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“ We need to operate 12 months a year , and like a festival , we never stand still so it ’ s all about coming up with new concepts .” – Engine No . 4 director Jon Drape

NOVEMBER | FEATURE

Festive all season

It wasn ’ t the merriest of Christmases for the industry last year , but this season festive events are back , and in some cases bigger than ever . Along with the return of landmark events such as IMG ’ s Winter Wonderland , this winter will see a flurry of new and imaginative offerings
Words : Joe Gallop

After a 24-month hiatus , festive events are set to make a comeback this season , and many promoters and venue operators are upping their game .

Promoter Kilimanjaro Live is preparing to run an additional two Christmas lights events at English Heritage sites this year , having staged Christmas at Wollaton in 2020 “ against all odds ”, according to head of business development , Lucy Levitt .
She says the promoter ’ s owner Deutsche Entertainment AG ( DEAG ) has a track record of operating Christmas light trail events at locations across Europe , and Kilimanjaro is focused on doing the same in the UK .
Kilimanjaro ’ s new light trails , which last around 90 minutes , will be held at Trentham Estate in Staffordshire and Kenwood House in London . Levitt says the partnership with English Heritage is a perfect fit due to it having a great events team and locations that provide stunning backdrops .
Some 125,000 tickets were sold for Christmas at Wollaton last year and Levitt says the uptake has been fantastic so far for the forthcoming festive events .
Having staged Christmas at Wollaton at such a difficult time , mid pandemic , she says the team has benefitted from the experience of creating and delivering a Covid-safe event .
She says : “ I suppose it ’ s different from a normal year but it ’ s not different from last year ; we haven ’ t relaxed any of our plans . We are lucky in that we can keep everything in that we had last year .”
Increased safety measures are being taken across the market , including at the biggest festive event of the year , Winter Wonderland . Among the measures being taken are the requirement that attendees book tickets in advance , choose an entry time , and pre-select the shows , rides and games they wish to experience . As well as staggered entry times , IMG said it is providing increased sanitisation facilities across the site .
Skates on Another burgeoning aspect of the festive events market is ice skating . Among the key players is temporary structures supplier , Arena Group . As well as supplying some of the world ’ s biggest events , including the Olympics and London Marathon , the turnkey event solutions provider
hires equipment for ice rinks and runs six rinks ; Hampton Court Palace , Queen ’ s House in Greenwich , Skate Manchester , North Pole Cambridge , Warwick Castle and Liverpool Christmas Ice Festival .

“ We need to operate 12 months a year , and like a festival , we never stand still so it ’ s all about coming up with new concepts .” – Engine No . 4 director Jon Drape

Despite the company hiring out a bit less than its usual 20 ice rinks this year , Arena ’ s EMEA managing director of events and event hire , Rob Derry , says the return of the rinks is very encouraging : “ They have become an important part of the business .”
The company organised three ice skating events before lockdown , which
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