Happy 4th of July to our American readers. We’ll be listening out for the fireworks later in London and our weekend guide has lots of family fun activities for Independence Day and beyond!
Truck Stop at Canary Wharf, Feast in Brick Lane, Benjamin Franklin Independence Day Party, Little Angel Summer Party, Dalston House, Wimbledon Finals in Duke of York Square, Regent Street Mass Hula Hoop and a Roly Poly adventure in Tooting Bec!
It’s set to be a scorcher, so remember the suncream for the little ones. Have a great weekend!
Thu-Fri: Truck Stop at Canary Wharf, Wood Wharf (by Canary Wharf), Preston Rd, E14 (Canary Wharf tube/DLR)
Celebrate Independence Day weekend with a deep slice of Americana, as the first in a series of Food Truck festivals rolls into E14. Over 20 of the UK’s best food trucks, riding everything from old ambulances, to fire engines and milk floats, will serve up lip-smakcing nosh including Anna Mae’s famous mac ‘n’ cheese and Mama’s Jerk Station. Live bluegrass bands, honky tonk DJs, plus $10 for craft beer or rotary cocktails included in ticket price. From the team behind Street Feast and Tweat Up! 5-11pm, £10 (Jul 4-5)
Thu-Sun: Leandro Erlich: Dalston House, 1-7 Ashwin St, Dalston, E8 (Dalston Junction/Dalston Kingsland overground)
Experience the Spiderman effect at this visually captivating installation by Erlich, commissioned by the Barbican Centre. Renowned for his 3D optical illusions, Erlich’s latest creation is a detailed facade of a Victorian terraced house, lying horizontally with mirrors positioned overhead. The effects of standing, sitting or lying on this building appear to defy gravity. 11am-8pm (Thu-Fri), 10am-8pm (Sat-Sun); FREE (arrive early, expect queues, follow @dalstonhouse for updates) (until Aug 4)
Thu-Sun: Feast in Brick Lane Yard, Buxton St Gate, corner of Buxton St and Brick Lane, E1 (Shoreditch High St overground)
The critically acclaimed gastro pop-up moves to Brick Lane for its summer outing. Come and try some of London’s best street food alongside a handpicked selection of the city’s top chefs. Kitchenette, Yum Bun, Spuntino, Caravan, Bao and Mishkin’s are among the stalls. Live music, DJs and art installations create a multi-sensory experience to savour. If you’re with the kiddies, you can wander into next door Spitalfields City Farm for a play. 5-11pm (Thu-Fri), 12-4.30pm & 5-11pm (Sat) and 12-4pm, 4.30-9pm (Sun); adult £9 (online sales only)/child under 12 FREE. NB: Weekend afternoon tickets won’t be admitted for evening Feast. (Jul 4-7)
Thu-Sun: Three Colours at Polka Theatre, 240 the Broadway, Wimbledon SW19 (Wimbledon tube)
A immersive show for toddlers and pre-schoolers that uses light, projections, shadows, music and puppets to create an exploratory world of colour. Swim with fish, let frogs nibble your toes and catch grasshoppers conjured from light! 10.35am & 2.05pm (Thu-Fri), 12.35pm & 3.35pm (Sat) and 12pm & 2.05pm (Sun); £10/concs. £8 (until Aug 17)
Fri: Soapbox Science at Queen’s Stone, Riverside walkway (by Gabriel’s Wharf)
An annual live event bringing cutting-edge science to the masses, Soapbox Science allows the kids and adults alike to interact, probe, heckle, challenge and engage with some of the UK’s top scientists. 12-3pm, FREE (Jul 5)
Fri-Sun: Wimbledon Finals at Duke of York Square, Kings Rd, SW3 (Sloane Square tube)
It’s Strawberries and Screen time in the heart of Chelsea as the 14ft screen shows the women and men’s singles tennis finals. Anybody’s guess who’ll win, after so many upsets. Settle back on the square, enjoy fresh strawberries and cream or a glass of bubbly from the Pommery champagne tent. From 11am, FREE entry (Jul 5-7)
Fri-Sun: The GrowUp Box in Marlborough Playground, Union St, SE1 (London Bridge tube)
GrowUp is an urban farming business dedicated to sustainable farming models through vertical growing and aquaponics. They raised £16k via Kickstarter to build a demonstration project, the GrowUp Box, an upcycled shipping container with a greenhouse on top. Come see how it works and taste the results! 3-5pm (Fri), 10am-5pm (Sat), 1-5pm (Sun), FREE (throughout summer)
Sat: Family Station at London Transport Museum, the Piazza, Covent Garden, WC2 (Covent Garden tube)
Starting this Saturday, the new Family Station at this popular museum presents new activities for young ‘uns to do as they wander around. Pick up a coin bag and choose from folding a paper bus to drive around, designing your own picture postcard or taking a picture through the flickr frames. 10am-6pm (Thu, Sat & Sun), 11am-6pm (Fri); adult £15 annual ticket/child under 16 FREE (ongoing)
Sun: Summer Streets: Regent St Mass Hula Hoop, 83 Regent St, outside Uniqlo, W1 (Oxford Circus tube)
Following on from the amazing Secret Circus event in the West End, Regent Street is shutting down to traffic throughout July, kicking off with an amazing day of play featuring top circus acts and workshops. Join in a mass Hula Hoop class with Charlene Hoola Davies (pictured above, my former instructor, whoop whoop!), release your inhibitions and get spinning with hoops for all ages and abilities. There’s also Zumba classes, Lindy hopping, acrobatics and much more. From 12.30pm, hula classes 1pm-4.30pm, all FREE (Jul 7)
Sun: Roller Day: a Secret Garden Project on Tooting Bec Common, Tooting Bec Rd, SW16 (Tooting Bec tube)
It’s the official opening day of Roller Slope Season on the Common. Come with a sense of adventure and experience the fun and laughter of doing roly polys down the slope. Instructors available throughout the day. Meet on the grass slope next to Tooting Bec Rd, near the Lido car park. 1pm-dusk, FREE (Jul 7)
LOCAL PICK
Sat: Little Angel Summer Party at Little Angel Theatre, 14 Dagmar Passage, N1 (Angel tube)
There’s a party going on right here, a celebration of LAT through the year… join in the annual fiesta of puppet workshops, backstage tours, puppet meet and greets, demonstrations by puppeteers and a chance to take a puppet you make home with you. This year’s theme is ‘Carnival of the Animals’. Come one, come all! 1-5pm, FREE (Jul 6)
We also like
There’s an Independence Day Party at Benjamin Franklin House; word up for the Africa Literature Festival at British Library, Euston (Fri-Sun); the vibrant Acton Carnival winds through Ealing (Sat); for bigger kids, enjoy a Literary Lunch at Kaspars Seafood Bar and Grill in part of a new series kicking off this month (Sat); there’s a free music festival Carnaby Sound on Carnaby St (Sat); join in the Storytelling Family Workshop: Magic Windows at Parasol Unit in N1 (Sun); see A Winter’s Tale: Reimagined for Everyone ages 6 and Over at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre (until Jul 20)
