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Things To Do In London This Weekend: Nov 23 - 25
It’s beginning to look a lot like… oh, you know. Here are the best pop-ups to get you in the mood for Christmas
THE HUGE ONE: Winter Wonderland
You may not have heard of this small-scale, under-the-radar gather, but… Nah, we’re just kidding. It’s the Christmas fair to out-merriment them all and it’s back and bigger than ever. Taking over Hyde Park, this year you can expect a magical ice kingdom with real snow, a Victorian bandstand, the Winter Wonderland Comedy Club, immersive screenings of The Snowman, the UK’s biggest outdoor ice rink and more mulled wine than you can shake a Christmas tree at. Plus there’s roller coasters, a giant observation wheel and two – yes, TWO – circuses. Which, by our calculations, is exactly twice as much fun as one circus.
22 Nov-6 Jan; free
Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park, London W2 4RU
THE DECADENT ONE: Queen of Hoxton’s Moulin Rouge Winter Rooftop
Voulez-vous party avec moi, ce soir? Then this way, mon chéri! Because for the festive period the Queen of Hoxton’s rooftop transports us into the bohemia of belle époque Paris. Glitz! Glamour! Gooey raclette! You’re in for all this and plenty beside at London’s own answer to the Moulin Rouge. Yes, there’s a red windmill. Yes, there’s cabaret. And yes, there is a helluva lot of booze – in the form of sharing fountains. Word to the wise: seeing can-canning green fairies in Santa hats means it’s time to step away from the absinthe one, OK?
Until April 2019; free
Queen of Hoxton, 1 Curtain Rd, EC2A 3JX
THE FEEL-GOOD ONE: Choose Love Pop-Up Shop
Christmas shopping. It could be all bath salts, novelty socks and mini desk games (seriously, WHO plays finger snooker?). ORRR it could be emergency blankets, warm clothing and food, sent to those who need it most. And that’s just what you can buy, along with many other essential, life-saving gifts, at Choose Love’s pop-up store at Foubert’s Place in Carnaby. The idea is simple: you browse the items at the shop (think sleeping bags, solar lamps, children’s shoes, educational materials), and every purchase goes towards a similar item for a refugee, distributed by charity Help Refugees and their partners across Europe and the Middle East. Whether it’s a specific item or a ‘bundle’ aimed at people with particular needs (eg mother and baby), you’ll be making someone’s life better this Christmas. And you really can’t say that when you buy bath salts, can you?
From 23 Nov until Jan
Choose Love, 30-32 Foubert’s Place, Carnaby, London, W1F 7PS
THE COOL ONE: Winterville
Much like the Christmas jumper, the festive wonderland is an essential – some might say unavoidable – part of the season to be jolly. But also like the Christmas jumper, festive wonderlands have had a hip makeover. PHEW. And back at Clapham Common for 2018 is the hippest version of them all: Winterville. Sure, it has the obligatory ice skating/big wheel/fairground/mulled wine combo. BUT the food comes courtesy of Street Feast, the market is curated by Solo Craft Fair, there’s music from the likes of Norman Jay, South London Soul Train and DJ Yoda AND there’s Backyard Cinema’s Christmas Labyrinth. And if that hasn’t sold you already, consider this: there’s an ’80s ROLLER DISCO.
Until 23 Dec; free
Winterville, Clapham Common, Windmill Dr, London SW4 9DE
THE DOMEY ONE: Coppa Club Igloos
Excellent news for fans of domes, drinking, being warm and feeling like a giant. Because they’re back: the Coppa Club’s festive igloos, ready to keep you super-snug while enjoying cocktails al fresco, and simultaneously feeling like the BFG on a visit to the Eden Project. YES! Popping up near to Tower Bridge, the igloos also offer dreamy views over the river, Christmassy snacks and toasty sheepskin rugs. Pre-booking is full until January, but daily walk-ins are available, and they’re surely worth the queue. After all, there’s no place like dome...
Until January
Coppa Club Tower Bridge, 3 Three Quays Walk, Lower Thames Street, EC3R 6AH
AND FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT… Google Pixel 3 Curiosity Rooms
When we’re feeling curious about, oh, anything (is Professor Brian Cox single? What is the collective noun for otters? The Floss: why?) straight away we turn to Google. So it makes sense that its new pop-up is themed on exactly that: curiosity. Set right on Regent Street, the Pixel 3 Curiosity Rooms bring together workshops, talks, podcasts, food, music and more, all hosted by pretty darned cool special guests. We’re talking Jessie Ware, Laura Jackson, Fearne Cotton, Leomie Anderson and WAH Nails founder Sharmadean Read for starters, hosting discussions and experiences promising to make the ‘make the everyday extraordinary’. Ace. Find out what’s going on here
Until 16 Dec; free (with a recommended donation to Crisis)
Google Pixel 3 Curiosity Rooms, 55 Regent Street, London, W1B 4DY
Pop-Up: ELLE Weekender
The mother of all weekends is happening NEXT week, when ELLE, the world’s biggest fashion media brand, is being brought to life at London’s Saatchi Gallery from 30 November – 2 December. The ELLE Weekender combines immersive fashion, beauty, culture and wellness experiences with inspiring talks from female rule-breakers, game-changers and trailblazers in the industry.
Get your tickets now to see the likes of Rosie Huntingdon Whitely, Molly Goddard, Rosamund Pike, Diane von Furstenberg, Maisie Williams, Molly Goddard, Susie Bubble, Rosie Huntingdon-Whitely and Otegha Uwagba.
Find out more and purchase tickets here
MUSIC: Floacist at the Jazz café
For mellow Friday night vibes, check out Natalie ‘Floacist’ Stewart, at the Jazz Café , founding member of seven-time Grammy nominated, platinum-selling Floetry. Expect a mix of neo-soul, poetry and song from The Poetic Priestess, who weaves her own inimitable mix of rap, reggae and R&B. Warming up the crowd will be Ahwlee and Pink Siifu, with tracks from their new jazzy hip-hop project, B. Cool Aid.
Jazz Café, 5 Parkway, Camden, London NW1 7PG
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