If you’re looking for a festive day out for the whole family then look no further as Custom House Quay has been converted into a magical Aprés Village.

The Aprés Village and Lodge which is conveniently located opposite the George’s Dock Luas stop, consists of market stalls in the form of charming, wooden huts. They’re selling everything from pick ‘n’ mix sweets, handmade crafts to Christmas decor.

Let’s not forget the numerous food trucks and snack stalls available. Visitors can expect a wide variety of mouthwatering cuisine, such as gourmet burgers and sausages cooked over a charcoal grill, luxury doughnuts from Aungier Danger, delicious, freshly made churros and a unique take on twisty fries, otherwise known as ‘chip on a stick’.

 

 

As I walked into the Village last Sunday, I couldn’t ignore the festive smell of mulled wine which permeated the air. Tea, coffee and hot chocolate is also available from a quirky little coffee cart called ‘Barista Bike’. Even though entry into the village is free, you shouldn’t forget to bring your wallet, as a lot of these ‘luxury’ items come with high end price tags, as I ended up paying €3 for a small cup of hot chocolate, €5 for three ropes of liquorice and €3 for a doughnut.

 

There is also a few family friendly activities to keep the kids busy, such as Santa’s Grotto, a carousel and a Ferris wheel. There’s a giant inflatable snow globe which is perfect for photo opportunities and a VR ski experience, to see what it’s like on the slopes.

The ICHH (Inner City Helping Homeless) were there in a hut offering gift wrapping services in aid of their charity. So if wrapping presents is the last thing you want to think about, then head on down to the Aprés Village to get all your gift wrapping needs attended to, as well as giving to a good cause.

The event runs from 12pm to 7pm each Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday up until the 18th of December, when it opens every day until the 23rd of December.

After 5:30pm, the Lodge opens up on the dock and becomes the perfect office Christmas party venue. The Aprés lodge includes three bars, a ski lift photo booth with lots of retro ski costumes, Aprés ski bands and DJs and snow machines to make the lodge look magical.

If you’re looking for a festive day out with the family or a unique night out on the town, The Aprés Village and Lodge is a pop up event not to be missed this December.

By Alison Egan