The garland was hung from the rafters with care, as were the jeans shorts strung up by the pair. With the pillows of fake snow and a hanging disco ball, the brewery’s Ski Jorts City would soon be ready to serve drinkers, one and all.
Several nights before debuting this year’s holiday pop-up, the staff of Lady Justice Brewing Co. in Englewood was scattered about the venue, merrily decorating.
“This is the only event that we do throughout the year that the entire space gets transformed,” explained co-owner Betsy Lay,. “It becomes an entire experience rather than just a party for a couple of days.”
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Across Colorado, pop-up bars like this have become beloved staples of the holiday season, providing whimsical escapes for revelry and cheer. Each year, they seem to return more extravagant, with hundreds of lights, baubles and drink specials. There are even different types of pop-ups, from ones that go all-in on the Christmas aesthetic to beachy tiki bars and family-friendly experiences.
Truth be told, the term “pop up” is something of a misnomer since these installations take “a lot of people and a lot of hours and a lot of hands” to come to life, Lay said. And that’s before you consider the investment in decor. Lay estimates she spent $3,000 to create the brewery’s inaugural Ski Jorts City pop-up in 2024, so-named because Lady Justice brews pale lager called Ski Jorts.
Planning continues year-round, since the brewery releases several special beers for the occasion. This year, the lineup features Butter Queer American Porter and Beer Hug Winter Warmer to pair with events like a fun-run on Nov. 23 and awkward family photos night on Nov. 29.
All of that just to see the smiling faces at the bar this winter – and the effort is totally worth it, Lay said. Lady Justice is a place for all beer lovers, but specifically serves as a hub for LGBTQ+ locals. The cozy après ski mountain lodge vibe to intended to ensure everyone feels welcome at the pop-up, which remains open through Dec. 31.
“Holidays can be tough for a lot of folks in our community,” she said. “Our focus is more on a friendly place to hang out that has a fun, different vibe to it that’s out of the everyday norm and incorporating as much silliness into the event as we can.”
Arend Richard budgeted about $10,000 to put together the first holiday pop-up at Cirrus Social Club, Denver’s newest cannabis lounge. But before he could start spending, Richard had to find out exactly where to shop. “I can’t just go buy Target garland because it doesn’t have a large enough diameter to have the same effect in such a palatial space like Cirrus,” he said.
Using YouTube as a resource, Richard eventually found Winward Floral and Seasonal Decor and other online shops where he could purchase oversized garland, faux trees, velvet accents and eight-inch-thick ribbon to build a “luscious, cozy” space. Inspired by the classy Martha May Whovier of Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” movie adaptation, Richard hopes to offer something special to all the adults who work so hard to make the season magical for others in their lives.
“I really wanted to create a space where the adults could get away with each other to do something special,” he said. “It’s a place for the parents to come to experience that nostalgic holiday atmosphere.”
“And I’m just going insane on the decorations,” he added.
The Christmas vibes may be nostalgic, but the amenities are certainly novel. Because Cirrus is a weed lounge, it is not permitted to serve alcohol, but Richard still plans to have drink specials. Patrons can order hot cocoa or apple cider that can be infused with THC for a different kind of buzz. It is also offering a seasonal pairing – an apple cider beverage served with an apple cider cannabis gummy – and adding three types of poutine to the munchies menu.
Additionally, there will be thematic entertainment through the end of the year, such as a Christmas drag show starring Jan of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” fame on Dec. 4 and a live jazz ensemble playing holiday tunes on Dec. 11.
Over on West Colfax Avenue in Denver, the team behind Little Man Ice Cream has boxes upon boxes of decorations that it has amassed over the last five years of its signature event, Santa’s Little Man Factory. From now until Jan. 4, the 6,000-square-foot space twinkles and sparkles with lights and tinsel hanging from seemingly every surface.
Basha Cohen, the company’s director of community engagement and partnership, recalls spending innumerable hours in the early years stringing each oversized ornament by hand with fishing wire. “I was on an 18-foot ladder for basically a month straight getting it up,” she said.
In the years since, her team has found ways to make setup more efficient, for example, by attaching numerous ornaments to individual boards that can then be put up. That’s a good thing since Cohen is a self-proclaimed queen of Dollar Tree and can’t help but buy a few extra things to reimagine the venue’s stage each year.
Originally, the idea for Santa’s Little Man Factory was to provide a family-friendly option in the holiday pop-up scene, but it has since grown into so much more than that. In November and December, the factory is equal parts ice cream parlor and events space, hosting weekly bingo with Mrs. Claus, swing dancing nights, caroling, live music, gingerbread house decorating, and more. New this season, it will also throw a Hanukkah celebration with latkes and live klezmer music.
“It’s just such a magical opportunity to create something different in our space. Obviously, summer is ice cream time, and even though people eat ice cream all year round, it’s a real reason to come and do it,” Cohen said.
It has proved a recipe for success. The pop-up is so popular that Little Man Ice Cream decided to activate its store on Main Street in Littleton with holiday events and decor. All in, Cohen believes there about $5,000 to $10,000 worth of holiday cheer infused in the two stores. And that’s before you consider the man-hours put in to create seasonal ice cream flavors like eggnog, gingersnap and peppermint.
Lay, Cohen and Richard all said the holidays are among the most fun times of the year because of all the work they do to bring the season to life at their venues, however finite the installations may be. Eventually, the decorations come down – much quicker than they went up, Lay notes – and get packed away in storage for another calendar year. But the memories stay intact.
“I think that’s why the holiday pop-ups in general seem to be fairly popular in Denver,” Lay said. “You’re sitting there on a Wednesday night and you’re feeling kind of crappy about the state of things, you know, go have a boozy hot chocolate next to a big happy Santa Claus.”