Twixmas, the period between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, is the ultimate time to down tools and have some relaxed fun with family and friends. In North West London’s renowned culture and entertainment hub, Wembley Park, options for doing so abound. Here are five of the best, providing plenty of fun for all.
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Walk the Wembley Park Art Trail
Free for all to enjoy, the Wembley Park Art Trail is a journey through creative expression. The open-air public art gallery features 26 thought-provoking artworks, using the urban landscape as a canvas. From tiled murals to digital light installations, the diverse artworks, easily navigated via the free CityTrotter app, showcase a wealth of local and creative international talent.
This Twixmas, the Art Trail is also home to two exciting temporary installations. From Saint to Santa runs until 10th January 2025, hosted on the large format lightboxes in Wembley Park’s Arena Square. The collection of photographs and illustrations take visitors from some of our earliest myths to the modern-day Santa Claus, taking in traditions from around the globe along the way.
Also housed in Arena Square is the visionary Trialogue from audio-visual artists Greenaway & Greenaway. The artwork breathes new life into three Grade II-listed K6 red telephone boxes, transforming them into three-dimensional art spaces through a series of interconnected LED screens. The immersive experience encompasses waveform animations, abstract sound representations and text with frequency patterns, speech-to-text visualisation and emotion mapping, for an inspired reflection on communication in the digital era.
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Bag a bargain at London Designer Outlet
For many shoppers, Twixmas wouldn’t be complete without bagging a bargain in the Boxing Day sales. In Wembley Park, London Designer Outlet is the place to be for a stylish shopping experience that’s friendly on the wallet with stores offering up to 80% off RRP. Brand new stores this winter include Rituals, Ben Sherman, French Connection, Sunglass Hut, Nike and Lindt. There are also bigger and better stores from Guess, Levi’s, Tommy Hilfiger and Claire’s, providing something to suit every taste and budget.
London Designer Outlet is home to over 80 stores in total, including family-friendly restaurants and coffee shops, ensuring there are plenty of places to recharge while hunting for Boxing Day bargains. The semi-outdoor shopping centre is also known locally for its impressive Christmas lights, which will provide a picturesque treat for shoppers who linger until later this Twixmas.
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See a show in the Starlight Auditorium
Starlight Express has been wowing audiences this year at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, which has transformed into the magical Starlight Auditorium to host Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary musical. The fast-paced show sees a cast of 40 delight audiences with a night of thrills, music and magic. Those looking to make their evening even more special, can enjoy a pre- or post-show meal at Studio Five, which serves up classic British dishes with an Asian twist adjoining the theatre.
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Keep the kids busy
Wembley Park has plenty to keep even the most active youngsters happy this Twixmas. The expansive greenery of Union Park, the all-weather playpark outside London Designer Outlet and various pocket parks inspire younger visitors to run, climb and play creatively across the neighbourhood.
For craft lovers, BOXPARK Wembley is the place to be. The Kids’ Table takes over BOXPARK on 27th December and 29th December, providing arts, crafts and entertainment galore from 12 pm to 4 pm. Open to those aged three and over, there’s plenty to keep imaginative youngsters busy, while BOXPARK’s abundance of food and drink vendors means even the fussiest of eaters can find something to tempt them.
The hugely popular Bubble Planet at Wembley Park is the ultimate multisensory experience to enjoy this Twixmas. Spread across 11 surreal rooms, this interactive adventure takes you through fantastical landscapes, cloud rooms, giant bubble spaces, infinity rooms and more. Whether you want to take a simulated flight on a hot air balloon or dive into a bubble bath pit, Bubble Planet is the place to enjoy a truly imaginative experience for the whole family.
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Enjoy a festive feast
Wembley Park is also packed with excellent restaurants and entertainment venues. The White Horse pub is always popular choice for festive fayre, with the Twixmas quiz scheduled to test patrons’ knowledge from 6-8 pm on 30th December 2024. Also a hit is Estadio Lounge, which is the perfect spot to feel warm and cosy as you watch the Twixmas shoppers bustling past outside the welcoming café bar’s huge glass windows. Finally, to say goodbye to 2024 in style, head to the New Year’s Eve Party at Atul Kochhar’s Masalchi for Indian street food snacks, signature cocktails and party anthems from DJ Samani.
“Wembley Park is the ideal place to be this Twixmas, with a host of cultural and creative entertainment options, as well as outstanding places to enjoy good food in good company.”
Claudio Giambrone, Head of Cultural Programming, Wembley Park
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