There’s no better time than the summer to host the perfect garden party. It’s a great way to spend time with friends and family while enjoying the great outdoors. That being said, maybe you’re a bit short on ideas in terms of what to do for your next garden party.
Sure, a good old BBQ with a few beers is always nice, but there’s so much more out there. Today, we want to take a look at 10 summer garden party ideas to spice things up a little and to provide you with a bit of excitement.
1. Outdoor Movie Night
Sometimes the best kind of backyard party is one where everybody gets to sit back, relax, and do nothing at all but watch their favorite movies.
Your next summer garden party could consist of an outdoor movie night where you set up a large projector screen or even just a white sheet, and then play a classic movie using a projector.
Make things a bit cozier, set up a variety of lawn chairs, pillows, or blankets. You could even get some outdoor lounging furniture to make things even more comfortable.
Of course, no outdoor movie night is complete without a bunch of candy, popcorn, and drinks. You can do your own screening events where you watch some old school classics or have a family movie night where all of the kids in the area can come and enjoy the show.
2. DIY S’mores Station
If the people you’re inviting over for a garden party have a sweet tooth, then you might want to set up a DIY s’mores station.
When it comes to a relaxing summer evening, there’s rarely anything better than having a campfire. You get to sit back, enjoy the warm glow, and reminisce about better times.
However, it doesn’t just have to be reminiscing, because by setting up your own DIY s’mores station, you’ll be transported back to a simpler time ruled by graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate.
Set up a nice DIY s’mores station around the fire pit and have the whole family and your friends enjoy these sweet treats.
3. Garden Tea Party
Whether you like chamomile, green tea, or anything in between, sometimes there’s just nothing better than a nice hot glass of tea and some accompanying biscuits.
If you want an elegant get-together for you and your sophisticated friends, having a charming garden tea party with elegant table settings is a great idea.
Put out some fine China and provide your guests with a variety of teas to try. It makes for a great way for adults to get together without too much pressure, and if you happen to have some kids, they can join in as well.
Yes, here we’re talking about a make-believe tea party for your kids, something that they enjoy doing, not to mention that it will keep them busy for a while.
4. A BBQ Cook-Off
Yes, we said that having a regular BBQ is a bit boring, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t spice things up a bit. You could organize a BBQ cook-off where your guests showcase their grilling skills.
You could provide a variety of basics such as chicken, hot dogs, and burgers, and encourage guests to bring their own recipes. Whoever produces the best results could win some kind of prize, or just gloating rights.
If you want to make things a bit fancier, have guests cook higher quality cuts of meat, such as a ribeye steak or a porterhouse. If you want to make things really interesting, set up some kind of judging panel and provide people with prizes for the very best piece of meat.
5. Garden Games
A backyard party doesn’t always have to involve food and drinking. Sometimes playing some games is all the fun you need to enjoy a warm summer afternoon or evening. Lawn games like cornhole, bocce ball, and giant Jenga are always a hit.
You can also create a mini obstacle course or scavenger hunt for kids.
Games add a playful element to your party and encourage mingling. Yes, us adults love to talk with each other and have conversations about better times past, but this doesn’t mean that we can’t reach into our inner child and have a bit of fun every now and again.
6. Floral Arrangement Station
For anybody who is into floristry, setting up a floral arranging station in your backyard could be the perfect summer backyard party. Set up a variety of floral supplies, vases, and fresh flowers, so guests can create beautiful bouquets that they can then take home as party favors.
If you want to make the whole theme of the party about gardening and flowers, that’s definitely an option too.
If you have a large backyard with a plentiful garden, you could always use your own flowers. Just like with the BBQ cook-off we talked about above, you could have some kind of floral arrangement competition along with judging and prizes.
7. Tiki Bar
For more of an adult backyard party, you could create your own tiki bar. Now, this is one of those DIY projects that might require a bit of work, but if you build your own tiki bar, it should last for quite some time, and it’s something that you can continue using for many years to come.
You can serve a variety of fruity cocktails such as pina coladas and mojitos, and even some non-alcoholic mocktails and smoothies as well.
Decorate the area with tiki torches, tropical flowers, and other island themed decor. By creating a tiki bar with some tropical drinks, you can bring the vacation and tropical destination to your garden.
8. Potluck Picnic
If you want to host a garden party where everybody gets to enjoy themselves to the fullest, then having a potluck picnic might just be your best bet.
A potluck is where everybody brings a dish to add to the equation, so everybody can try foods of all different sorts. Some people will bring salads, some will bring mains, some desserts, snacks, drinks, and more.
Not only is this a great way to bring together the community, but also to try foods that you might have never imagined trying before. If you want to make sure that you don’t end up with six bowls of potato salads, a good idea is to try and organize who brings what beforehand.
9. Wine Tasting Party
Last but not least, you could always host a wine tasting party in your garden. If you’re looking to do something a little bit more sophisticated, something that you and your grown up friends can enjoy, a wine tasting party is always a great idea.
You can choose a wide variety of wines from different regions, or just choose various types, and then get to tasting.
If you want to be formal about it, you can provide your guests with scorecards and tasting notes so they can record their impressions. Take things to the next level by pairing your wines with charcuterie, cheeses, and other appetizers. If you really want to make things fun, do a blind wine tasting.
The Best Summer Garden Party Ideas
With the 9 summer garden party ideas above, you can create a memorable, fun, and enjoyable night or afternoon for you, your friends, and your family. Whether you want something simple like a BBQ cook off or something more sophisticated like a wine tasting party, the world is truly your oyster.
Jamie is the founder of The Backyard Pros. When he was 15 years old he started working at a garden centre helping people buy plants, gardening products, and lawn care products. He has real estate experience and he is a home owner. Jamie loves backyard projects, refinishing furniture, and enjoys sharing his knowledge online.