10-quirky-winter-pop-ups-you-can-t-miss

10 quirky winter pop-ups you can’t miss

It’s Christmasssss (well nearly, anyway) and boy does the UK know it. Be you a Mariah or a miser, there are tonnes of winter pop-ups this year to get you feeling all fuzzy inside. From an actual life-size gingerbread house (complete with its very own wood burning fire) to a rooftop ice rink made of date night dreams, we’ve asked DesignMyNight to round up the quirkiest and cosiest events across the country. That’s right people, the #sweaterweather and #sleigh captions are coming, and you better be ready.

Skate Across One Of London’s Most Popular Rooftops - London

Skylight has created a one-stop pop-up shop for all your cuffing-season needs. Boasting a rooftop ice-skating rink, vats of mulled wine and hoards of raclette cheese - you’ll be awkwardly meeting parents and buying overpriced Christmas gifts before you know it. Upgrade your date-night by booking one of the private igloos, which boast stunning views of twinkly Tobacco Dock and the city beyond. Whatever you do, don’t lie about your skating abilities - Bambi legs akimbo ain’t a good look.

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Watch Christmas Classics In A Grand 1950s Ballroom - London

One of London’s most beautiful venues, the Rivoli Ballroom is adorned with low-hanging chandeliers and thick velvet curtains. Transforming into a retro-style cinema for the festive period, you’ll be able to trade in your Netflix and chill sessions for an altogether more decadent affair. With a full line-up of the very best in the blockbuster biz, (we’re talking Elf, Love Actually and Home Alone), this is the perfect rainy day hideout.

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Fill Up On Sweets And Festive Sips In A Life-Size Gingerbread House - London

The York and Albany’s picture-perfect gingerbread cabin is the stuff of Instagram dreams. Needing no filter at all, this teeny tiny lodge comes complete with its very own fireplace, comfy armchairs and a menu jam-packed with Christmas-themed cocktails. Available for exclusive hire, menus start from just £30 per person, including mulled wine and a gingerbread-laden sharing menu. Would things have been different for Hansel and Gretel if festive doughnuts were involved? We’re willing to find out.

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Drink Chocolate Cocktails At This Quirky Bar - London

London’s offering for sweet-toothed foodies tends to explode at this time of year from deep-fried quality streets to mince pie naan bread, there’s no shortage of quirky treats. But if you’re after a more sophisticated sugar buzz? Head on down to the Farringdon’s Chocolate Cocktail Club. Offering a menu of silky smooth delights, £9 tickets to this quirky bar come with a token for a free chocotini - with dairy-free options available too.

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Get Your Fondue Fix At This Riverside Ski Lodge - London

Who needs the Swiss Alps when you can slalom your way through South Bank’s Winter Market? Set on the banks of the River Thames, Jimmy’s Winter Lodge is home to a two-storey cabin and four private igloos, boasting all the best views of Westminster Bridge and beyond. Created by the king of pop-ups Jimmy Garcia, the menu here includes cheesy fondue with all the trimmings, as well as the option to cook your own flat iron steak on a sizzling hot stone. Standard nosh, this is not.

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Drink Prosecco In A Hot Tub At This Alpine Village - London

Forget Verbier, this year the Après scene is heading to Fulham. Bringing you every inch of alpine fun, you can expect hunting style lodges, street food and live DJs, oh ... and HOT TUBS. Yep, you can sit back with a glass of something fizzy and bubble away whilst enjoying views of West London and The Thames. BYOR (bring your own robe).

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Attend The Most Epic Christmas Feast In All Of Brum - Birmingham

Sometimes it can be easy to forget that the true meaning of Christmas is to eat as much as you physically can. Luckily, The Bond Company in Birmingham is hosting a big ol’ Christmas Feast, complete with tonnes on yummy street food, DJs, live music and reindeer (for meeting not eating, you monster). And the best part? It won’t break the bank - tickets for this fun-filled spectacular start at only £3.50, or in other words, half the price of a fancy-pants G&T.

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Stand Under A Magical Snow Drop At This Fairy-Lit Dining Experience - Leeds

If Ru Paul did Christmas, we like to think it would look a little like this. Hinterland is a winter pop-up, and then some. Set in an immersive forest, for eight nights only you can expect a festival of brass bands, tipis, ice sculptures and drag queen MCs. Tickets start at less than £20, with the option to include a two-course dinner as well as festive-themed cocktails. Dreaming of a white Christmas? Make sure you stick around till midnight to experience the magical snow drop - it’s the stuff of Bing Crosby dreams.

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Party Like Gatsby At This 1920s-Themed Bash- Glasgow

Get ready old sport, The Great Gatsby is coming to Glasgow’s student union just in time for the roaring 20s, and things are about to get raucous. Scotland’s longest-running themed cabaret and club night will be hosting a wintertime ball to remember, with a strict ‘dress to impress’ policy. Don your finest vintage garms and prepare to be wowed by the lavish surroundings and exciting roster of cabaret, burlesque and comedy talent.

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Munch On Street Food At The Ultimate Après Ski Party - Birmingham

With tickets starting at just a tenner, you’d be hard pushed to find a cheaper Après ski party than this Brummie bash (even with Ryanair’s winter sale). Taking over a new venue for 2019, this two-day event will see the city’s finest street food vendors, best bars and wildest entertainers gather for an unforgettable party. Neon ski suits a la Bridget Jones are, of course, encouraged.

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For more info on winter pop-ups in London and across the UK, visit DesignMyNight, and follow them on Instagram and Facebook; @DesignMyNight.

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