Independence Day in London: How to Celebrate 4th July
Spending Independence Day in London? We've selected the best events so you can celebrate July Fourth from across the pond
Get yankee-doodling with the best 4th July events London 2016 has to offer.
Step back in time: Independence Day Party, Benjamin Franklin House
Monday 4 July, 12-2pm, £8/£5 Friends and Concessions
Benjamin Franklin, ca. 1785, portrait by Joseph-Siffred Duplessis, Oil on Canvas, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
The Fourth of July commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on 4th July, 1776. So what better way to spend it than in the house where the founding father and first president of America lived for nearly sixteen years? The historic site is serving cake and a glass of bubbly in celebration at their Independence Day Party.
Eat like a king: Balthazar, Covent Garden
Monday 4 July, all day
(Photo Credit: Balthazar website)
Head stateside this 4th July and visit Balthazar, Covent Garden's esteemed eatery where they're serving up a specially themed menu and All-American cocktails. What's more, dress up in your finest stars-studded and striped garments and you can enjoy the set menu for free! Click here for more information.
Millennial malaise: The Spoils, Trafalgar Studios
27 May 2016 – 13 Aug 2016, 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM
The Spoils: Jesse Eisenberg, London 2016
Be transported to Manhattan for your July Fourth and see Jesse Eisenberg's bitterly funny new play, The Spoils. Set in a New York flat, The Spoils explores life for 20-something moneyed millennials. It's cynical, it's sexy, it's satirical. Tickets available here.
Make Your Party Arty: Jeff Koons, Newport Street Gallery
18 May 2016 – 16 Oct 2016, Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 6pm
Three Ball 50-50 Tank, 1985 (Credit: Jeff Koons)
An archetype of contemporary culture from across the pond, the art of Jeff Koons has never failed to shock its audiences. Including some of his most famous pieces including Titi, 2004-2009, and Three Ball 50-50 Tank, 1985 (pictured below), this exhibition explores themes of commerce, opulence and the material. This Independence Day soak up the show that art historian Norman Rosenthal has described as 'manifestations of a joyful acceptance of American Culture'.
American Idols: Elvis & Nixon
In cinemas now
Elvis & Nixon (Photo Credit: Entertainment One)
Michael Shannon and Kevin Spacey take on the roles of two of the most iconic figures that have emerged from the United States in this latest hit directed by Liza Johnson. Describing itself as the "untold true story", Elvis & Nixon is an account of one of the most curious episodes in American history.
Stateside Suppers at Christopher's, Covent Garden
Monday 4 July - Friday 8 July, available all day
Christopher's (Photo credit: Christopher's Grill website)
Christopher's Grill in Covent Garden is augmenting Independence Day into Independence Week. For the duration of the week beginning July 4th, the eatery that describes itself as one of London’s prime American restaurants will be serving up a mouth-watering menu that harks back to the homeland, creating unique interpretations of dishes from the states of Kansas, Texas, Maine and Missouri.