Immersive Christmas Bar 'Miracle at The Overlook Lodge' to Open for Season

Gorilla Cinemas is keeping a lot of details under wraps, but guests should expect a lot of "Silver and Gold."

By Katherine Barrier on Tue, Nov 14, 2023 at 1:07 pm

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Photo: Provided by Gorilla Cinemas

Miracle at The Overlook Lodge

Get ready for another miraculous holiday season as Miracle at The Overlook Lodge returns to Pleasant Ridge this week.

This is the seventh year for the immersive Christmas bar at Gorilla Cinema’s The Overlook Lodge, and this year, it’s going to offer an even more twinkly twist, offering patrons an enchanting experience inspired by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’s "Silver and Gold."

“On a cold winter night, an unusually strong blizzard blew in and buried The Overlook Lodge under a blanket of snow. With a bellowing laugh from the North, the snow melted and The Lodge reappeared, transformed. It was a Miracle! Lucky ticket holders who step through this magical space can expect a truly enchanting environment for celebrating the season — reminiscent of the heartwarming world of Rudolph and his friends,” Gorilla Cinemas said in a press release.

Pyramid Hill Combines Art and Nature in its Annual Holiday Lights Show: The beloved tradition returns Friday, Nov. 17.

Gorilla Cinemas is staying mum on many of the details, but says the Overlook Elves are planning a joyful and immersive winter wonderland for guests. They’re also launching new themed drinks this year, including the “Marshmallows and Unicorns”(gin, vanilla liqueur, velvet falernum, cherry liqueur, cardamom, black pepper, marshmallow, lemon, egg white, tiki bitters and soda) as well as the “Krampus” (reposado tequila, oloroso sherry, allspice dram, mezcal, ginger, hibiscus, lime and hellfire bitters).

Miracle at The Overlook Lodge kicks off Friday, Nov. 17 and runs through Dec. 28. Tickets can be purchased here, and with your ticket, you get a reserved 70-minute block of time at the pop-up, as well as a welcome shot and two themed holiday cocktails.

The Overlook Lodge, 6083 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge. More info: thatshiningbar.com.

Slideshow

15 Ways to Have a Day Straight Out of a Hallmark Christmas Movie in Cincinnati

Support a small business while shopping at local holiday marketsWith some hard work and just a dash of Christmas magic, you can be the protagonist who saves the day and a struggling small business – or you can just do your part to support small businesses by shopping local for your holiday gifts. We have a handy gift guide you can use, or you can visit one of the holiday markets happening around the city. The Servatii Cincinnati Christkindlmarkt pops up at Smale Riverfront Park every week with local vendors, and City Flea is hosting a weekend-long holiday market Dec.16-17 at Washington Park.

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Go ice skating at Fountain Square, Summit Park or Fifty West BrewingNothing screams wholesome Winter Wonderland more than people lacing up their skates for a glide on the ice. At Fountain Square, you can twirl underneath the glow of the Christmas tree – or drive bumper cars – after doing some holiday shopping in the many small businesses in Downtown and Over-the-Rhine and visiting the Shillito’s Elves in their new home at the Foundry. Summit Park in Blue Ash has their Warm 98.5 rink set up underneath a color glass canopy, and the four on-site restaurants have plenty of food, hot chocolate and DORA drinks for sale. And Fifty West Brewing has brought back their ice rink, along with fire pits, heated tents and hot drinks to keep you warm after a spin on the ice with that cute baker you just met.

Pick out a Christmas tree at a local market or farmThe visual centerpiece of any good Hallmark holiday movie is the meticulously decorated Christmas tree decked out in lots of colorful lights, ornaments and garland. And if your childhood crush who grew up next door to you and is back for the holidays can come over and help you decorate it — even better. Find a list of places where you can grab a tree, some hot chocolate and maybe even pet a reindeer here.

Visit a small town, like Lebanon or Metamora, and revel in the Christmas aestheticThere are lots of charming small towns close to Cincinnati that go all out for the holidays. Lebanon is known for its distinct Hallmark-movie vibe this time of year. Metamora, Indiana, breaks out tons of lights and decorations for its annual Old Fashion Christmas Walk, and Historic Clifton Mill in Clifton, Ohio, lights up with millions of bulbs each year.

Go sledding, glow snow tubing or tobogganingThis one requires some participation from Mother Nature, but you can always dream of a white Christmas. If it does happen to snow, some popular sledding hills include Embshoff Woods in Delhi, Stanberry Park in Mt. Washington, Devou Park in Covington, Harbin Park in Fairfield and Mt. Storm Park in Clifton. If you’d rather hit the slopes or careen downhill on an inner tube, you can take a trip out to Perfect North in Lawrenceburg for skiing, snow tubing and warming up with a treat in the lodge. You can also plan a holiday road trip to Mansfield for after-dark glow snow tubing. Just make sure to load your road trip playlist with lots of holiday carols and songs.

Take a wintry hike at the Bender Mountain Nature Preserve and other scenic trailsHiking is a great way to help you reflect and think things over. Do you want to quit your job in the big city to open a coffee shop in a small town? Do you want to leave your aloof, corporate-y significant other for the humble, kind and attractive veterinarian? Probably! But you can decide on the trail. Hamilton County’s Great Parks has 78 miles of trails throughout its 17 parks, including nature trails ranging from just the 0.15-mile Woodlot Trail at Winton Woods to the 2.1-mile Timberlakes Trail at Miami Whitewater Forest. Cincinnati Parks also boasts some amazing nature trails at French Park, California Woods and Ault Park. And in Delhi is the Bender Mountain Nature Preserve that offers stunning views of the Ohio River and Northern Kentucky. Find more stunning hike suggestions here.

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Katherine Barrier

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Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she oversees the digital and social media strategies, edits web and print content and writes for the dining and arts...

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