5 Ideas for Summer Entertaining Made Easy
Long summer days and entertaining go hand-in-hand. After all, we might as well celebrate the extra hours of sunlight by kicking back with a few of our favorite people while enjoying a refreshing cocktail and tasty nibbles. Take your summer soiree from just fun to, ahem, funtastic with these 5 clever ideas.
Set Up a Popcorn Bar
Mobile Vessel
Once the paper cones are made, guests can walk around freely and keep themselves fed as they mingle.
Photo by: Flynnside Out Productions
Flynnside Out Productions
Whether due to food sensitivities or picky palates, serving a crowd-pleasing snack that won’t bust your budget can be tough. Enter the serve-yourself popcorn bar. Lactose- and gluten-free, air-popped popcorn is a low-cal/high-fiber snack that most everyone enjoys. Pair freshly-popped kernels with sweet and savory toppings and let guests help themselves.
Treat Guests to a Self-Serve Popcorn Bar
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Try Boozy Frozen Desserts
RECIPE: Red Wine Strawberry Sorbet
This refreshing Red Wine Strawberry Sorbet is as sophisticated, as it is sweet.
Photo by: Flynnside Out Productions
Flynnside Out Productions
What would summer be without a frosty frozen dessert? And, what’s a party without a few adult beverages? Combine the two and beat the heat with this refreshing red wine sorbet.
Make This: Red Wine Strawberry Sorbet
Make an (Easy!) Centerpiece
Springtime Serving Vessels
No vessels laying around the house? No problem. Sometimes the best floral containers are those repurposed from everyday objects. For a fun and flirty springtime look, add wildflowers and fruit wheels to a clear glass vase. In order for the fruit wheels to sit up straight, you’ll need to add the floral bunch inside of the pitcher, then drop the fruit wheels in between the bunch and the glass.
A beautiful centerpiece makes any get-together feel more special, but they can be pricey. No worries, we have 10 ideas for DIY-ing a florist-worthy centerpiece on the cheap, like this bright arrangement featuring wildflowers and citrus slices.
11 Creative DIY Centerpieces
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Just Add Party Games
How to Make a Corn Hole Game From Pallets
Liven up your next backyard bash with this vintage inspired corn hole game made from old wooden pallets.
Photo by: Flynnside Out Productions
Flynnside Out Productions
Backyard games are a surefire way to break the ice between guests who may be meeting for the first time. Badminton, croquet, bocce or horseshoes are all safe bets — or, using basic woodworking skills and our instructions, you can turn a wood pallet into a DIY game.
Learn to Take Your Party Anywhere
Wheel Barrel Cooler
Instead of opening and closing a big, old, clunky, plastic cooler at the tailgate party, pack a wheel barrel in the back of the truck, wheel it a few feet away from the truck, and then fill it with ice and beverages. This will also free up valuable space in the back for serving food or offering guests more spots to sit and relax.
Photo by: Flynnside Out Productions
Flynnside Out Productions
We all equate tailgates with fall football season, but kids’ soccer games and long summer days spent at the beach or lake are equally good times to take the party on the road.
