There is something special about summertime in London, it's hard to put into words. The atmosphere in the city switches from grey and miserable to relaxed and more celebratory. The longer, hot days always leave me reminiscing about all the tropical destinations I have visited and summer is when I'm on a hunt to find those vibes that will transport your soul to the islands in London! Below is my round up of tried and tested events that prove that you can 'tropic like it's hot' in the city even if the weather isn’t quite on our side!
The Reggae Brunch
Beginning with an event that I hope is pretty self-explanatory from its name!
The Reggae Brunch team present you with their Caribbean inspired brunch which runs every weekend throughout the year in multiple cities across the UK. I attended one of their first events back in 2017 and I can honestly say that I haven’t found a better Caribbean themed brunch since! With a line-up of more than a handful of amazing DJs and hosts making up The Reggae Brunch family, whichever city you choose and whoever is entertaining you for the afternoon is sure to bring the energy and those island vibes into full effect as you dine and whine to the rhythm of soca, dancehall, reggae, bashment and afrobeats. Expect an hour of bottomless rum punch (which tastes like juice at first, but hits you after a while!), followed by a seated 3-course Caribbean meal (vegetarian options available). There are also birthday packages and party-only tickets available. The best time to attend one or more of their events is during summer, when they have a plethora of one-off specials such as BBQ’s, rooftop events and boat parties! The tickets for their one-off summer events usually include entry and one-hour bottomless rum punch, food and additional drinks to be purchased separately. The real dilemma comes down to deciding which of their events to attend! I say try a few out ;)
Afrobeats N Brunch
Taking it back to the roots… Afrobeats N Brunch is actually a sister company of The Reggae Brunch and whilst the concept may be similar – in that they offer an hour of bottomless rum punch and good vibes from the resident DJs and hosts across the UK – the Afrobeats N Brunch crew do tend to run things a little differently! Unlike The Reggae Brunch, which includes a seated 3-course meal with your standard brunch ticket, at Afrobeats N Brunch, you can enjoy a real taste of the motherland with African food available from a selected vendor onsite at an additional cost and seating is free for all – so larger groups arrive early to get your space! However, there are other things that your ticket price does include such as a range of games, face painting and even a live caricaturist on site! Be prepared for dance offs to the sounds of new and old skool afrobeats hits sprinkled with a little amapiano, r&b, hip hop, dancehall and reggae for that additional tropical feel!
For any of my readers located in Europe, Afrobeats N Brunch brings the party to you too! If you are located in Lisbon, Brussels or Berlin they offer an inclusive ticket (entry, food and one-hour bottomless rum punch). So whether you’re in the UK or Europe and need a dose of African vibes – Afrobeats N Brunch is where all the fun is at!
Tun Up N Paint
Sip and paint, paint and sip – whatever you generally call it. Those events where you have a drink (usually alcoholic) and paint a masterpiece (hopefully the alcohol doesn’t affect your brush your skills too much!) whilst grooving around to some music is an activity that took off a few years ago now and remains ever popular. So, when the owners of LDN Paint Party and The Reggae Brunch decide to collaborate and create Tun Up n Paint, you know it’s a paint party not to miss out on! There are plenty of paint parties available, so why choose these guys in particular, you ask? If you’re anything like me (as much as I hate to admit it, somewhat of a perfectionist), having to come up with a design, trying to get it drawn up and painted on the spot in a limited time frame, is just going to cause indecisive anxiety to flare up and the outcome be something I would then regret having spent money on. The beauty of LDN Paint Party/Tun Up n Paint, is that the design is already sketched out for you. All you have to do is add your colourful creativity to it! But if you would prefer to design and paint your own masterpiece, you do have the option to paint over the pre-sketched canvas and create an original. On arrival, you will be handed a glass of prosecco before making your way to choose your paints and brushes, with a few pre-painted designs dotted around to inspire you! A host and DJ will keep you motivated and entertained to the sounds of r&b, hiphop, reggae, bashment and dancehall as you perfect your painting, which you will then be able to take away with you – bags given at the end of the event. It’s the perfect idea for a private party, date, birthday or hen-do, so be sure to contact LDN Paint Party or secure your tickets for Tun Up N Paint to create some lasting memories!
Maggi Brunch
This brunch will transport you to the Caribbean Island of Jamaica! The guys behind Maggi Brunch partnered with Wray & Nephew to bring you the first ever bottomless brunch to include Magnum Tonic. Enjoy a bottomless Magnum punch before attempting to sober up with a 2-course meal (meat and veg options available), whilst the DJ, host and dancers entertain you to the beats of dancehall, hip hop, r&b, afrobeats and more! The ambience they manage to create at Maggi brunch is one that will make you feel as though you’re in a basement party in Jamaica – queue the video for ‘Get Busy’ by Sean Paul. If you’re brave enough, opt for the RudeBwoy package which secures you 9 bottles of Magnum tonic wine in advance!
!! Warning: This is not an event for light weights, grab your tickets to Maggi Brunch if you think you can handle it!
Sip N Soca
Ever since my second trip to Barbados, my love for soca music escalated into it becoming my go-to feel good music attached to memories of being in the tropics. When I became aware of the club nights hosted by Sip n Soca, I was overjoyed that I finally found an event that finally plays majority soca music! Held in East London, usually on a Saturday night, expect to whine the night away to the sounds of sweet soca and calypso with some dancehall and reggae thrown in too!
!! Warning: The soca energy will have you jumping so much so that you feel as the floor might fall through!
They also hold brunches and Sip n Stroke sessions too! Purchase your Sip n Soca tickets for a night that will have you wukkin' up a storm!
Pineapple Xpress
Did someone say soul food?! Okay, this is technically not an event, but they have catered some events that I have been to, and the food was always on point so I had to include them in this post! The creators of Pineapple Xpress have blended elements of traditional food from different countries, nationalities and cultures and presented it as happiness on a plate! I first got a taste of their culinary deliciousness in 2021 when they had a pop-up in Brick Lane and they have clearly been doing well, as they have since moved to a bigger venue in Hackney – the progress says it all; I mean who can say no to food being served inside a pineapple, right?! The flavours of the tropics await you! Follow the journey of Pineapple Xpress on their instagram page!
From this post, you may be able to tell that I’m clearly quite a fan or brunches that involve a party too! I still have a list of other Caribbean inspired events to try out, but these are the ones that have kept me coming back so far, so I had to shout them out! Whether you choose to attend one or more of these events, I hope the experience makes you feel as though you’re in the tropics (in the city) too!
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