IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN TEMPTED BY HELSINKI BUT HAVEN’T YET MANAGED TO GET OUT THERE, THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE COMING UP TO GET A TASTE RIGHT HERE IN LONDON.
Our London Buzzhopper, and lover of all things Nordic Ant O’ Neill gives us a round up of his favourite Nordic festivities, all to be found in London’s backyard. So if you’ve been hankering for something a bit Nordic (and who hasn’t?) – it’s your lucky week. But you’ll have some tough choices to make.
Eschew that Winter Wonderland nonsense in Hyde Park. Forget those odious ‘Frost Fairs’ that line the South Bank and allow you to buy exactly the same food you’ll get in Camden Market, but from a wooden hut. No, the real deal is to be had elsewhere. Over the next two weekends you’ll be able to sample the best of Christmas from the Nordic states and with a bit of careful planning, you could do them all.
All are family-friendly, it hardly need be said.
Here’s a roundup. Note that whilst they all centre around churches, it’s due to the fact that these (and the associated seaman’s missions) have long become the foci for Nordic communities in London. So don’t be put off if Calvinism isn’t your thing, and nobody is going to try and talk you round to the Lutherian viewpoint; they’ll be more interested in selling you food and drink.
The Danish Christmas Bazaar
This is up Hampstead way and probably the smallest of the lot. But your £2 entry will soon see you holding a Rød pølse, Denmark’s wonderful red sausages – although the Fransk Hapsdog in its cored-out bun with spicy remoulade is the clear winner here.
Saturday 28th November 11am – 5pm
Sunday 29th November 11am – 4pm
The Swedish Church Fair
Marylebonites, this one is for you. The outdoors section features Glögg, Sweden’s answer to mulled wine and a vast improvement on the British version which is like drinking a molten Glade™ air freshener. Pea soup, gifts, handicrafts, marzipan pigs – yes, that’s a thing! – and a pop-up café in the church hall where you can buy meatballs, beer and other goodies. You’ll never look at Ikea again. The £2 entry is valid for all three days.
The market runs for three days and also incorporates indoor markets in the Norwegian, Estonian and Finnish churches. The latter is the one to hit – aside from selling lots of delicious Fazer chocolate, there’s a kitchen out the back doing reindeer stew, makkara – Finland’s awesome hotdogs – Karhu beer, Lonkero (gin and grapefruit, difficult to stop drinking and even more difficult to stand up afterwards), and salmiakki and chocolate mint vodka shots. Previous events have included reindeer pens, husky-sled rides for the kids, and guest appearances by Moomintroll himself. There will also be music – it’s Sibelius’s 150th anniversary, after all – raffles, giveaways and unique Nordic gifts to buy. If you see me there I might even be persuaded to tell you how to find my favourite East End boozer, one that I’ve never written about on Buzzhopper… this one is word of mouth only. But a salmiakki shot might loosen my tongue…
Thursday 19th November 11am – 8pm
Friday 20th November – CLOSED
Saturday 21st November 11am – 7pm
Sunday 22nd November 12pm – 5pm
The Finnish Christmas Fair
The trip to Rotherithe for this one is wll worth it. The Finnish fair boasts all of that awesome Fazer chocolate, delicious korvapuusti buns and more Moomin-themed presents than you could shake a Fillyjonk at. On theSaturday and Sunday, Albion Road becomes a full-on market, with stalls from the Estonian and Norwegian churches too. In previous years there have been husky sled rides for the kids and yer actual reindeer. It’s something like 50p to get into the Finnish church hall but once inside, you’ll be able to get into the covered garden for food and drink – reindeer stew, delicious makkara sausages, and tempting-but-oh-so-lethal salmiakki shots and lonkero, Finland’s original alcopop. And Moomintroll himself will be there for the kids.
Wednesday 18th November 12pm – 8pm
Thursday 19th November 12pm – 8pm
Friday 20th November – 11am – 12pm
Saturday 21st November 10am – 7pm
Sunday 22nd November 10am – 5pm