Glow, Bluewater has followed up its debut Spirit of Christmas exhibition with more than 40,000 guests at its Christmas in New Year consumer event.
 
Christmas in New York is running until 8 January at the new events venue and is based around an ice skating experience and New York theme. It also incorporates the free Santa’s Grotto, carousel and snow slide.
 
The event was opened by reality TV star Peter Andre and Olympic ice skating champion Robin Cousins on 8 December and is based in the first floor hall.
 
Simultaneously in the lower hall, Clarion ran its new Festive Food Fair from 8 to 11 December featuring a collection of Christmas treats and gift ideas. This will be followed by a Last Minute Gift Fair from 15 to 18 December.
 
The retail destination also reported one of its busiest weekends to date from 10 to 11 December with more than 250,000 guests, up 40,000 year-on-year.
 
“This past weekend has been amazing and we are so pleased with the number of visitors,” Glow venue director Rebecca Cardozo said. “Guests were able to enjoy their Christmas shopping, choose from over 50 restaurants for lunch and finish with a spot of ice skating at Glow, offering an unrivalled, magical Christmas day-out experience.”
 
Glow, Bluewater officially opened on 30 November and offers 5,200sqm of events space within the Bluewater retail mall in Kent.
 
Glow and its debut organiser partner Clarion faced criticisms from several exhibitors at the inaugural Spirit of Christmas event at Glow following a series of technical and visitor issues. Glow has since resolved the technical issues.
 
The venue’s next exhibition is Creative Stitches and Hobbycraft in February 2012.
 
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