June 30, 2022 – Independence Day AKA America’s Birthday (July 4th) is almost upon us and we’ve rounded up a selection of stellar locales perfect for enjoying colorful fireworks displays and a night out on the town, including prime rooftop-firework-viewing at Assembly Rooftop Lounge, a pop-up beer garden and craft market on Independence Mall hosted by The Bourse Food Hall, an all-day Block Party at Middle Child Clubhouse hosted in collaboration with SNACKTIME, and more.
THINGS TO DO
Assembly Rooftop Lounge, the Logan Hotel’s year-round swanky rooftop cocktail bar and lounge perched above the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, is the ideal vantage point for Philadelphia Art Museum fireworks on July 4th. Seasonally transformed into The Grove, a tropical bungalow-inspired pop-up boasting island cocktails, a bright seafood-centric menu, exotic plant life, and a relaxing ambiance paired with unparalleled views, Assembly Rooftop Lounge is offering 3 hour table reservations starting at 7:30 pm to include viewing of the 9:45 pm fireworks. Reservation requests can be made here.
1840 Benjamin Franklin Parkway | 215.783.4171 | https://assemblyrooftop.com/
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The Bourse Food Hall, Old City’s artisan food hall on Independence Mall and proud sponsor of the 2022 Wawa Welcome America festival, is celebrating the kickoff to summer and July 4th in Philadelphia with a celebration featuring an outdoor beer garden, artisan craft market, cocktail and zero-proof bar, and more in front of the food hall, on 5th Street between Chestnut and Market Streets, on Sunday, July 3, 4 pm – 9 pm.
The pop-up beer garden will take over The Bourse’s 5th st patio boasting a selection of boozy and non-boozy beverages for visitors, including frozen spiked lemonades and Night Shift Brewing Beers from Scoop DeVille, Doc Wylder’s and Spearhead Brewing Company’s Decoy Lager from Freebyrd Chicken, Double Nickel Brewing Company beers from Grubhouse, and more. Plus, local Mixologist, Stacey Lyons, of La Botanica will be shaking up a variety of craft cocktails and mocktails.
111 S Independence Mall E | 215.625.0300 | http://www.theboursephilly.com
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SNACKTIME, the revered Philadelphia-born brass-heavy band with funk, punk, jazz, pop and R&B influences, is teaming up with buzzed-about Middle Child Clubhouse for FUNK ON FRONT, a day-long block party celebrating Independence Day with lively music and elevated fare and libations from locales including Liberty Kitchen, 1-900-Ice-Cream, JamBrü Ferments, and more, on Monday, July 4 from 11am – 5pm at Middle Child Clubhouse in the heart of Fishtown. Located at 1232 N Front Street, Middle Child Clubhouse will have Front Street closed off from Girard Avenue to Thompson Street with the event taking place directly in front of the Clubhouse.
Bites and refreshing elixirs will be available for purchase à la carte. Middle Child Clubhouse and JamBrü Ferments will offer an array of craft cocktails, beer, and non-alcoholic options including locally-made varieties of kombucha, while Le Bouchon will provide a selection of hard-to-find wines. Food-enthusiasts can expect grab-and-go offerings from Liberty Kitchen, Pitruco Pizza, and 1-900-Ice-Cream.
Tickets for FUNK ON FRONT are $30/person (free for children under 12 year old) for all-day entry, and can be purchased online by clicking HERE.
For additional information on SNACKTIME, visit their website, Instagram, and YouTube.
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MilkBoy, the iconic Philadelphia-based brand consisting of concepts spanning bars, restaurants, live music venues and a prestigious recording studio, is at the helm of Philly’s hottest new beer garden at The Oval XP, a summertime pop-up festival at Eakins Oval.
The Oval XP is currently open to the public and will operate through Sunday, August 21. Eakins Oval, neighbor to the iconic Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, has been transformed into a vibrant outdoor oasis complete with family-friendly activities including a Ferris wheel, carousel, art installations, live entertainment, and a sweeping beer garden — which is, of course, helmed by MilkBoy South Street. The beer garden, noted as the largest outdoor beer garden in Philadelphia’s history, offers imbibers an extensive selection of craft beer from 24 taps featured at multiple bars, all curated by MilkBoy. Additionally, folks can play a variety of backyard games (think: corn hole, Jenga, checkers, etc.) and enjoy live entertainment from local comedians, artists, poets, and more.
2451 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19130 | 215.607.3477 | https://theovalphl.org/
DINNER AND DRINKS BEFORE THE FIREWORKS
Watching fireworks on an empty stomach is up there among the worst decisions one can make. To avoid this colossal misstep, we’ve gathered a list of tried-and-true eateries within an arm’s reach from festive fireworks. It’s no secret that Old City is home to many a quality dining establishment, and they’re all a short walk away from Penn’s Landing:
- Red Owl Tavern, the modern American tavern situated a stone’s throw from Independence Hall
- The Twisted Tail, the Southern-inspired restaurant, bar and live music venue on Headhouse Square
- Forsythia, Old City’s contemporary French bar and restaurant helmed by Chef Christopher Kearse
- Royal Boucherie, Old City’s atmospheric and lively neighborhood restaurant and bar
- Art in the Age, the Philadelphia home bar supply, tasting room, and expansive bottle shop
For those planning to spectate the fireworks at Philadelphia Art Museum, Patchwork, a lively restaurant and bar located on the second floor of Hyatt Centric Philadelphia in Center City, is hosting a happy hour on their patio from 5 pm to 7 pm on July 4th.
Happy 4th!
-Lex Nemchenko