Bourne & Hollingsworth Jubilee Party Bedford Square Gardens
If anyone knows how to throw a good party, its Bourne & Hollingsworth (as anyone who's ever been to one of their infamous Blitz parties can testify...) This Sunday, theyre pulling out all the stops for a good old British knees up, with live music - from brass bands and acoustic sets in the day to big bands and gramophone DJs come nightfall - in leafy Bedford Square. Food will be typically British, with a hog roast, classic afternoon tea and, of course, some of their signature cocktails. To really get into the spirit, therell be egg and spoon races, croquet, board games and a Champagne coconut shy. Although youll probably find us learning how to swing dance as the sun sets...
Address: Bedford Square Gardens, WC1B 3HH; Tickets cost £15, to book call: 0207 724 1617
Rivington Street Festival
Theres nothing more patriotic than a street party to really get the Diamond Jubilee weekend underway and the Rivington Street Festival is set to be a good 'un. Taking place on the Bank Holiday Monday, the free festival opens at midday (make sure you get there early), and is set to be jam-packed with local artwork from the Artwords bookshop and the Black Rat press gallery, with plenty of other pop-ups along the way. Therell be over 10 venues housing individual live music and plenty of outdoor music from local promoters, Boglewatz, Super Duper Fly and Work It DJs. The best of the Shoreditch haunts (Juno, Bedroom Bar, Callooh Callay and Bar Music Hall, to name a few) will be opening their doors for various events over the evening and there will be free film screenings courtesy of Future Cinema. Keep your purses at the ready, too, for the hand-made jewellery and clothes to be had in the market area.
Address: Rivington Street, Shoreditch, EC2A
Carnaby Street Jubilee Festival
Carrying on the street party festivities over in central London is Cake, Rattle and Roll, just off Carnaby Street in the Newburgh Quarter. Saturday June 2nd will see the street come to life in a shopping (and eating) extravaganza, with live music from rockabilly band Carmen Ghia and her Hotrods and jive dancing from midday. For the really brave, Marshall Street Leisure Centre will be hosting outdoor zumba classes, but well most likely be near the free strawberries and cream (and giant Jubilee cake from Choccywoccydoodah). Lomography will be offering Jubilee-themed walks through St. James' Park past Buckingham Palace, before ending up back at the street party, where photographer Alison Jackson has a pop-up gallery of her Jubilee-inspired Rock and Rule exhibition.
Address: Carnaby Street, W1F 9PZ
Nobu Afternoon Tea
Anyone looking for a refined way to spend the day can put a chic spin on the traditional, British afternoon tea and head to Nobu in Londons Berkeley Street. Offering a newly launched service, the celebrity favourite haunt has created a real sense of event with its Japanese menu. The tea includes a savoury and sweet selection of dishes: beautifully presented Takoyaki (beef and octopus street food), smoked salmon shashimi with a wasabi sour cream and grilled Chinese broccoli and shitake mushrooms sit alongside Japanese-style green tea doughnuts with creamy yuzu curd, mochi and fruit skewers and miso sable biscuits. Sitting back in David Collins' minimal, iconic restaurant and sipping away elegantly at one of a handful of speciality teas like the thick, savoury Japanese matcha or the refreshing 'vintage white' is the ideal way to round off your Diamond Jubilee weekend.
Address: 15 Berkeley Street, Mayfair, W1J 8DY. Available Monday to Friday from 3pm-5.30pm, the tea costs £30 per person
Hotel du Vin Jubilee Getaway
If Union Jacks and bunting arent really your thing and youd like to be as far from the Diamond Jubilee crowds as possible, then theres always the option of taking a four-day mini-break. While hotel chains usually hike up their prices over the Bank Holiday, the ever-stylish Hotel du Vin are bringing theirs down. From Friday 1st June - Friday 8th June, theyre offering rooms and breakfast for £119, and for £50 extra you'll be able to add in a delicious three-course meal from their a la carte menu. While there are gorgeous Hotel du Vins from Brighton to Glasgow, our pick of the bunch, however, is super-chic Hotel du Vin Edinburgh.
Read our full review of Hotel du Vin Edinburgh and our Edinburgh Travel Guide
Like our pick of the best things to do for the Jubilee Bank Holiday in London but looking for something a little further afield? Check out our pick of the best Diamond Jubilee Bank Holiday ideas.
