Holiday Pop-Up Bars in Des Moines: A Marketing Masterclass

The holiday season is upon us, and Des Moines is brimming with festive cheer. One of the most exciting trends in recent years is the rise of holiday pop-up bars. Bars in Des Moines rebrand themselves for the holidays to create a unique and immersive experience, and the FOMO is palpable. Waitlists can climb to over two hours and reservations fill up quickly.

Beyond offering the opportunity to partake in some holiday spirit, these pop-ups provide valuable marketing lessons for businesses of all sizes.

Marketing Magic: Lessons From Holiday Pop-Up Bars

While Christmas pop-up bars in Des Moines are designed to entertain and delight, they also offer valuable marketing insights that brands can learn from. These include:

1. Creating a unique, sharable experience: A successful pop-up bar stands out by offering something different. Whether it's a unique theme, photo-worthy cocktails, or interactive experiences, the key is to create a memorable experience that people will want to share through word of mouth and social media.

2. Building brand awareness: Pop-up bars provide an opportunity to introduce a bar or restaurant to a new audience. The lesson for marketers here is that creating a strong identity and consistently delivering a high-quality experience can help you build brand awareness and loyalty past the holiday season.

3. Creating FOMO: Pop-up bars (and other pop-up stores or experiences) are only open for a limited number of days. This creates scarcity, which can spur the urge for customers to rush in. Brands can use this tactic for limited-time offerings or special product promotions.

Holiday Bars in Des Moines

Des Moines has a variety of holiday pop-up bars and restaurants to choose from, each with its own theme and ambiance. Whether you're seeking a cozy winter wonderland or a whimsical Christmas extravaganza, there's one for everyone. Here are a few of our favorites.

Exile Brewery transforms their entire brewpub with thousands of holiday lights and decorations, complete with a special drink menu. The SnowGlobe at Exile pop-up runs from Nov. 12 through Jan. 5. Exile is kid-friendly and has a full food menu. Make your reservation!

Secret Admirer, a quaint bar in downtown Des Moines, creates a cozy winter wonderland holiday bar each year. From Nov. 13 to Dec. 30, customers can try holiday cocktails and mocktails. Nice List is first-come, first-served, so arrive early to grab a spot.

The Station on Ingersoll transforms their private party space into a popular Des Moines holiday bar from Nov. 25 through Dec. 31. Complete with fun cocktails and mocktails in unique mugs, Miracle on Ingersoll is a perfect spot to host a holiday book club or secret Santa event. Book your reservation.

Additionally, Miracle expanded this year to create a second pop-up Christmas bar in the Des Moines metro. Miracle at Jordan Creek is inside the Jordan Creek Town Center; it’s open Nov. 18 through Dec. 31. Get your reservation scheduled.

Did you know that Hello, Marjorie, a popular upscale cocktail bar downtown, has a back-room speakeasy? Good News, Darling transforms into a holiday cocktail pop-up bar each year. Dubbed the Naughty List (as a companion to Secret Admirer’s Nice List), it has a drink for everyone.

Atop the AC Hotel in the East Village, The Republic on Grand transforms their rooftop bar and restaurant space into a magical holiday pop-up bar each year. From Nov. 15 to Dec. 31, Rudolph’s Rooftop will make spirits bright with craft cocktails, appetizers, and heaters to stay warm. Another plus: it’s just a few blocks from our office in the East Village neighborhood.

More Than Just a Holiday Pop-Up

As the holiday season unfolds, Des Moines becomes a hot spot for festive fun. Whether you're a marketing strategist or a cocktail enthusiast, these holiday pop-up bars offer valuable lessons and a whole lot of holiday cheer. Several of our Two Rivers Connection Clubs plan to visit a few of these this year. Maybe we’ll see you there!