Fourth of July Backyard Party Ideas

Host a Fourth of July backyard celebration with a few simple ideas that will make your party really shine. This gallery is full of recipes for unusual grilled treats, fresh drinks and icy goodness. Click through, get inspired and craft your perfect outdoor party.

Chances are you're used to barbecuing and eating watermelon during the warm summer months, but if you've never combined the two then now might be the perfect time. Grilled watermelon loses a bit of its sweetness, but keeps that signature watermelon flavor. So pull out the salt, pepper and olive oil and slap that melon on the grill.

Before grilling your watermelon, cut it into triangular slices, coat both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill each side on high heat until grill marks appear. Remove from the grill and sprinkle with pepper. Add a leaf of fresh basil and a slice of goat cheese to each slice and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve warm as is, or slice up for a yummy salad.

Sun tea is an easy and refreshing drink to serve your guests during a backyard party. Place a tea bag in each clean and sterile Mason jar you plan to use for tea. (Prepare the jars just like you would before canning.) Fill with cold water and let the jars sit in the sun and steep for 2-4 hours. Remove the tea bag and place the jars in the fridge or on ice until ready to serve.