Last month my friend Brittany and I tried out Upstairs Circus for the first time. I’m a fan of any activity that involves the words “bottomless mimosas” in the description, so when I heard they had a craft party that included just that- I was sold.
For those who aren’t familiar, Upstairs Circus is a small “do it yourself” craft chain that recently opened a location in Austin’s Second Street District. They have an extensive craft menu and a bar that serves up all of your favorite drinks. The craft options include an engraved gold bar necklace, distressed wood art piece, stone serving tray, concrete coasters, wine bottle tumblers, leather luggage tags and so much more!
We went into the event not really knowing what to expect. I mean, I had scrolled through their Instagram and saw a bunch of people sipping on cocktails and hammering down on wood, which seems like quite the liability, but I was still intrigued.
We made a reservation online for a Sunday “Making-n-Mimosas” class which started at noon. We got there right as the doors opened, entered a line to pay and then was told to grab a mimosa and head to the back table to pick our craft. I chose to do a magic catch bottle opener and moved through the line to grab my woodworking kit {I still feel really legit just saying that} and then sat at the table they designated for us.
Overall the project wasn’t hard, but if you’ve ever done a Painting with a Twist type of thing you know that there’s typically an instructor in the front of the room telling you what to do. Well not here. You’re given instructions, tools, paint, etc. and left to figure it out on your own. It was a little stressful in the beginning, but it ended up being a lot easier than I anticipated and I loved the way my project turned out!
WHO SHOULD GO: This would be the perfect girl’s day, bachelorette party activity, family fun or even something to do with your boyfriend/girlfriend. There was a wide variety of projects and something truly for everyone.
COST: It depends on when you go and what your class includes (some include drinks, some don’t). You can check the calendar here, but the projects range from $28-$42 per person
TIPS FOR FIRST TIMERS:
- Make sure you make a reservation online because it gets packed quickly. A reservation guarantees your space and that you’re sitting next to your group. You do not need to pay when making the reservation, so there’s no harm in saving your space!
- Don’t worry about getting there early (if you have a reservation). They don’t open the doors until right when the event starts!
- You have a 3-hour time slot to complete your project. Some projects take less time (they note the time frame on the “menu” so it’s easy to calculate), so if you do a bottomless mimosa party, make sure you stick around once you’re done!
- You can bring food in! There was a party at the table next to us who had Franklin’s BBQ and I wanted to join that group SO badly! Definitely call ahead if you’re going to do that, but it would be great addition if you’re doing a little party there.
- The experience is expensive, so make sure you choose a craft that you’re going to love/is practical once it’s all said and done.
And that’s it! Have you all done Upstairs Circus before? What did you think?
