‘Tis The Season - Convene Turns Meeting Venue Into a Christmas Market

Skift Take

With rising demand for immersive, large-scale holiday experiences, Convene has created a ready-made corporate holiday party solution at its Sancroft, St. Paul’s location in London.

Hospitality company Convene, which offers meeting and event venues in the U.S. and UK, transformed one of its London locations into a turnkey Christmas experience. It was so successful, that plans are in motion for a 2025 return.

The inaugural Convene Christmas Market was nearly sold out. It drew over 610 guests per event from December 9-20, 2024.

Designed for groups of 500 to 1,000, the market blends entertainment, experiential design, and curated food and beverage. Christmas stalls, a chalet-style lounge, Christmas trees surrounded by “snow,” and ceiling-suspended ski lifts are part of the experience. DJs, live bands, and games like mini hockey, Spin-to-Win, and Skeeball entertain.

A turnkey experience, the market is fully built and ready to go. As a result, all planners need to do is book with a Convene sales rep.

A Shift Back to Large-Scale Celebrations

Large-scale Christmas parties, those with more than 200 guests, are making a comeback in the UK. This marks a shift from smaller, segmented gatherings popular post-pandemic.

Highlights of the Convene Christmas Market

Food & Drink: A raclette bar, artisanal pizzas, fresh churros with toppings, mulled wine, and festive cocktails are featured.
Après-Ski Lounge: Guests enjoyed holiday classics like It’s a Wonderful Life on big screens.
Interactive Moments: Instagram-ready moments included sleigh rides, a faux ski run, and a winter wonderland.

Meeting Changing Tastes

Mocktails are growing in popularity. “Convene has witnessed a 100% increase year-over-year in mocktail additions to UK programs and a 10% increase globally,” said Ryan Simonetti, CEO and co-founder of Convene.

In response, Convene now offers non-alcoholic packages. Mocktails were served at the Christmas market, showcasing the evolving preferences of guests.

On December 12, Simonetti hosted an exclusive Founder’s Luncheon at the market. Over 300 attended. Guests experienced offerings firsthand, generating enthusiasm and bookings for the 2025 season.

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