5th December 2022
Covent Garden continues its magical Christmas celebrations throughout December with a dazzling estate-wide festive display and a programme of exciting events through to the New Year. The world-famous Christmas tree is lit with 30,000 lights and over 115,000 lights sparkle across its historic streets. Returning from 1st – 31st December, hourly flurries of daily snowfall, will fall from midday – 9pm, in front of the Christmas tree. The festive lights will also continue to sparkle daily from 11am - midnight until 3rd January 2023. Visitors can enjoy exclusive Christmas dishes at restaurants across the estate, or ring in the New Year with indulgent new menus from Sushisamba, Da Henrietta, Balthazar, Frenchie and more. Shoppers can also seek out the perfect gift at new pop-up stores from Missoma, Lounge Underwear and L’Or Coffee, as well as special discounts at weekly Festive Thursday shopping evenings including performances from a gospel choir, plus enjoy family friendly activities including The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House.
An exciting partnership with ELF the Musical will spread Christmas cheer with Buddy, Jovie and cast members performing in the heart of the Piazza on Wednesday 14th December to celebrate the musical coming to central London this Christmas. Families will also be able to visit the Royal Opera House to enjoy a magical festive programme of events and experiences to see The Nutcracker throughout December, Family Sundays and to explore the world of opera and ballet. Weekly Festive Thursday performances from the London International Gospel Choir will continue throughout December, with new dates added of Saturday 3rd and Saturday 10th December.
For the ultimate Christmas photo moments, London’s favourite festive neighbourhood continues to sparkle each day. The much-loved handpicked British grown Christmas tree sits at 60ft tall this year and accompanies the Market Building’s decorative scheme with giant snowball-inspired baubles, mistletoe and mirror balls. A new photo moment for Christmas 2022 is the Covent Garden Christmas Sleigh. Parked in the South Hall of the Market Building the sleigh is a traditionally decorated 1884 carriage hand painted by British artist James Gemmill. The Market Building will also play host to the Wonder Wood - a forest of trees decorated by the Covent Garden horticultural team. This year for the first time visitors are invited to scan QR codes amongst the trees, to make a direct donation to children’s charity Cash for Kids. Donations will go towards the charity’s ‘Mission Christmas’ which ensures that no child goes without a present under the tree on Christmas Day.
Visitors to Covent Garden will be spoilt for choice when celebrating this season, with extra special festive menus from restaurants across the estate and weatherproof seating options at 55 al-fresco dining terraces. Lilly’s Café has launched a festive fondue menu for visitors, while kitsch favourite Miracle at Henrietta returns once again to the Henrietta Hotel. Mrs Riot has gone all out with Christmas decorations and festive drinks, and new late-night venue Stereo from the Experimental Group will open in mid-December for the ultimate festive celebration. Chestnut Bakery will offer a range of festive bakery treats for visitors, including a mince pie danish and Blondies Kitchen will offer a range of Christmas cookies including ‘mince pie cookie cups’. There is also a myriad of Christmas menus, with an indulgent festive tasting menu at Sushisamba, afternoon tea with a view of the Christmas tree at Ladurée and special festive menu offers from Frenchie, Ave Mario, Pivot, Lilly’s Café, The Ivy Market Grill, Mariage Freres and more. Seasonal specials are also being served at Din Tai Fung with their exclusive chocolate lava buns, while Balthazar will offer a new menu of indulgent chocolate desserts paired with Courvoisier cocktails.
New Year’s Eve menus will also be in no short supply this year with unique tastings and events from a variety of tenants. With late openings from Cache Cache and Buns‘n’Buns, a New Year's Eve celebration with live entertainment, colourful performances and DJs at Sushisamba, and an indulgent 7 course tasting menu with wine pairing at Frenchie. The five-storey Townhouse 3 Henrietta is hosting a NYE House Party serving unlimited drinks and food all night, while guests can enjoy champagne and exclusive menus at Ave Mario. VyTa will ring in the New Year with appearances from musician Sam Weston and DJ Romer live on the Piazza.
Covent Garden will once more celebrate its Christmas Sandwich Festival, from 3rd to 10th December. Visitors will be able to choose unique takes on the Christmas favourite - with new recipes for this year including a cookie dough sandwich from Blondies Kitchen, smoked salmon on dark rye from Lilly’s Café, a winter tartine from Chez Antoinette, festive tacos from Avobar, a traditional favourite with artisanal bread from Chestnut Bakery, a Brillat-Savarin, ham and black truffle sandwich from Frenchie and a special menu from Dirty Martini’s Tanqueray Terrace on the East Piazza, including a Christmas burger, a pulled pork bap and more. Options will be available for takeaway or dine-in at restaurants.
Families will have a chance to enjoy a variety of festive activities across the estate this Christmas. From 25th November - 2nd January the London Transport Museum will offer visitors to the museum the chance to take a festive selfie with Santa and his elves or join the Lights and Sights Tour where guests can see all the lights in the West End on a classic red Routemaster bus. Market Building favourite Pollock’s Toyshop has also collaborated with The Strand Palace hotel for a festive afternoon tea and for all bookings guests will be entered into a prize draw for an overnight stay as well as a treasure box of toyshop goodies.
Covent Garden will continue to host Festive Thursday shopping evenings every Thursday throughout December, with weekly offers and exclusive discounts for visitors. Surprise and delight Christmas carol performances from London International Gospel Choir will also take place each week, and there will be extra special offers and experiences at stores; NARS will offer ‘Brush Along’ tutorials and free gifts when spending over £50; there will be demos, free gifts and a disco each week at Charlotte Tilbury; Wine and cheese evenings weekly at Aesop; festive mixology and calligraphy masterclasses at Jo Malone; e&e will offer a 15% discount to all customers and calligraphy personalisation at Penhaligon’s. VASHI will also offer a series of workshops in-store exploring fine jewellery and diamonds, while Radley will offer in-store personalisation on their leather handbag tags. The Petersham is hosting wine-tasting evenings each week at the Deli focused on Italian classics. Lilly’s Café will offer a Winter Terrace Fondue and Hot Drinks package for £20 overlooking the Christmas tree, plus two-for-one cocktails. Additionally, Buns‘n’Buns and NaNa Café will offer 30% off food each week. Fashion and accessory retailers Strathberry, Mulberry, N.Peal, Free People, Tudor and Bucherer will offer a mix of champagne, festive cocktails, gift wrapping and personalisation in store, Ellis Brigham will host an evening with Scarpa athlete Greg Boswell, while Reformation and UGG and will be offering up to 20% discounts in store too.
From 21st November to 24th December Covent Garden will offer a shopping incentive to American Express customers, shoppers will get £10 cash back when spending £50 on the estate.
Dolce&Gabbana’s exclusive Piazza pop-up is now open until 15th January 2023. The Italian luxury and lifestyle brand hosts a Christmas Market including food and drinks, Dolce&Gabbana Casa gift ideas, ready-to-wear fashion, sneakers and an exclusive Covent-Garden-only t-shirt with a London print. There will also continue to be weekly festive market carts in the Market Building as well as a Dolce&Gabbana takeover of the iconic Covent Garden swing
Jewellery brand Missoma has launched in Covent Garden for the festive season at 8 Market Building with its first ever standalone store now open, and from 3rd – 11th December Lounge Underwear will also open its first standalone store at 7 James Street. Jaeger-LeCoultre will be popping up on the East Piazza from 15th - 24th December, with an exhibition paying homage to its iconic Reverso timepiece; plus L‘Or coffee is open at 4 Henrietta St now until 23rd December to showcase coffee machines, a mocktail bar and Patisserie.
For shoppers looking for gift inspiration during the festive season Strathberry will offer complimentary champagne and mince pies, Vuori will offer premium holiday packages as well as special gift wrapping and gifts, while shoppers at Radley will be greeted with large festive baubles redeemable for free gifts. Dior, Tudor, Jo Malone, Bucherer, Paul Smith, Mulberry, Lacoste and Tiffany & Co. will all be offering shoppers exclusive personalisation for the ultimate gift, while the Royal Opera House Shop which will have memorabilia and apparel available. The very best fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands will also be offering festive gifts including Tom Ford, Dior, Chanel and Lisa Eldridge in the Market Building, as well as Paul Smith, KICKGAME, Apple, Vashi, Ganni, Reformation, Sandro, ba&sh, A.P.C and more to choose from.
For further information on new openings, experiences, shopping and dining visit Coventgarden.london
