We’re struggling really hard to detect that slight nip in the air we Mumbaikars so deserve. But hey, take heart! We’ve got you covered with some of the coolest things you can do in the city while the weather learns to chill out. Camping trips, music and film festivals, and of course, Christmas are just the tip of the iceberg of this list of things to do in December in Mumbai.
1. Celebrate Taylor Swift’s birthday at this Eras Night event
The December-born Princess of Pop celebrates her big day on December 13. You should already know this from songs like Archer and Back to December, swifties. Khar-based nightclub is throwing a birthday bash in honour of the songstress on the day. Splurge on merch, friendship bracelets and performances of Tay-Tay’s greatest hits. Book here
📍: House of Pandora, Khar
📅: December 13; 4pm
🎟️: INR 500 per person redeemable on food and drinks
2. Go on a camping trip to Dehne
When Mumbai weather refuses to winter, you can head out to one of these hill stations around Maharashtra for some cold comfort. Treks and trails are organising a camping trip to Dehne so you can stargaze and photograph idyllic scenes. Guides will teach you how to identify Northern Hemisphere constellations and look out for the Milky Way on this overnight trip. Tents, breakfast and snacks as well as gear like telescopes are included. More info here
📅: December 7- January 4, 2025; multiple sessions
🎟️: INR 1,799 onwards per person
3. Go green at this environmental film festival
The All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT EFF) is out to spread awareness about the climate crisis through powerful feature films, short films and documentaries from India and abroad. Smog in Delhi, the absence of winters in Mumbai, we sure need to watch the films part of the festival’s catalogue like Junk-e, which shines a light on India’s growing electronic waste problem. You can watch films online with an all-access pass or pay-as-you-go-per film. More info here
4. Feed your Seoul at the K-Town Festival
The popular Korean culture and music festival returns to Mumbai for a second edition this December. Shop for your fill of K-Beauty products for that glass skin, gorge on scrumptious Korean kimbap and more from food stalls and snap pictures in traditional Hanboks like your favourite period Netflix K-Drama characters. The highlight of the fest is performances by top K-pop singers – the lineup this year includes BamBam, Chen, Xiumin and B.I. More info here
📍: NESCO Exhibition Centre Hall 4 and 5
📅: December 14; 10am-10pm
🎟️: INR 5,000 onwards
5. Get your bhangra on at this AP Dhillon Concert
The Indo-Canadian rapper who’s been revolutionising Punjabi music on the global platform is ready to rock Mumbai with a mega concert. Part of his tour promoting his latest album ‘The Brownpoint’, this gig is the first of its kind in India thanks to a 360-degree stage design. Uninterrupted views of the hitmaker while he belts out Brown Munde and Insane? We can’t think of any Excuses to not go.
📍: R2 Ground
📅: December 7; 5pm onwards
🎟️: INR 5,999 onwards; get tickets here
7. Crack that Da Vinci Code at this immersive art exhibition
The award-winning experience Da Vinci: Genius has landed in Mumbai and offers fascinating insights into the artist and inventor’s brilliant mind. Combining cutting-edge floor-to-ceiling projections that bring paintings and writings to life, AI-based features like chatting with the Mona Lisa make this an engaging way to learn about the 16th-century polymath. Maybe we’ll finally unearth the secret behind that Mona Lisa smile.
📍: NESCO Exhibition Centre
📅: Until January 2025
🎟️: INR 899 onwards; book tickets here
8. Attend the Mumbai Jazz Festival
Jazz music lovers need to mark their calendars – the annual celebration of jazz music returns this December to Mumbai with a spectacular international artist roster. Estonian band LONITSEERA, the Silvan Joray Trio FT. Hillai Govreen from Switzerland and USA, Czech Republic’s Milli Janatková and sister-duo Solah from Reunion Island will enthrall you with an ever-changing landscape of melodies. More info here
📍: Phoenix Palladium, Lower Parel
📅: December 7; 6pm
🎟️: INR 799 per person
9. Meow-l with laughter at Urooj Ashfaq’s comedy night fundraiser for cats
Cat lovers, this one’s for you. Edinburgh Comedy Award winner and Mumbai native Urooj Ashfaq is rolling out the jokes for a good cause this December. All proceeds from the show will support 30 senior and disabled rescue cats. The stand-up show will also see the felines gambol around the stage and audiences while the witty woman regales you with her brand of self-effacing humour.
📍: Cat Cafe Studio (Cat Area), Versova, Andheri West
📅: December 14; 7pm
🎟️: INR 700 per person
10. Find romance at this singles mixer event
If you’re single this cuffing season, here’s an opportunity to wear matching ugly Christmas jumpers with that special someone and try out these date night ideas in Mumbai. antiSOCIAL, the nightlife and alternative events venue is hosting an offline Singles Mixer that lets you find love IRL instead of doom-swiping through apps. Warm up to like-minded, verified singles with icebreakers and bond over canapes and drinks. Later head to antiSOCIAL’s after-party.
📍: antiSOCIAL, Lower Parel
📅: December 14; 5pm onwards
🎟️: INR 2,500 onwards
11. Get your geek on at India’s largest boardgame event
Scrabble, Settlers of Catan or Dungeons and Dragons, what’s your go-to for game nights? Meeplecon, India’s largest and most comprehensive boardgame convention caters to them all with a variety of tabletop RPBG, tournaments, and releases of new games. Participants from ages nine to 99 are welcome to roll the dice and move their pieces here. A special family zone keeps younglings occupied.
📍: Dublin Square, Phoenix Marketcity Kurla
📅: December 7-8
🎟️: INR 1,000 per person onwards
12-26. Make merry at these Christmas events in Mumbai
Santa Claus is coming to town and so are heaps of fun festive activities and events. Christmas markets, festive concerts, movie screenings and more to be found in our guide to Christmas in Mumbai.
27-37. Ring in 2025 in style at these NYE parties
Scintillating parties with celebrity performances, cocktails and great DJ sets are in store for New Year’s Eve in Mumbai. Book yourself into one here.