Attendees can pose for photos with a life-size cutout of Carey at each location.Photo: Courtesy of Bucket Listers
Apart from Santa Claus, there might be no other celebrity more associated with Christmas than Mariah Carey. Since releasing her album Merry Christmas in 1994—which features the chart-topping single “All I Want for Christmas Is You”—the musician has continued to take over the holiday season with concert tours, TV specials—and, now, cocktail bars.
Black Irish by Mariah Carey, the singer-songwriter’s brand of Irish cream liqueur, has partnered with Virgin Hotels to launch a series of pop-up bars for the holiday season. Officially titled Mariah Carey’s Black Irish Holiday Bar, the ticketed experience opened on Nov. 15 and runs through Dec. 29 at Virgin Hotels locations in five U.S. cities: New York, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, and New Orleans.
The partnership is a natural one for Virgin Hotels, a hospitality brand that aligns itself with pop culture. “Virgin Hotels has always been synonymous with entertainment and music, and this limited-time pop-up is a direct connection to that legacy,” said James Bermingham, CEO of Virgin Hotels Collection, in a release.
The hotel pop-ups transform existing spaces into winter wonderland environments, complete with over-the-top decor that celebrates Carey’s festive persona and the 30th anniversary of her classic song and album. Attendees can enjoy holiday-themed cocktails crafted with Carey’s liqueur, take photos against festive backdrops inspired by her music, and interact with elements including a station where they can write letters to the “Queen of Christmas” herself (a title bestowed upon her by fans).
The two brands partnered with events and experiences firm Bucket Listers to design and produce the multicity experience. The firm has created a niche for itself by executing Instagrammable fan activations, which have included Bravo’s Diamonds and Rosé Experience and the Malibu Barbie Cafe.
Nyeri Stepanian, events and experiences operations manager at Bucket Listers, said her team hopes to create a recurring version of the seasonal activations based on attendees' reactions. “This is something we hope to continue for years to come and expand all over the country,” said Stepanian. “We can measure its success by seeing how much love fans have for Mariah and the pop-up [in person and on social].”
Keep scrolling to see the event highlights from Mariah Carey’s Black Irish Holiday Bar…
