Is a marshmallow tsunami lethal? Is it actually possible to be surrounded by too much candy? Is there really such a thing as an ice cream museum? And where’s the best place to experience the new interactive candy galleries that are springing up all over the US like a Willy Wonka fever dream? Here at Dandelion Chandelier, we set out to answer these pressing questions after reading about and seeing thousands of pictures from the new wave of immersive sugar-driven installations – pop-ups that provide the opportunity for lots of cute photos, playing around with brightly-colored toys, and indulging in the luxury of all the sugar that anyone could ever want. In bitter times, sometimes even the toughest among us turn to sweets. Should you start feeling desperate for a mood-uplifting sugar high, here’s a run-down on the most popular ones, and a calendar of when and where you can visit one this year. Just be sure to brush your teeth afterward.
It all seems to have started with Dylan’s Candy Bar, the upscale candy emporium founded by Dylan Lauren, daughter of Ralph. Her multi-level retail establishments in tony locations like the Upper East Side and East Hampton taught a generation of adults and kids that “luxury penny candy store” is not an oxymoron, but a glorious reality. Since then has come Sugarfina, the upscale gummy-candy paradise that’s in rapid expansion mode. But neither of these compare to the over-the-top sugar funhouses that are popping up more and more in chic urban locations. They’re more comparable to Disneyland – in fact, at least one founder aspires to becoming “the next Disney.” Hungry for more? Read on. But spoiler alert: brace yourself for delayed gratification.
What? Last year’s 10th most-posted museum on Instagram, the Museum of Ice Cream is not actually a museum, but a multi-week pop-up installation that took New York City by storm when it first arrived in 2016, featuring interactive displays like a “melted Popsicle jungle” and a pool filled with millions of ice cream sprinkles that visitors can swim in (just don’t eat them). Used as a photo backdrop for celebrities including Beyoncé, Jay Z, Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian West and Chris Martin, in 2017 it popped up in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami. In addition to the exhibits, there’s gourmet ice cream available for sale (sourced locally from brands who sponsor the exhibit), and guests can even walk away with bottled ice cream scents. Visitors are allotted a 90-minute stay. (A headache caused by the popularity of the sprinkle pool is that in San Francisco and Miami, tiny pieces of plastic litter the sidewalks for blocks, and have reportedly caused injuries to local wildlife).
Who? Founded and creatively directed by 25-year-old entrepreneur Maryellis Bunn, who recently told New York Magazine “I want to be the next Disney;” she aspires to open 180 international locations. The current pop-ups are sponsored in part by American Express.
How Much? Tickets are $38 each, and they sell out very quickly. Private tours are available for groups of 20 or more.
When and Where? The pop-up ended its Los Angeles run at the end of December, but last week the Museum of Ice Cream announced that it has extended its stay in San Francisco through February 26th. The Miami location remains open. But both locations are sold out of individual tickets as of this posting. Unless you’re a celebrity, your best bet is to round up 19 family members and friends and take a group tour.
What? A sugar-fueled installation designed to answer the following question: “What if an eccentric chocolatier and a daredevil pop star had a whirlwind romance, got married while skydiving, and had a glamorous, glittering love child who grew up to rule a small nation?” The answer? A gallery of 12 rooms featuring whimsical structures decorated with candy of all types – including flying unicorn pigs and a marshmallow tsunami. Visits are estimated to take about an hour. The exhibit includes a gift shop stocked with sweets (including Unicorn Poop) and sweet-themed merchandise, including branded lip balm, cellphone cases, socks, flip-flops and more. While the exhibits aren’t edible, onsite food trucks and candy samples in the corners of each room are there to ensure that no one leaves hungry.
Who? Founded by Jackie Sorkin, CEO of Hollywood Candy Girls and star of TLC’s Candy Queen; events and design expert Zac Hartog; and retail veteran John Goodman, Candytopia was first launched in Taiwan in 2012, and subsequently moved to locations throughout China. The LA-based Sorkin counts Oprah, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Kylie Jenner, Demi Lovato and Ashley Tisdale as clients, and her company creates edible art installations for private events and fundraisers around the world.
How Much? Adults: $30; Ages 4-12: $23; Ages 3 and under: Free
When and Where? The Los Angeles Candytopia was slated to pop up for three months at the L.A. Hangar Studios, but “last-minute obstacles that we are tirelessly working with the City of Los Angeles to resolve” led to a delayed opening (it was originally scheduled to open on December 15th). This week, the company announced that the search is on for a new location, and the team behind the project hopes to share “exciting news soon.” The original plan was to move Candytopia to San Francisco in April. In an interview, Sorkin said that her vision is to have four simultaneous events running in the U.S. in 2018, with Las Vegas and New York mentioned as potential locations. Watch the company’s website for further updates.
What? A colorful pop-up located in a downtown L.A. Arts District warehouse with a giant walk-in confetti globe, a room that contains a pair of high heels made entirely out of hard candy, a platform for jumping off a rainbow into a pot of happiness, and a vignette where visitors can blow out candles on a giant birthday cake. There’s also a for-charity lemonade stand, and a food truck featuring grilled cheese sandwiches with rainbow-colored cheese.
Who? Jared Paul leads Faculty Productions, the team behind Happy Place.
How Much? General admission tickets are $28.50; there are separate fees for the selfie and grilled cheese experience. There are also VIP experiences available for $199, and those include a professional photographer.
When and Where? In late December, the facility was shut down by the city of Los Angeles’ Department of Safety and Buildings. No word yet on when they’ll reopen.
What’s next? Well, last August the Color Factory in San Francisco opened its doors. It’s a two-story interactive exhibition “celebrating color and material” with 10,000 colored ribbons, a giant yellow ball pit, and lots of rainbows. It’s already sold out for January and February 2018. And the much-hyped Museum of Selfies is slated to pop up later this month in a suburb of LA (although as of this posting their website didn’t have an opening date).
Say what you will about a space designed solely for the pursuit of Instagram photos, we’re putting our lighters in the air for these entrepreneurs. They’ve clearly struck a nerve with consumers. As the intense worldwide desire for selfies shows no sign of stopping, we can expect ever more elaborate installations like these in the coming years. When will the relentless desire to feed the social media machine with photos and videos end? When unicorn pigs fly.
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