.

The last overnight camp ended on July 27–28, 2012. That weekend marked the close of an era. The Space Center shut its doors for six months of extensive repairs, and when we reopened in February 2013, overnight programs were left in the past. For more than a decade, they existed only in stories told by the “old timers” who had lived them.

Why Now? What Changed?

James Porter, the Space Center’s Director, believed it was time to bring a taste of that magic back—at least for the staff. Today’s adult crew members have heard endless tales of late-night missions, whispered debriefings, and the camaraderie that only comes from pushing through the small hours of the morning together. Many times, they’ve said, “I wish I could have experienced that.”  Mr. Porter and his team spent so much time and effort on making this All Nighter as authentic as possible - even down to the Sunny Delight and GoGurts.  Thank you to everyone who made this magic happen.

So the All Nighter was born—not as a public program, but as a once-a-year tradition just for the adult staff. No permission slips. No chaperones. Just a night to throw ourselves into the story, laugh until our sides hurt, and remember why we love doing what we do. It would be our annual reward for making it through the whirlwind of summer space camps.

Friday, August 1 – 6:45 p.m.

The doors opened, and in they came—arms loaded with sleeping bags, pillows, and snacks. Some carried relics from the past: the original sleeping pads saved when the old Space Center was torn down four years ago. The air buzzed with the same energy that used to fill the room on those legendary camp nights.

What followed was everything we hoped for. The staff threw themselves into their roles, improvised with flair, and immersed themselves in the adventure. It was as if no time had passed at all.

Below are my photos and videos from the night. Take a look—and see the magic for yourself.

—Mr. W.

Imaginarium Theater

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