How to Throw the Best July 4th Party

July 4th is right around the corner and nothing is more special than spending a patriotic day with friends and family celebrating our nation, freedoms, and of course, fireworks! Thinking about hosting a party or BBQ, but not sure if you’re up for the task?No need to worry…we’ll help you throw a party that’s sure to be a blast with the basic guide below.

1. Guests: Before you start getting food and decorations, sit down and make a list of people you’d like to invite. Remember, it’s your party and you can invite as many people or as little as you like, but be sure to check with your State's guidelines on group gatherings at this time. Once you have the list complete, send out invitations to help you keep a head count of who is coming. Even if it’s last minute, no need to worry…send out the more eco-friendly evites so guests get their invitations right away.

2. Decorations: While we know it’s easy to get crazy, try to set and maintain a budget when it comes to decorations.Check out your local dollar store, as they always have tons of red, white, and blue décor, plus party favors. One thing that’s become a big hit at parties is a photo booth or backdrop for photo ops. Some can be pricey, but with a little ingenuity you can create one for a fraction of the price. This tutorial shows you how to create a patriotic backdrop for $5 and combining it with this ribbon banner would make it perfect!

3. Food: Lots of food! Maybe it’s all the patriotism in the air, whatever the case is, people love to eat on July 4^th, so make sure you have plenty of food. Of course, prepare for the usual grilling items like hot dogs, burgers, chicken, etc. For the other items like potato salad, macaroni salad, deviled eggs, desert, etc., have a potluck. Include a sign-up sheet for the guests so you don’t end up with 15 deviled egg platters. Unless you really love deviled eggs!

4. Beverages: Now this part is important: you’ll want to let your guests know whether you will be providing the alcohol or if your party is BYOB. Even if your party is BYOB, it’s still a good idea to have some beer, wine, and spirits on hand. You could wow you’re guests with a delicious Red, White, and Blue Sangria! Don’t forget the non-alcoholic beverages such as water, soda, and punch. You can even find patriotic-themed inflatable coolers to keep the drinks cold. Make sure to have plenty of ice on hand and a cooler or two to keep it in.

5. Seating: This is probably the one area we all forget! Luckily, you’re not throwing a formal, so you can use the casual seating that you already have such as plastic chairs, camping chairs and picnic tables. It’s always a good rule of thumb to pick-up a few extras, since you probably will not have enough and ask any friends coming to the party to bring an extra chair or two with them if needed.

6. Entertainment: Without some fun games and music, your party could be a bust. Make a July 4^th playlist that everyone’s sure to love with hits like Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen, American Girl by Tom Petty, Surfin’ USA by The Beach Boys, and more. Have games available like cornhole and bocce. Remember, it’s July and it will be hot outside. Don’t have a pool? Offer refreshing fun for kids of all ages with a water gun or balloon fight!

7. Fireworks: This year, fireworks have been cancelled in many places across the country. However, depending on where you live, you may be able to have your own fireworks display. If it is legal to purchase and shoot fireworks in your state, find out where you can purchase them locally and don’t get too crazy. If you live in an area where it is illegal to have your own fireworks display, sparklers are usually allowed, and this is always a fun alternative. Check with your local and state laws before the purchase of fireworks or sparklers. Practice all safety precautions when setting off fireworks or using sparklers.

Now that you know the basics, get planning, send out the invites, and make this 4^th of July the best one yet.

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