Barbeque Party Ideas

A backyard barbeque party is the perfect way to spend time with family and friends during the summer months. You can host a BBQ for a special occasion or just as an excuse to have fun outdoors. With an endless amount of barbeque party ideas, here are some tips to help you make sure your summer celebrations go off without a hitch.

• Pick a BBQ Theme: There are so many summer barbeque events throughout the season, make yours stand out by picking a unique theme. Your barbeque theme can be tailored to a specific type of food, holiday, occasion, location or interest. Be creative and make it fun! Here are a few BBQ party themes to help jumpstart your planning:

o   All-American BBQ

o   Hawaiian Luau BBQ

o   Nautical Barbeque

o   Beach Barbeque

o   Southern Barbeque Cookout

o   Backyard Burger Barbeque

o   Surf & Turf BBQ

• Invitations: Design and send out barbeque-themed digital invitations. Whether it's a small family get together or a big event, invitations will spread the word. Use the BBQ party theme in the invitation design and don't forget to include important details such as the location, time, date, potluck information, etc.

• Decorations: Decorate you backyard barbeque using classic, simple and rustic items. Keep things simple because the outdoors already provides a lot of the ambiance needed for a great party. Focus on lighting, table décor and centerpieces to enhance - not overwhelm - the outdoor celebration. Solid tablecloths make plain picnic tables look festive. For centerpieces, use tin pails or tin watering cans as vases for summer flowers. Add instant atmosphere with fun lighting such as tiki torches, paper lanterns or votive candles. A good tip for evening BBQ’s is to have citronella candles on each table to ward off bugs and add ambiance. More barbeque ideas include decorating with American flags, beach balls, Hawaiian leis or nautical items.

• BBQ Party Food: An essential part of any barbeque party is the food. Serve a variety of grilled items, salads and appetizers. It is also good to remember to include dishes that can be served at room temperature to avoid melting or spoiling. Here are some classic BBQ party foods that work well with any BBQ party theme:

o   For snacking: chips, salsa, guacamole, vegetables and ranch dip, pretzels, trail mix and popcorn

o   On the grill: burgers, hot dogs, chicken, steak tips, vegetable skewers, corn on the cob and shrimp

o   On the side: potato salad, pasta salad, coleslaw, french fries, baked potatoes, baked beans and fruit salad

o   For dessert: watermelon slices, apple pie, cookies, ice cream sundaes, popsicles and cupcakes

• Games: Organize a few party games for everyone to play during the barbeque. Some fun outdoors games include Capture the Flag, Kick the Can, tag, volleyball, whiffle ball or badminton. You can also offer less competitive activities like roasting marshmallows or karaoke. Incorporating BBQ party games into the celebration is an easy way to keep everyone entertained and having fun.