November 23, 2022
Provided image/Kory Aversa
The Christmas pop-up bar Tinsel returns for the season on Friday, Nov. 25. The bar is located at 116 S. 12th St. on Friday, Nov. 25.
The city's original Christmas pop-up bar, Tinsel, opens for the holiday season on Black Friday with seasonal cocktails, all new designs, and a light show that uses augmented reality.
Tinsel returns to the former Simpson's Jewelry store in Midtown Village at 116 S. 12th St. on Friday, Nov. 25. It will be open daily through New Year's Eve. There is no cover charge Sunday through Thursday, and a $5 charge starting at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
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Tinsel was created by Teddy Sourias and Craft Concepts Group, who also operate Nightmare Before Tinsel, a Halloween pop-up at the same location. This is the sixth year of the Christmas pop-up.
"Tinsel Christmas pop-up bar is all about the details this year," Sourias said. "The design team and artists went above and beyond to take the experience to all new levels. We wanted to take everything we designed and learned over the last six years and create something more elaborate, more original and more festive."
Decorations in the bar feature Krampus, Santa Gritty and a Christmas advent calendar is overrun by elves. There's also Santa's throne room, decked out with more than 2,000 ornaments all surrounding a red and gold velvet chair.
The bar's new holiday light show is the main attraction, with an augmented reality experience similar to the one used around the city at Wonderspaces and Dilworth Park. Augmented reality uses existing physical objects to trigger computer-generated enhancements in real time. The light projections will feature brilliant arrays of colors and patterns along Tinsel's walls each night.
Tinsel's new holiday cocktail menu had 12 cocktails celebrating the 12 days of Christmas. All drinks are served in souvenir glassware, like slow globes, ornaments, Santa's boot and other keepsakes. The popular Canned Good Cocktail will return with a portion of proceeds donated to MANNA. Check out the list of cocktails below, with more to be announced before the pop-up opens next week.
• Peanut Butter and Jolly Shot: peanut butter whiskey, egg nog, cinnamon, edible glitter
• Candy Cane Forest Shot: vodka, white creme de cacao, cherry juice
• Christmas Morning Martini: peppermint vodka, coffee, creme de cacao, RumChata, toasted marshmallow
• Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins: vanilla vodka, hot chocolate, whipped cream, graham cracker dust
• North Pole Bound: bourbon, amaretto, apple cider, caramel apple
• Ode to Joy: vodka, peppermint bark, hazelnut, vanilla, pretzel rod
• The Little Helper: orralejo resposado, amaretto, gingerbread syrup, aquafaba, gingersnap cookie
• Rudolph Spritz: rhubarb gin, champagne, cranberry juice
• Hot Head Elf: cinnamon whiskey, hot cider, fireball sugar
• Tinsel Snowglobe: vodka, maple simple lemon, ginger ale, tapioca balls
• Canned Good: corralejo, lime juice, triple sec, cranberry rosemary ($1 of every drink sold is donated to MANNA)
Tinsel is first come, first serve and standing room only. You must be 21 years old to enter with valid identification. Seasonal hours will be Monday to Thursday from 4 p.m. until midnight, Friday from 4 p.m. until 2 a.m., Saturday from 2 p.m. until 2 a.m., and Sunday from 2 p.m. until midnight. Updates will be announced on the bar's Instagram.
Nov. 25 through Dec. 31, 2022
Open daily, hours vary | Free Sunday-Thursday, $5 cover Friday, Saturday nights
Tinsel
116 S. 12th St., Philadelphia, PA 19107
