“This is a pivotal moment for us" - Gunwharf announces "coup" as ApolloDomes brings its immersive entertainment concept to Portsmouth this winter
A new immersive entertainment concept is heading to Gunwharf this month in a UK first.
ApolloDomes will be opening in Gunwharf Quays on Friday, October 24, providing an entertainment space which will blend immersive theatre, striking visual projections and event-scale production.
The attraction will be 1,300 square metres in size and include two 19-metre indoor entertainment domes, each with a 270-degree projection screen. When it opens it will be a Halloween themed space called ‘Pumpkinville’ which will have experiences for younger and older children.
During the day, families can join ‘The SpookAdemy’ where they can learn the key skills to being scary, before relaxing in ‘The Lantern Lounge’, a Halloween-themed cafe and bar. At night the dome will have themed bars with vintage horrors playing at the ‘Pumpkin Picturehouse’.
For those interested in a more frightening experience, ‘The Summoning’ will offer an intimate séance horror experience for guests aged 18 and older.
From November 2, the space will then be dedicated to Christmas.
Yvonne Clay, Centre Director at Gunwharf Quays, commented: “This is a pivotal moment for us as we move into the next, exciting phase of our transformation and to be the UK launch location for ApolloDomes is a real coup, not just for Gunwharf Quays, but for Portsmouth and beyond.
“This will be the first time anyone has blended live, theatrical performances with large-scale, projected dome media in this manner and we can’t wait to unveil our first experience, Pumpkinville, to our guests next month.
“This investment will create a unique new attraction in the city and further cements our position as a leading retail and leisure destination.”
Gunwharf’s parent company Landsec has partnered with international company Holovis to bring the unique entertainment to Portsmouth for the first of its kind in the UK.
Holovis have a track record of producing large themed entertainment projects around the including SeaWorld Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, Squid Game: The Experience in New York, and the LEGO Factory Adventure Ride at LEGOLAND New York.
Stuart Hetherington, CEO of Holovis, added: “ApolloDomes represents a first of its kind experience, blending next-gen projection technologies and media with world-class immersive theatrical performances to transport guests to an exciting, seasonal destination.
“This is the perfect representation for Holovis’ capabilities, and represents the culmination of over 20 years’ experience in the theme park and entertainment industries.
“We’re extremely proud to be embarking on this journey with Landsec and are very excited to bring this level of immersive experience to guests in the UK.”
Tickets to ‘Pumpkinville’ will go on sale on September 17. Further details can be found at: https://gunwharf-quays.com/ApolloDomes,