The Playhouse

The Playhouse is a lifestyle social club serving the Central Okanagan, conceived in Kelowna, British Columbia by an operator using the pseudonym Paulina Austin. The concept emerged publicly in 2018, when Austin sought investors for a permanent brick-and-mortar venue and gauged community interest through an anonymous survey. Finding that roughly 75 per cent of respondents were supportive, she pressed ahead despite the failure to secure funding, pivoting in May 2019 to a pop-up party format that would allow the club to operate while the permanent space remained aspirational. The original venue vision was relatively ambitious for a mid-sized BC city: Austin envisioned separate social and intimate wings under one roof, with a fully licensed bar and lounge, a dance floor, a dance pole, themed rooms, and by-the-hour private spaces. The pop-up model that replaced it is deliberately stripped back — events are held at undisclosed locations in the Central Okanagan, capped at 25 couples per gathering, and run with an emphasis on discretion and low pressure. Condoms are provided, and a dedicated private room is set aside for first-timers or shy attendees who want to attend without feeling obligated to participate in anything beyond socialising. Admission to pop-up events is $30 CAD per couple, and attendance is restricted to couples only — singles are not admitted. All guests must sign a waiver on arrival. Austin has described the philosophy in plain terms: everything is allowed, but nothing has to happen. The club positions itself as a transparent, above-board alternative to what Austin characterises as Kelowna's existing but largely hidden underground swinging scene, having confirmed with the city and local law enforcement that its operations are lawful. The club maintains a presence on Instagram as @playhouse_swingers_club_.