PHILADELPHIA HALLOWEEN POP-UP BAR NIGHTMARE BEFORE TINSEL KICKS OFF SPOOKY SEASON
Saturday, September 17, 2022
Look for the most elaborate Nightmare Before Tinsel ever with an all-new theme, design, and custom art by Artist and Interior Designer Scott Johnston *
Philadelphia, PA - Ghosts and ghouls, witching hour approaches. Teddy Sourias and Craft Concepts Group - the creators of Philadelphia's Christmas Pop-up Bar - announce the grand opening of Nightmare Before Tinsel for the 2022 Spooky Season. Philadelphia's Halloween Pop-up Bar will creak open its doors earlier. Starting this Thursday, September 15, 2022, at 4:00 pm, enter a mysterious new world created inside a 100+ former jewelry store space at 116 S. 12th Street in Midtown Village. Among the ghosts that still haunt the space - including the spirits of Tinsel's past - look for eerie ambiance, scary photo opps, witches bru cocktails, seasonal fall beers, costumed bartenders, and tons of frights and flights. For 2022, Nightmare Before Tinsel will debut its new season theme that takes visitors through an apocalyptic zombie-scape, into a vibrant haunted mansion festooned with pirate skeletons, hulking beasts, and famous monsters from across the decades... past macabre artifacts from our haunted and twisted past, and ultimately into the incredible depths of pure imaginations. Nightmare will remain open through October 31, 20121, with hours to start Monday through Thursday, 4:00 pm to 12:00 am, Friday, 4:00 pm to 2:00 am, Saturday, 4:00 pm to 2:00 am, and Sunday, 4:00 pm to 12:00 am. Starting the week of September 26th, hours will be Monday through Thursday, 4:00 pm to 12:00 am, Friday, 4:00 pm to 2:00 am, Saturday, 2:00pm to 2:00am, and Sunday, 2:00pm to 12:00am. Tinsel is 21 and up only, and free to enter (except Friday and Saturday nights, when cover is $5 at 8:00pm and after). For more about Nightmare visit the new website at www.nightmarebeforetinsel.com or follow @TinselPhilly on social media.
"Craft Concepts Group is ready to unleash your worst (and best) nightmare," said Sourias. "Nightmare Before Tinsel this year hopes to be our most thoughtful, provocative, and exciting Halloween experience yet. We are kicking off Spooky Season in Philadelphia earlier than ever before. Nightmare Before Tinsel will keep you scared for six weeks leading up to Halloween. We have been working away to bring you this beloved Halloween tradition unlike any other in the region. We are also trying to constantly think outside the box and have a little fun along the way. Our team has done some amazing work for this year to change things up in a big way - the attention to detail and artistry is next level."
"This year, we proudly present an immersive fantasy and horror adventure, inspired by a variety of nostalgic horror and fantasy themes," said Artist and Interior Designer Scott Johnston. "Let us take you through an apocalyptic zombie-scape, into a vibrant haunted mansion festooned with pirate skeletons, hulking beasts, and famous monsters from across the decades... past macabre artifacts from our haunted and twisted past, and ultimately into the shocking depths of our shared imaginations."
For 2022, the former home of Simpson's Jewelry, and the home of Tinsel Christmas Bar, have been converted from top to bottom, left to right and everything in between with scenes, images and custom art that bring Philadelphia's Nightmare to life. Exhibits, props, decorations and photo opportunities will range from scary and gory, to ironic and funny, the retro and vintage.
This year marks the reunion of Scott "Count Scotchula" Johnston, now as lead designer and artist, with CCG Project Manager Alex Bokulich, and together they have enlisted the talents of dozens of performing and visual artists from across the region, while effectively increasing the previous wall space by at least 20% to create more thrills and scares than ever before.
New features this year include 17 "living" screens, showing videos filmed by Scotchula, with surprises around every corner, as well as custom DJ playlists for each night of the week, curated by South Philly based DJ "The Touched" on loan from the Mahoning Drive In Theater. The playlist for each night centers on specific eras and themes of horror cinema, interspersed with popular (and esoteric) music from their respective eras.
The ever-popular throne room is back and full of surprises - including a mid-season switch! Nightmare has also added dozens of lifesize as well as "larger than life" fantasy and horror figures throughout the space, from fuzzy nostalgia to "knock your socks off scary," with hundreds of curious artifacts and custom artworks throughout the space. Plus, crowd favorites from the past (scary babies, outside facade and other signature elements) will be back but in new ways. Come for the spooky fun early in the season, but don't miss a twist or turn after October 1st when it gets a make-over for those that want to visit twice.
"Look for less quick passing thrills and much more in depth, immersive and detailed scares in the new Hallloween galleries," said Project Manager Alex Bokulich. "The focus this year was about maximizing our space, adding more depth and on the story-telling. A lot of the things you will see in nightmare this year were not sourced, original artists specifically crafted them - this is the most original art and custom installations ever for Nightmare."
Among the fiends lurking about in Nightmare, look for a smoking dragon, larger-than-life skeleton and zombie version of Philly favorites Gritty and the Phanatic. Additionally, Johnston, Bokulich and CCG has partnered with the Belasco Collection UK for an exhibit within the nightmare that they say is "Not for the screamish."
Nightmare Before Tinsel is 2,000 square feet of spooked-out space designed by interior designer and local artist Scott Johnston.
From eerie ambiance to quirky cocktails, look for a full selection of exclusive and spirited cocktails and witches brews. Behind the bar, look for your favorite bartenders from BRU, Tradesman's, Blume Burger, Finn McCools, Tinsel and Uptown Beer Garden rustling about pouring potions and seasonal fall beers. The opening menu for this truly unique Halloween pop-up bar includes:
COCKTAILS
Ecto Cooler Shot, $11
Comes in take-away Clear Skull Shot Glass
Crystal Head Vodka, Melon Liqueur, Pineapple Juice, Dry Ice
Blood Bar, $16
Comes in take-away "Blood Bag"
Union Forge Vodka, Peach Schnapps, Cranberry Juice
Vampire Shot, $12
Comes in take-away Onyx Black Skull Shot Glass
Corralejo Blanco, Orange Liqueur, Maple Cinnamon Syrup
Candyman Shot, $12
Comes in take-away Aurora Skull Shot Glass
Skrewball Whiskey, Raspberry Liqueur, Ginger Ale
Dark Jawn, $18
Comes in take-away Skeleton Hand Flute
Fosforo Tobala Mezcal, Luxardo, Amaretto, Chocolate Bitters, Vanilla Extract, Activated Charcoal
Hokum-Smokum, $15
Comes in take-away Black Wine Glass
Whitley Neil Quince Gin, Ginger Syrup, Champagne, Candy Corn, Edible Glitter
Bat, $17
Comes in take-away Skeleton Mug
Templeton Rye, Sour Apple Pucker, Cranberry, Caramel Drizzle
Jekyll and Hyde, $15
Comes in take-away Cauldron Mug
Agavales Reposado, Pumpkin Spice Liqueur, Ginger Beer
The Overlook $14
Comes in take-away Jack O Lantern Cup
Jameson, Cinnamon Simple, Apple Cider, Dash of Cinnamon Sugar and Fire
Maximum Overdrive, $14
Comes in take-away GhostCup
Vanilla Vodka, Dark Creme de Cacao, Cold Brew, Toasted Marshmallow and Graham Cracker Dust for garnish
BEER DRAFTS AND CANS
Cans/Bottles:
Left Hand Pumpkin Spice Latte $9
12 Oz. Pumpkin Ale with Coffee, 7.0%
Three Floyds Zombie Dust, $7
12 oz. Pale Ale, 6.5%
Allagash Haunted House, $9
16 oz. Porter, 6.6%
Trick or Treat bag with old cans, $12
Two mystery beers for the daring drinkers
Miller Lite, $6
12 oz., 4.2%
White Claw Black Cherry, $6
12 oz. seltzer, 5.0%
Drafts:
Troegs Oktoberfest, $7
16. Marzen, 6.1%
Southern Tier Pumpking
10 oz. Imperial Pumpkin Ale, 8.6%
Dogfish Head Punkin
16 oz. Pumpkin Ale, 7.0%
Plus a Rotating IPA
Like Tinsel, the bar will feature selections in theme, and all cocktails with take-away souvenir vessels so you can never escape Philadelphia's Nightmare. For the true-spirit seekers and adventurous, costumes are welcome and encouraged - but optional.
Nightmare Before Tinsel hours are Monday through Thursday, 4:00pm to 12:00am, Friday, 4:00pm to 2:00am, Saturday, 4:00pm to 2:00am and Sunday, 4:00pm to 12:00am to start.
Starting the Week of September 26th, hours will be Monday through Thursday, 4:00pm to 12:00am, Friday, 4:00pm to 2:00am, Saturday, 2:00pm to 2:00am and Sunday, 2:00pm to 12:00am.
From the most wonderful time of year to the things nightmares are made of, Philadelphia's Halloween Pop-up Experience will creak open its doors this week on Thursday, September 15th, at 4:00pm. Come one, come all - if you dare.
For more information about Nightmare, visit www.nightmarebeforetinsel.com, and follow @TinselPhilly on social media. For those that wish to call, if they dare, Tinsel can be reached at 215-909-9406.
NIGHTMARE TEAM
Owner of Craft Concepts Group - Teddy Sourias
Interior Design and Artist - Scott Johnston
Project Manager - Alex Bokulich
Cocktail Design -Alexis Alman
Private Events - Hank Hensen and Molly Purcell
PR, Marketing and Social Media - Kory Aversa, Aversa PR
BUILDING
In 2017, the 100+ year former jewelry shop passed the baton from the sparkle of diamonds to the twinkle of hundreds of holiday lights for Tinsel - and now to the dead of night for Nightmare. Tinsel brought new life into the street level space that was vacant for years, and Nightmare continues that tradition. Tinsel joined the ranks of Craft Concepts Group that now includes Blume Burger, Tradesman's, BRU Craft and Wurst, U-Bahn, Finn McCool's Ale House, Kontrol, and Uptown Beer Garden.
Simpson's Jewelry was a family run, full service, jewelry store which was established in 1895.
ABOUT TINSEL
Tinsel started out as Philadelphia's only home-grown Christmas Bar that brought Christmas cheer into the space formerly occupied by Simpson's Jewelry in Midtown Village each year. Tinsel debuted to capacity crowds every single day it was open in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Back in 2017, Tinsel was originally opened in less than three weeks when Simpson's moved out of the space next to Finn McCool's. In 2018, Craft Concepts Group spent months on raising the ceilings, breaking through the walls, exposing the original grand staircase, lengthening the bar and creating even more space for holiday revelry. For 2019, Tinsel became more than a Christmas pop-up bar when Nightmare Before Tinsel debuted for spooky season. Tinsel's unique pop-up space then was activated for the entire month of Halloween and during the holidays between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve.
For 2020, Christmas came early with the debut of Tinsel in July with America's first-ever socially-distanced Christmas themed pop-up eatery - that was designed to bring light and hope during these very challenging and serious times. Nightmare Before Tinsel changed to a walk-through Halloween attraction, and Tinsel Christmas Pop-up continued to spread holiday joy.
In 2021, Nightmare Before Tinsel and Tinsel Christmas Pop-up returned to their original formats for spooky season and for the holidays. Both are back - and with them are coming new surprises for 2022 - along with some sister Halloween and Christmas Bars on the way too. Stay tuned.