
Features / Festivals
Christmas at the Spiegeltent
This year brings another festive programme of live music, cabaret, comedy, Christmas parties and markets to the Christmas Spiegeltent. Literally translated as ‘mirror tents’, spiegeltents were originally built in Belgium in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, designed as travelling ballrooms. The mirrors were important to allow discreet eye contact across the crowded dance floor and romance to ensue. At Harbourside this year will be the magnificent Crystal Palace, which is one of the only large spiegeltents left, originating from the fifties. This year’s programme includes the Michael Bublé – collaborating Puppini Sisters, Nina Conti, Georgie Fame and Sons, Swingin’ at the Spiegeltent, White Mink’s Electro Swing Speakeasy, Spiegeltent’s Christmas Market, Love Food Festival, Spiegeltent Masquerade Ball, and much more.
The Spiegeltent Masquerade Ball is a particular highlight on the event calendar, with no better venue for a masked mall than the seductive Spiegeltent. The evening’s line up presents Brazilian carnival dancers Rebelado for a magnificent show of cabaret, the ‘tweed-sporting-pipe-smoking’ Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer for some hip hop parody, “chap-hop”; No Fit State Circus’ hand balancer Anne-Fay, and more.
For children, there is the Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance Hall, when the Spiegeltent will transform into a kids disco hall for the afternoon. DJ Monski Mouse will mix up funky nursery rhymes with anything from swing, jazz, rock, pop, funk, Latin, and soul. Designed for the under 5s and their parents and carers, with experienced children’s performers on hand to lead a fun warm-up and keep the party going.
is needed now More than ever
www.christmasspiegeltent.co.uk
4 – 21 December