• Berlin
  • US elections 2016: Where to watch

Berlin

US elections 2016: Where to watch

November 8 is the day! Whether you're American or not, the US election affects all of us here in Berlin. Drink to your chosen candidate's victory (or drown your sorrows) at these all-nighter parties.

Image for US elections 2016: Where to watch
Illustration by DonkeyHotey (CC BY-SA 2.0, Flickr)

It’s almost over! On November 8, the final results of the long-awaited US election will finally reveal whether one of the most powerful countries in the world will have an orange-faced clown or a secretive grandma as president. Thanks to the time difference, we Berliners won’t know the answer till 4am or later – a perfect excuse for some Tuesday night boozing. Celebrate the end of this painfully long and terrifying Clinton–Trump battle at one of the city’s many all-nighter election parties.

Nalu Diner in Prenzlauer Berg will be hosting a CNN Election Party all night long – perfect if you need some. It’s free to attend, so don’t be a jerk and take advantage of the bottomless coffee special! Buy a couple craft beers or imported American sodas while you watch the live-streamed CNN election show. The party starts at 7pm and the kitchen closes at 9pm so if you want breakfast for dinner, arrive early! But no worries if you show up later: they’ll have plenty of American snacks available including buffalo wings, burgers, sandwiches, fries and maybe even chili cheese fries if you ask nicely. The party goes until 6am.

For Kreuzbergers, the American-owned shop and cafe Hallesches Haus is hosting a US Election All-Nighter in its rustic space that used to house a post office. They’ll be serving popcorn, beer and wine all night, while American-style snacks like mini-burgers, nachos and chicken wings will be for sale between 10pm-2am. (For those who still haven’t given up on a certain Democratic would-be nominee, there are also grilled-cheese “Bernie Sandos”.) American or not, you’re welcome to join the party any time after 7pm, so put on your best red, white and blue and mingle while the votes roll in. Oh, and it’s free entry!

Democrats Abroad Berlin will be cheering on Hillary at their Election Night Party until the wee hours of the morning when “there’s a new (madam) president-elect and a blue(r) Congress”. The party starts at 7pm at the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy near Tiergarten, but is reserved for American citizens and members of DA. Tickets are €25, or €10 for students with ID, and come with two drinks. Of course there will be food as well, and live entertainment breaks to help you stay awake.

If you have election anxiety, and you should, then chill out at Donau115’s US Implosio-er Ahem “Election” Watch Party. As organised by Chad “Wasted on the Senate Floor” Matheny, the teensy Neukölln venue will have a live five-piece jazz band along with DJs and a political trivia contest where winners get free shots of not-the-best quality American whiskey. So join the “gaggle of terrified North American scum” and eat some chilli while the results are projected on a screen behind you. 

Finally, for those in the land of the Free (University), the John. F. Kennedy Institute in Dahlem will keep the doors of its student-run caféte open all night for their JFKI Election Party. So if you’re a student or in the area, this is your best bet to follow the election live among friends. Everyone is invited to this shindig; the coverage will be live-streamed in both German and English. There are still slots available to volunteer for a one-hour shift during the party, and if you do, free drinks for you!