Celebrate the festive season in style and discover plenty of surprises at Portobello Winter Festival  

Portobello Road and Golborne Road; Wednesdays from 25 Nov–16 Dec; 4pm–9pm; free

Catch free film screenings, dance workshops, free tastings, food markets, Santa’s Grotto, children’s and street entertainment and much more among the host of surprises along Portobello Road and Golborne Road this festive season, as the two iconic market streets celebrate the second coming of the Portobello Winter Festival. 

This year’s festival spans a whole month rather than a weekend and expands from last year’s music-based event to include film, food and festive shopping!

The unique festival will provide the perfect opportunity to buy loved-ones an unusual, quirky or one-of-a-kind gift. So whether you’re looking for cutting edge accessories by hot designers; artisan foods; distinctive designs; handmade, recycled gifts or a rare, vintage bag, you’ll find these and plenty more sought-after items that just can’t be found on the high street. What’s more, the independent retailers will be giving discounts and plenty of special offers throughout the festival dates.

Plus, Mutate Britain's One Foot in the Grove, the hugely popular interactive street art exhibition returns to its location under the Westway, on the corner of Acklam and Portobello Roads, with new material, starting with a private view on 2 December to coincide with the Maghrebi Winter Festival. The show then continues on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 2pm-9pmwith dates including Wednesday 9 December and Wednesday 16 December.

Martin Miller’s Gin will be offering free cocktails throughout the festival between 6pm-7pm, so get there early. Each Wednesday throughout the festival will be gorgeously themed...

A Very Portobello Christmas: Wednesday 25 November 

4pm–7pm: DJ Levi will be behind the decks

4pm–9pm: Kids’ entertainment company Sparkletown [07704 765172; sparkletown@hotmail.co.uk] will be providing balloon models and face painting

7.30pm: Gutsy rock riffage from punk-rock band The DFCs 

8pm–9pm: Thrill the World Zombie London will be performing Chiller, a festive tribute to Michael Jackson 

Films: Bedknobs and Broomsticks; Don Letts' Carnival!

Maghrebi Winter Festival: Wednesday 2 December

Throughout the evening: Moroccan nibbles, pop-up souk, special offers in local shops and boutiques, belly dancers, music from Abdelkadeer Saadoun and Takaleed, plus food lounge from Shouf and more...

4pm–9pm: Kids’ entertainment company Sparkletown [07704 765172; sparkletown@hotmail.co.uk] will be providing balloon models and face painting

4pm–5pm: DJ Levi will be behind the decks

5pm–5.30pm: Contemporary Dance Performance

5.30pm–6pm: DJ Levi will be behind the decks

6pm–8pm: Abdelkadeer Saadoun, who has performed for Her Majesty The Queen, and the Takaleed Drummers

6pm–6.15pm: Contemporary Dance Performance

6.15pm–7pm: DJ Levi

6pm–9pm: Massages with therapists from Eastern Garden Oriental Therapy Centre in the pop-up souk and lounge area

7.30pm: Happy Day Gospel Choir is a young group from London who get together to sing contemporary christian and gospel music

8pm : Rotten Hill Gang supported Mick Jones' Carbon Silicon on seven of the eight Carbon Casino nights at Inn on the Green last year

8.30pm: Namalee

8:45pm–9.15pm B Aurora Belly Dance performance and workshop

Film premiere: Zohra. A Moroccan Fairy Tale. The film follows 14-year-old Zohra who is pressured to marry an older, well-off man. It was made by Barney Platts-Mills with the inhabitants of a small farming community near the town of Larache in North Morocco. Barney first visited the area five years ago as a result of his work for Massive Videos with young people in the Portobello area of West London.

Boas & Baubles: Wednesday 9 December

4pm–9pm: Kids’ entertainment company Sparkletown [07704 765172; sparkletown@hotmail.co.uk] will be providing balloon models and face painting

4pm–7pm: DJ Expliss will be behind the decks

6pm–7pm: Innovative dancer Lindale will be hosting a Latin and Brazilian dance Lambada Zouk workshop 

6.30pm: Singer Lucy Michelle Hopes

7pm: Georgie Wonder

7.30pm: Soul singer Kate Stevenson, often compared to Norah Jones, and Nana Green will be performing

7.30pm–8pm: Happy Day Gospel Choir is a young group from London who get together to sing contemporary christian and gospel music 

8pm–8.45pm: The Cheek of It! burlesque school will be creating a rather naughty window display at Mensah [291 Portobello Road, W10]. A burlesque taster workshop will be led by Lady Cheek, followed by a show from international showgirl Hotcake Kitty

8pm: Music from local melodic guitar/vocal Ay Ducane 

8.30pm: High energy trio The Indie Killers perform 

Festive films: The Wizard of Oz; Paris Is Burning

All I Want for Christmas:Wednesday 16 December

4pm–9pm: Kids’ entertainment company Sparkletown [07704 765172; sparkletown@hotmail.co.uk] will be providing balloon models and face painting

4pm: DJ Expliss will be behind the decks

5pm: Comedian-musician Earl Okin, who has performed at the Royal Albert Hall and Festival Hall, plays in his neighbourhood

5.30pm: DJ Expliss

7pm: Soul singer Kate Stevenson, often compared to Norah Jones, and Nana Green will be performing

7.30pm: Dark, melodic band Black Hay 

7.30pm–8pm: Happy Day Gospel Choir is a young group from London who get together to sing contemporary christian and gospel music 

8pm–8.45pm: The Cheek of It! burlesque school will be creating a rather naughty window display at Mensah [291 Portobello Road, W10]. A burlesque taster workshop will be led by Lady Cheek, followed by a show from international showgirl Hotcake Kitty

8pm: Performance troupe FireFlyz will be lighting up the streets with their fire shows

8pm: East London Soul Singers are a contemporary harmony choir

8.30pm: The deBretts - raw punk with strong melodies 

8pm–9pm: Thrill the World Zombie London will be performing Chiller, a festive tribute to Michael Jackson 

Time TBC: Carols and classics from Great Western Singers  

Festive films: Up, Miracle on 34th Street; The Nightmare Before Christmas

Santa’s Grotto

Unit 14, Portobello Green arcade; Wed 25 Nov, Wed 2 Dec and Wed 9 Dec 4pm–7pm; Sat 5 Dec and Sat 12 Dec 11am–5pm; £2.50 per child

Kids can visit Santa and place a wish on his special wishing tree. There will also be face painting outside Santa’s Grotto.

Download the Portobello Winter Festival flyer to print out here

Bring along the flyer to take advantage of the following offers:

Tonic menswear boutique  [276 Portobello Road] will be serving festive drinks and nibbles, as well as offering 10% discount on their whole collection and giving out special goodie bags. Poppy Valentine [16 Portobello Green arcade] is offering 10% discount across their range, serving mince pies and festive drinks, plus giving a free coin purse with every bag sold (also from their stall under the market tent). S&M Café  [268 Portobello Road] is offering 25% off their hearty food. What Katy Did [26 Portobello Green arcade] is offering 10% discount and Cath Kidston [158 Portobello Road] is offering 15% discount across their range, except fabric, wallpaper and gift vouchers, from Thu 3 Dec and a free gift wrap set when you spend over £75 from 16 Dec.

Locations:

•    Free film screenings will take place under the canopy on the corner of Portobello Road and Cambridge Gardens.

•    Pop-up souk and lounge area will be under the canopy on the corner of Portobello Road and Cambridge Gardens.

•    Live music will be performed on the main stage at the entrance to Portobello Green Arcade.

•    Santa’s Grotto is located in Portobello Green Arcade.

•    Thrill the World Zombie Convention workshop will take place next to the main stage.

More updates coming soon. Line-up subject to change.