London City Island is the capital’s newest creative hub, comprising 1,706 new homes with a range of independent artisan restaurants, shops, creative spaces and alfresco areas, all set on an island of 12 acres located on the Leamouth Peninsula. This year, the island is celebrating Christmas with an exciting range of festive activities, which include a Christmas street food market, carol singing, a 20-ft illuminated Christmas tree and Christmas tree seller, a Santa’s grotto, a winter Lockdown Hut, and a range of F&B and lifestyle offerings from the Island’s resident shops and restaurants.
Christmas Market Day
On Friday 10th December, 4pm to 9pm, there will be a buzzing outdoor Christmas Street Food Market on Hopewell Square, the beating heart of the island community. The market, delivered by ACE Events, will offer a wide selection of festive street fare, including mulled wine and minced pies, as well as flavours from international cuisines. The market will be accompanied by cheerful live carol singing from local choir London Docklands Singers , performing several sets of Christmas classics from 5pm to 9pm. There will also be a special carol singing performance from local Faraday primary school students from 4pm to 4:30pm.
Christmas Trees
Illuminating Hopewell Square throughout December will be a stunning 20-ft Christmas Tree, located between the English National Ballet building and The Lockdown Hut. Christmas trees will also be available to buy on the Island this year, as East London seller Hackney Wick Christmas Trees, a family business providing real, sustainably sourced Christmas trees, will be offering a range of Nordman Firs from 3 to8ft in height with exclusive free delivery for London City Island and Goodluck Hope residents. Decorations such as baubles, wreaths, mistletoe, lights and stockings will also be available to buy from the stall, which will be open daily from 17th November to 23rd December, from noon until 8pm.
Santa’s Grotto
Little ones can enjoy a trip to Santa’s Grotto on the Square too, open every weekend from 27th November to 17th December between noon and 6pm. Santa will be hosting reading sessions for small groups of visitors from noon, featuring A Christmas Carol and other classics, as well as collecting Christmas wish lists, posing for festive photos and even handing out early Christmas gifts. Sessions with Santa can be booked online here or guests can turn up on the day.
Commercial Tenant Activity
London City Island is home to a unique collection of shops, restaurants, and art galleries, making it a one-stop shop for Christmas shopping and winter entertainment alike.
Luxury island chocolate shop Cartografie will be selling their handmade chocolate products made with the finest ingredients, perfect for Christmas gifts – as well as launching their first- ever advent calendar, made up of 25 individually boxed pralines, ganaches and discs inside a bespoke wooden box.
Gymboree Play and Music Docklands will be hosting a range of festive events for guests big and small throughout December, including an adult baubles and bunting craft event, a children’s’ card-making workshop, Christmas singalongs and festive photoshoots.
New to the Island, Hum Yoga is partnering with neighbourhood-favourite dining hub Homestead to offer a Christmas Yoga Supper. The perfect pre-Christmas reset, the evening offers the chance to nourish and nurture the body, calm the mind and feed the soul as well as the stomach. A 45-minute unwinding Hum session will be followed by a delicious two-course supper, and nutritionist Harriett Brown will be sharing top tips on gut health and eating well. Free to members, the event can also be booked by visitors online here.
The Lockdown Room, an exciting new venue on Hopewell Square, is launching on Saturday 4th December with a Grand Opening Party featuring a brass band, singers and DJ sets. Other upcoming ticketed events include The Island Christmas Party, a festive event for all the family on Saturday 18th December from 6pm. The Lockdown Room will also see out 2021 with the New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball Party including live music, street food and confetti cannons. Open from 11am to 11pm, The Lockdown Room will be serving festive drinks throughout December such as mulled wines and ciders, hot chocolate, chocolate orange espresso martinis and homemade sweet treats.
Nearby, The Lockdown Hut will also undergo a festive transformation, open from Thursdays to Saturdays, 4pm toC 9pm throughout December, serving warming festive beverages such as mulled wine and ciders.
Creative plant studio and interior styling shop The Wild is an excellent spot for Christmas present inspiration.
Arebyte Gallery and Trinity Art Gallery offer art spaces and experiences throughout the winter months
London Lighthouse Gallery will host the London Gay Photographers Network’s Annual Exhibition from 15th to 30th November, while the Islanders and Their Dogs Project continues to capture dogs and their owners ahead of an exhibition in early 2022. In December the Gallery will host an exhibition by award-winning Irish-based artist and designer Orla Reynold, with an open evening of mulled wine and mince pies for residents and visitors alike.
With excellent transport links to the rest of the city, including underground and DLR travel from nearby Canning Town station, the activities on London City Island are open and accessible to all, providing some magical Christmas escapism for the whole family this December.
