Dec. 13, 2022

This paid piece is sponsored by The Carpenter Bar Group.

As the saying goes: “Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.”

It’s hard to argue with that when you step inside Highball, which for the rest of the holiday season is the most Christmassy-place you might find anywhere downtown.

“It’s filled with all sorts of fun things,” said Sarah Hall, marketing coordinator for The Carpenter Bar Group, which owns Highball and The Treasury as well as Carpenter Bar.

She’s not kidding. From 25 inflated “holiballs” hanging from the ceiling to Santas, trees and garland galore, the cocktail bar is filled with festiveness from top to bottom.

It’s clear as soon as you spot the lights outside Railyard Flats on East Eighth Street that something memorable is waiting inside.

“It’s just something we’ve always wanted to try, just to bring a little festive cheer to this area,” co-owner Anne Haber said. “Phillips Avenue has all the lights and things, and it’s nice to bring that feel to the East Bank as well.”

The hope is to inspire others in the neighborhood to add to the holiday look next year.

“I think it would be so fun to see if this could kick off an East Bank neighborhood Christmas theme,” Hall said. “As we continue to add and grow businesses in this area, we definitely could make it more of a destination with additional decor this time of year.”

Once you step inside Highball, you’ll also discover a newly released holiday cocktail menu.

Sip a Cranberry Sauced Negroni with gin, cranberry Campari and sweet vermouth.

Or try the Coquito, with rum, coconut, evaporated milk and vanilla.

“These are some really fun new drinks that are perfect for after work, the end of your evening or anywhere in between,” Haber said.

But add a stop at Highball to your holiday list now: The floor-to-ceiling Christmas scene is here only through the end of the year.

“We’ll move the date up next year and maybe expand in other ways, but for now it’s new, we’re trying it, and we’ll see what next year brings,” Hall said. “And we thank our bartenders for indulging us with constant Christmas music.”

Highball, 440 E. Eighth St., is open to those 21 and older from 3 to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 3 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.