Winterville is London’s exciting new alternative festive experience located on Clapham Common from this Wednesday (23 Nov). It’s a thrilling mix of club style events with Sink The Pink and Little Gay Brother plus everything else you could want in a winter celebration including a fairground, ice rink, cinema, food stalls, roller disco, market place and much more. Dave Cross spoke to Winterville’s LGBTQ Events Promoter’s Assistant, Daniel Spice, to find out more.
Hi Daniel, how would you describe what Winterville is?
Winterville is an alternative festive experience from the creators of Field Day and Street Feast. It’s essentially a pop up town featuring Clapham Common’s first outdoor ice rink, Backyard Cinema’s Winter Night Garden, Plonk Golf, a fairground, roller disco, and a market filled with creations from independent designers and various themed bars.
And entertainment?
Elsewhere in the town our Spiegeltent will host cabaret, bingo, club nights, kids raves, brass bands, Mexican wrestling and choirs. Expect a completely different festive experience. Street Feast are curating all the food and drink, showcasing a sensational selection of street food from some of London’s best traders.
Where and when does it take place?
It’s open from the 23rd November until the 1st of January on Clapham Common. It is free entry every day except Friday and Saturday nights.
Can you talk us through some of the shows and events?
There is a wide variety of entertainment booked over the course of the event. I am working particularly on a series of Sunday evening events in the Speigeltent. We have got some of London’s best LGBTQ nights taking over and throwing some awesome parties. Expect drag queens on treadmills from Little Gay Brother, London’s finest drag-circus-burlesque moments from Mariah & Friendz and Sink The Pink present their all singing, badly dancing choir, The Merry Mary’s. Plus there is loads of other great entertainment including Guilty Pleasures, Lucha Britannia Mexican Wrestling and R&She in the Spiegletent. We also have Erol Alkan, Stevie Wonderland and The 2 Bears doing their thing in the roller disco.
What about the other features, such as the ice rink, cinema and fairground?
Winterville will feature Clapham’s first outdoor ice rink which will be open seven days a week. As well as catering to all your usual ice skating needs it will also feature some more offbeat events such as Yoga on Ice. Backyard Cinema will take you through the wardrobe door, and through a secret tunnel of trees to their Winter Night Garden which will show a collection of classic festive films. The fairground will feature plenty of family-friendly rides like the traditional carousel, the family twister, the ghost train and the dodgems as well as spectacular views across South London on the big wheel. In addition to this there is Plonk Golf’s 9-hole, UV-powered indoor golf course situated in a converted dodgems track and an indoor market curated by Wasted Chic that is full of creations from independent designers. Think affordable fashion and accessories, cherry-picked vintage threads, unique crafts, unusual homeware and other Christmas gifts you won’t find anywhere else.
And what about food and bars?
Street Feast brings some of London’s best street food traders to Winterville – head down for juicy ribs, pillowy soft Chinese buns, crispy wood-fired pizzas and loads more. There’ll also be hot toddies, mulled wine and delicious frozen toffee vodka shots to get you in the Christmas spirit. We also have our on site pub, Bar Humbug, serving craft beer, Christmas cocktails and, of course, mulled wine. Featuring live music, guest DJs and other entertainment, it has an outdoor heated terrace and a mezzanine area with its own bar that groups can hire out.
What are personally looking forward to the most?
Wow, there’s just so much really, Little Gay Brother, Lucha Britannia, Erol Alkan, The 2 Bears and Mariah & Friendz are all events I personally can’t wait for. Also just wandering around the town, eating some great food and soaking up the festive vibes.
Winterville runs from Wednesday 23 November – Monday 1 January on Clapham Common. Entry is free Sunday to Thursday.
Winterville, Clapham Common, Windmill Drive, Clapham, SW4.
Book tickets via winterville.co.uk
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