Okay, it may not even be October yet, but we’re ready to start spreading the festive spirit – sorry, not sorry! Tickets to Noir Kringle – The Black Santa’s Grotto Experience go on sale today (September 29), and now’s the time to bag your tickets; for the past couple of years, this Caribbean Christmas grotto has sold out pretty early in the season.
Taking place on December 16–19 at Crooked Billet Yard in Shoreditch, the Christmas grotto will host fabulous food and festive fun for all the family, inspired by an Afro Caribbean Christmas. Parang music, ponche de creme, and plantain may not be so familiar to some households, but for those with Caribbean heritage, these elements are a Christmas staple (and year round for plantain, tbh), dependent on the island you hail from.
What can you expect at this Caribbean Christmas grotto?
Those who visit the grotto will be greeted by Mrs Kringle and the helpful elves, who will take you on a 45-minute tour of the magical workshop. This will include a storytelling session, a mini-elf school visit (with new, secret surprises for 2023), the making of Mrs Kringle’s very own secret magic reindeer feed, and so much more. Of course, no tour of Santa’s workshop would be complete without a meet and greet with the big man himself, which will be captured in a commemorative photograph. Each child will receive a gift, and well, children at heart aka fully grown adults, you’ll have the memories to cherish instead!
If you feel your child would benefit from a more relaxed session, then these are available this year too. The relaxed sessions will see the The Noir Kringle Caribbean Christmas grotto welcome a smaller group of just six visitors per session; the team will offer more time in specific parts of the experience; and they will reduce the flickering lights and volume.
Noir Kringle started back in 2019, founded by Charlotte Lewis, who was searching for a Santa’s Grotto that showcased what Christmas in her British-Jamaican home was like, so her young daughter could feel represented during the Christmas season. While this existed in America, she was unable to find one here. Since then, her enchanting grotto has helped many children and adults share their Caribbean Christmas experience with friends, family and the community. Mrs Kringle is played by Charlotte’s own mother, making the experience even more special.
Alongside the workshop tour, visitors can enjoy a selection of delicious Caribbean and African food. Sound like your kind of Christmas? Grab your tickets to Noir Kringle – The Black Santa’s Grotto Experience via their website.