So Long, Between The Bridges, You’ve Been Great

It’s not just Glastonbury taking a fallow year in 2026 – our favourite Southbank venue, the fab Between The Bridges, is shutting up shop at the end of December so the neighbouring Jubilee Gardens can have a makeover. But save your tears, we’re reliably informed that Between The Bridges won’t be gone forever.

Between the Bridges Southbank

With two weeks of closing parties running until 22nd December the outdoor venue, which hosts festival days and party nights and offers a plethora of entertainment and food stalls, has undergone a Christmas makeover as Electric Winter returns for its fifth year. All areas are heated, and we spotted enough Christmas decorations to warm even the coldest heart! The last two weeks of closing parties will see the likes of Swiftogeddon, Ogrepalooza, Drag Brunch, Guilty Pleasure, Hot To Ho Ho Ho and loads more taking place with a huge closing party on Dec 22nd with DJs and more drinks deals than you can shake a candy cane at.  

There will be Live DJs from Thursday to Sunday each week in The Dock , including the ever popular Guilty Pleasures Christmas  Special clubnight, throwback Hip Hop / RNB night Flexin’ turns into Flexin’ Around The Xmas Tree! especially for Christmas with some special themed events, and the return of our girly pop party Hot To Ho, Ho, Ho! every Saturday – all of which are totally free!   

Forget silent nights, Thursdays are all about getting down with Flexin’ Around The Christmas Tree. This after-work session spins the very best throwback Hip Hop and RnB classics, with a dash of garage thrown in for good measure. Get ready for some seriously fun, themed nights coming your way, including epic battles like Beyonce Vs Rihanna, Sean Paul Vs Pit Bull, and Nicki Minaj Vs Cardi B. It’s less “Mary’s Child” and definitely more “Destiny’s Child”!

The weekend starts early with Feliz Navi-Disco on Fridays. The resident DJs will be serving up a dazzling mix of cutting-edge house and neo-disco tunes, blended perfectly with plenty of timeless classics guaranteed to keep your feet moving well into the night. Then, brace yourself for the legendary Guilty Pleasures Christmas Specials every Saturday. For two decades, Guilty Pleasures has been shamelessly throwing London’s biggest pop nights. Expect the most glorious, unexpected pop anthems from the 90s and 00s—it’s going to be absolutely huge! And because the festive fun shouldn’t stop, you can round off your weekend with the charmingly relaxed Santa’s Sunday Social, all absolutely free to attend.

Adding a brilliant new dimension to the merriment is the Wünder Bar, boasting its own fantastic lineup. On Thursdays, get ready for All I Want For Christmas Is Number 1’s, a sleigh-full of festive chart-toppers! The DJ will be spinning every Christmas Number One you’ve ever loved (plus a few secret guilty pleasures you know all the words to), from Mariah to Macca, it’s pure, wall-to-wall December joy and big singalongs all night long. Fridays and Saturdays bring the ultimate feel-good vibe with Singalonga, where classic hits like Wonderwall and Sweet Caroline crash into festive favourites like Last Christmas. Just bring your best (or worst!) singing voice, and let the performer lead the way. Plus, the Wünder Bar also hosts Brunch, Actually on Saturdays – the perfect festive feed!

Beyond the incredible free music events at The Dock and Wünder Bar, The Pier hosts a special ticketed lineup: including the Drag Brunch Xmas with the fabulous A’Whora on the 13th, the Hot To Ho Ho Ho: A Girly Pop Christmas Disco (free entry) that same night, and the dedicated fan frenzy of Swiftogeddon on the 19th. The legendary Ogrepalooza Presents: Shrek The Halls will be rocking on the 20th before the whole festive spectacular wraps up with a massive Closing Party on December 22nd.

And don’t forget the fuel! Between The Bridges is a unique space featuring diverse food stalls, from delicious burgers and pizza to amazing Mexican fare, with plenty of vegan-friendly options to keep everyone happy. With an event and activity line-up unlike any other, Between The Bridges has cemented its status as the number one Christmas destination in London this year!

  • Emily Cleary

    After almost a decade chasing ambulances, and celebrities, for Fleet Street's finest, Emily has taken it down a gear and settled for a (slightly!) slower pace of life in the suburbs. With a love of cheese and fine wine, Emily is more likely to be found chasing her toddlers round Kew Gardens than sipping champagne at a showbiz launch nowadays, or grabbing an hour out of her hectic freelancer's life to chill out in a spa while hubby holds the babies. If only!
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