Christmas Steps Arts Quarter Late Night Shopping!

 

 Thursday 19th December

Shops and cafes throughout the Arts Quarter will be opening extra specially for some late-night Christmas shopping on Thursday the 19th of December – some up until 9pm!

Many of the shops will be offering mince pies and other Christmas treats, and you can check out the Arts Quarter Christmas Lights along the way!

What’s not to like?
 

The Arts Quarter Christmas Lights Switch On 2013!

The 4th annual Christmas Steps Arts Quarter Christmas Lights Switch on was again a huge success, as large crowds gathered to mark the official (because we are the home of Christmas, obviously) start of the Christmas period!

A huge thanks go to the children from St. Michael's on the Mount Primary School for another wonderful performance of carols this year. And also to the staff of the school for organising them so brilliantly and taking up countdown duties.

Also a thanks to SHOP, who again serviced, installed and will be providing the power for the lights, and who also provided the mince pies, home-baked goodies and mulled wine (though it didn't last long!) for the switch on.

Here's some pics...

The carol leaflet lovingly created by St. Michael's.

Gone in 60 seconds - The mince pies and mulled wine

The expectant crowd gathers...

And though we don't count ... it might have been record crowds!

The carols

Singing along!

And they're on! (At the second attempt)

And don't they look just lovely...

Apple Day 2013

Saturday the 17th October was the second, yearly celebration of Apple Day in the Christmas Steps Arts Quarter.

Bristol Cider Shop provided the apple rolling hilarity and SHOP provided silly games and food.

Here's some pics!

 The Apple ID Parade - Can you guess all six types of apple?

Guess these famous Adam's by their Adam's APPLE only! Can you?

Children amass for the first round of Apple Rolling

Tasty Apple Snacks!

Apples, Games and Snacks - a perfect Saturday afternoon in Autumn;

Ready - Set - ROOOOOLLLL! Photo by @brizzelness

SUMMER CINEMA ON THE STEPS: Battleship Potemkin review in pics.

 The evening of Thursday 5th of September saw the return of the open-air cinema to the steps, as part of a programme of fringe events in the build up to the Encounters Film Festival and what a night it turned out to be!

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Large numbers turned up to see Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin and the assembled crowd were treated to an excellent live improvised soundtrack from local Bristol DJ Spin Thief (Adam Pinfold)

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The event was a great success and much thanks go to Geneva Stop and SHOP for organising it on behalf of the Arts Quarter and to Bristol Cider Shop for providing the bar.

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Here's some pictures and lo-res video...

 

SUMMER CINEMA ON THE STEPS: Battleship Potemkin

Thursday 5th September

7pm onwards (film will start at nightfall) 

The Christmas Steps Arts Quarter, SHOP, Geneva Stop and Bristol Cider Shop have all teamed up to stage an Encounters Film Festival fringe event on the Christmas Steps!

The film will be soundtracked live by local Bristol DJ Adam Pinfold

There will be a bar provided by Bristol Cider Shop.

Keep your eyes on the twitter for further info.

Hope to see you all there!

SUMMER CINEMA ON THE STEPS!

SHOP (Vintage Lounge and Arts Venue), based on the Christmas Steps and 20th Century Flicks Video Shop have arranged a summer film screening in the Christmas Steps Arts Quarter.

The screening will take place on the Christmas Steps themselves, as with previous events such as the Bristol Festival of Photography, as the Steps provide a natural amphitheatre perfect for such an event.

The bar will be provided by the 3 Sugar Loves and there will popcorn and food available from local micro-bakert, Tasty Mother's Tucker too.

The genius film choice has been selected by 20th Century Flicks and will commence at sundown (around 10pm).

Hope to see you there!!

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH-ON!

Last night the third annual Christmas Steps Christmas lights switch-on took place!

We were sung and rung into Christmas in fine style by the bell ringers at St Michael's on the Mount church, and then by the children of St Michael's primary school, who sang us four lovely carols.

The 'wifi' plunger was then plunged by the children and the Steps were illuminated by hundreds of twinkly lights!

Here's some pictures of the magical evening and two videos of the singing (dark, but lovely all the same!).

 

 

Apple Day Festival!

The Christmas Steps Arts Quarter Apple Day took place on The Christmas Steps this Saturday 20th October, and was a great fun day!

From rolling, to bobbing, to baking and apple-ID-ing - all apple based activities were here!

Apple Day has been a national festival since 1990 and celebrates the hope that orchards will be recognised and conserved for their contribution to local distinctiveness, including the rich diversity of wild life they support.

Apple Day events can be large or small, from apple games in a garden to large fairs - we think the CSAQ event was somewhere inbeween!

** Below the pics we have added apple recipes from the baking demo on the day, if you want to make your own apple goodies at home - just scroll down**

Apple-balloons!

Apple-based baking demo in SHOP

The Apple ID Parade - only one person got them all right!

Guess the amount of apple sweets!

The CSAQ Cider Trail

Live baking of Apple Griddle Cakes (they were lush!)

Apple scones, apple rock cakes and erm .. bread!

Not just humans like apples!

The first demo of the Baked Apple pudding exploded!

The only person to ID all the apples - 'Apple Jesus'!

The Apple Rolling course

Apple Rolling Umpire, catching some pesky apples!

Queues for Apple Rolling were long!

RECIPE'S COURESY OF "TASTY MOTHER'S TUCKER"

APPLE CRUMBLE

Grate or slice thinly, 2 large Bramley apples into an ovenproof dish and add a tablespoon of water and a squeeze of lemon.

To make the topping combine 4oz of flour (brown is best!), 2oz of butter, marg, cream cheese or stilton and 2oz of sugar (brown is best!)

Add any of these optional extras:

Toasted almond flakes
Chopped walnuts
Oats
Cinnamon
Ground gonger, or chopped fresh ginger
Grated orange or lemon rinf
Anything else you fancy!

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 250o or gas mark 5.

SCOFF!

EVE'S PUDDING

Grate or slice thinly, 2 large Bramley apples into an ovenproof dish and add a tablespoon of water and a squeeze of lemon.

To make Eve's topping (sponge cake), whisk 2 eggs long with 2 oz of sugar until thick.  Fold 2 oz flour (brown is best!) into the egg and sugar mizture.

Pour the topping onto the apple mizture and bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 250o or gas mark 5.

SCOFF!

BAKED APPLES 

Core a Bramley and fill the hole with dired mixed fruit.

Score a circle around the top of the apple

Bake in in the oven for 30 minutes (or more if the apple is very large) at 250o or gas mark 5.

SCOFF!