36 Outdoor Get-Together Themes and Ideas for Fall Entertaining

You've decided on your pumpkin-themed food and gathered seasonal cocktail ideas for your fall party — now it's time to pick a theme. Embrace the cool and crisp temperatures of autumn by hosting an outdoor gathering with fun fall activities. From classic themes like outdoor game night, movie night and a backyard bonfire to seasonal themes like pumpkin carving, Oktoberfest and a candy apple bar, our fall party ideas are sure to be a blast.

If you’re like us, when the weather is good, you look for every excuse to bring inside activities outdoors — including movie night. Elevate the outdoor theater experience even more by rolling out a fall-themed bar cart and popcorn bar. Don’t forget to grab plenty of cozy blankets for the chilly fall nights.

Apples are a cornerstone of fall flavors and decor, and they also make for a perfect party theme. Serve apple drinks, set your table with apple decor and serve up apple desserts to make the table feel like the essence of fall.

There are so many fun, engaging themes and storylines to choose from when planning a murder mystery dinner party. You could kick up your heels with a Wild West scene or get groovy with a retro 1970s disco party. However, you can never go wrong with a roaring 1920s affair. Plot your mystery with our ready-made kit complete with character sheets, customizable invites, killer recipes and storylines to guide novice hosts.

Friendsgiving is just like Thanksgiving but with your friends. Since many people spend Thanksgiving Day with the family, Friendsgiving is a great way to spend time with friends and eat all of the delicious foods the season has to offer.

A great dinner party is made up of more than just delicious food. Gorgeous autumnal decor, a warm color palette and an inviting setting will take a gathering to new heights. Fall is all about feeling cozy, so keep this in mind when choosing your environment, table setting and menu for the night.

Celebrate the cooler temps and crisp falling leaves with a backyard bonfire. All you need for a successful night is a fire pit, some chairs (or logs), a few friends and, last but not least, some delicious cider.

Instead of buying a standard store-bought wreath for fall, opt for making your own this year. While you’re at it, gather enough supplies for you and your friends to each craft one together. This is a fun and inexpensive way to create decor you'll display year after year, with the added bonus of enjoying the company of others.

If engaging conversation is what you're after, consider hosting an outdoor wine night. Hunt down all of your favorites and share them with friends, or have guests bring their favorite bottle to share and compare. Whichever you choose, ensure there are plenty of delicious cheeses, fruits and chocolate at the ready for pairing.

Fall without pumpkins is like Halloween without candy. If you want to double down on the autumnal ambiance, host a pumpkin carving party. Create a grab-and-go station with plenty of carving tools, pumpkins and beginner-friendly stencils for guests. Up for a challenge? Try one of our advanced stencils, instead.

If you have an outdoor pizza oven, odds are you already know how to throw a good pizza night. Round up a variety of ingredients and let everyone build their best pizza. Feeling competitive? Turn the night into a pizza competition to see who can build the best one.

Can't make it to Munich this year? No worries! Set up your own Oktoberfest party right in the backyard. Include your favorite German fare, festive decor and, of course, a bier bar stocked with plenty of German beers and wines, and don't forget to dress the part in a dirndl and a fun-to-craft Bavarian flower crown. Get all our Oktoberfest party-planning tips, recipe ideas, DIY decor and more in the link below.

Just like movie night, game night is better outdoors. For board games, pull up a few chairs around an outdoor table, throw a few cozy blankets into the mix and make sure there are plenty of snacks to go around. Playing cards? We recommend taking them around the fire for a memorable night of fun.

If you’re hosting a get-together centered around the game, be sure to include options for those that have other interests, too. An outdoor, fall-themed craft table is the perfect way to fill four quarters with something other than football.

Whether you prefer candied apples or caramel apples, we can all agree that both are fantastic fall staples. A candied-apple bar complete with a wide variety of toppings is sure to win the kids over. Best of all, this is the perfect excuse to give in to that messy, childhood craving.

This low-mess alternative to pumpkin carving is the ideal way to let everyone’s creative side show while keeping the after-party cleanup to a minimum. Set up is a breeze, too, requiring on a few necessities: paint supplies, pumpkins and an inexpensive tablecloth.

To many of us, fall means football. And football means tailgating. This fall, turn your backyard into the ultimate tailgating experience. Cozy decor, fan-favorite recipes and fun games will make yours the talk of the season.

In the month of October, anything Halloween goes. Fun for all ages involved, costume parties are a staple this time of year. Host a costume contest for guests with prizes, and stock the snack bar with devilishly delightful treats and drinks.

The answer to those chilly fall nights? Warm bowls of chili! Take your chili nights to the next level by setting up a backyard chili bar complete with all the best chili toppings like green onions, jalapenos, cheese, corn chips and anything else you can think of.

The cool breeze in the autumn air signals the end of summer gardening for green thumbs everywhere. To keep things growing through the winter, it's time to turn your attention toward indoor gardening. Gather your friends for a succulent swap to trade your favorites and diversify your cacti collection.

You know what goes great with Halloween candy? Craft beer. You know what goes great with craft beer? Backyards. Yes, we’re totally suggesting you host a backyard beer pairing party focused on Halloween candy, but we won’t discriminate against a few savory options like pretzels and beer cheese. It is Oktoberfest time, after all.

Warm, delicious fondue served in a rustic bread bowl alongside a mélange of treats sounds like the perfect way to gather on a fall night. Pair your fondue with pretzels, bratwurst and a nice Oktoberfest beer, or throw some sliced apples into the mix to celebrate the season.

Before you shop for new fall decorations, consider taking the DIY route. While you're at it, grab enough craft supplies to get your friends and kids involved. From garlands to gift tags and even wall art, there's no shortage of clever ways to use faux leaves for a fall crafternoon.

If you have a drive-in theater nearby, pack up the family and head that way. If not, give home movie nights a fun drive-in theme by backing up the cars in the driveway, filling them with blankets and snacks, and then setting up a projector screen.

To us, fall just isn't fall until we fill our homes with autumn-inspired scents. Capture your favorites by hosting a soap-making party complete with festive molds and plenty of seasonal scents to go around.

Any excuse to buy flowers is a good one, right? To get this outdoor floral-arranging party going, clear the outdoor dining table, grab several stems of your favorite fall florals, a handful of greenery options, some cute vases and, of course, your best friends.

If you love yard games as much as we do, it's time to take them to the next level. We're talking about a yard game tournament. Assemble teams and make a bracket, moving through fall-themed games like pumpkin tic-tac-toe, pumpkin pong and jack-o'-lantern tin can toss. Ready, set, gourd!

Now that the heat of summer is fading, it's time to put the iced tea away. The brisk autumn air calls for tea party brunches featuring festive fall flavors like crisp apple, spiced cinnamon and warm ginger. And don't forget to put a seasonal spin on the teatime treats!

Move your standard paint-and-sip party outdoors and take advantage of the fresh fall air. Pro Tip: Instead of going freestyle, give your paint party a theme, like everyone painting a pumpkin or portrait of their pet.

For many, fall = pumpkin spice season. Lean into the cliche by planning a pumpkin spice brunch filled with all things — you guessed it — pumpkin spice. From pumpkin spice coffee to pumpkin spice cocktails to hand-held treats packed with pumpkin spice flavor, there's no shortage of pumpkin spice possibilities.

No outdoor entertaining space? No problem. If you're lucky enough to live near changing fall leaves, take your outdoor get-together on the road with a leaf-peeping drive that ends in a picnic beneath the fall foliage.

With the harvest season upon us, it's time to pick your late-summer goodies. Invite your fellow gardening friends to a harvest dinner centered around the fruits of your labor. Have everyone bring a dish that spotlights their gardening handiwork and dig in!

While we love a bright white on a spring day or a chilled rosé by the pool, fall calls for something that warms the soul. Mulled wine (aka Glühwein) is a centuries-old delight that is a festive alternative to wine by the glass for a winter dinner party or celebration. Get started by infusing Cabernet Sauvignon with sugar, cloves and cinnamon sticks, then top it off with port and brandy.

A pie baking party is a fun way for you and your friends to show off a little creativity while turning out some seriously delicious treats. You can opt to have everyone bake their favorite pie, or base the competition on crust design alone to see who can turn out the most impressive-looking pie.