Fourth of July is a great excuse to have people over. Who wouldn’t want to celebrate our country’s independence with great food, friends, and fireworks? But unfortunately, it’s often not as easy as just inviting people and throwing together food really quickly. Gatherings can be great, but they do take planning, but we’ve got you covered with some of our top tips below.
Pile on the patriotic décor.
Is it really a Fourth of July party without a few American flags? While you don’t have to go overboard, you want to make the party feel festive. Whether that’s over the top with a giant balloon flag in your backyard and red, white, and blue banners everywhere they can go, or simple and understated with some floral arrangements with flags added in, think about the look you’re going for and plan accordingly.
Plan your menu.
Food is the key to any good gathering, so consider what you will serve. Maybe you want to do something simple and easy like hamburgers and hot dogs, which can be great with lots of little guests, or you want ribs and Boston Butt that have been smoking for hours. Will you do a potluck for sides or make them yourself? Once you know what you’re going to do, set a reminder for yourself to go grocery shopping a few days in advance to give yourself enough time to prep.
Don’t forget drinks or dessert.
The main dishes are great, but you can never go wrong with adding in themed drinks and dessert. You can keep it simple for dessert by just making a simple cake (or cupcakes) with white icing and adding some strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries on top.
Plan your entertainment.
Sure, everyone is really looking forward to the fireworks, but that won’t be for a few hours, after dark. Having a Fourth of July music playlist, a few yard games, or even a backyard movie are all great ideas.
Figure out fireworks.
Fireworks are essential for almost any Fourth of July party. Are you close enough to see a big firework display nearby? Will you purchase heavy duty fireworks yourself or just go simple with some sparklers and a few poppers?