4th of July Party Ideas

The 4th of July offers a great chance to throw a party. It’s the middle of summer. It’s a laid-back holiday with no gift-buying pressure. The kids are out of school and relaxed (as are the parents!). It’s the perfect time to set up a celebration.

If you are planning a 4th of July party, you have come to the right place. The below July 4th tips can hopefully stir your creative juices and get you thinking about ways to make your party special using some DIY ideas.

Just remember the No. 1 rule for July Fourth: Enjoy some good times with your friends and family.

4th of July Decorations

Even if decorating is not your thing, you can make a July 4th party look appropriately patriotic with some homemade decorations. Consider the following.

• Bandana seat cushions. The classic red and blue bandanas can be tied together to provide temporary seat covers for your outdoor chairs. Try putting a cushion between two bandanas and then tying them together with a ribbon.
• Paper stars. Make red, white and blue stars out of colored paper.
• Balloons. Of course, you want red, white and blue balloons. But you can also make it even cooler by shaping the balloons into the figure of an American flag.
• Uncle Sam’s hat. Take a flowerpot and turn it upside down on a plate that has been painted white. Then, paint the flower pot to resemble Uncle Sam’s hat. You’ve just created a perfect 4th of July centerpiece.
• American flag jars. Place candles in glass jars that have been decoupaged with the stars and stripes (you can do that yourself or buy them ready to go). Makes for a great July Fourth candle.

Food

Americans like their food good but simple. That’s why grilling hotdogs and hamburgers is never going to go out of style. However, what makes the United States great is that it’s a melting pot. One cool idea is to offer some different, simple dishes from many of the countries and cultures that have made the country what it is today (we’re thinking “finger foods” for the most part).

That could mean:

• Tacos
• Mandu
• Patatas Bravas
• Edamame
• Bruschetta
• Empanadas
• Falafel
• Smoked salmon
• Samosas
• Bao

To name a few, But don’t forget the American touches such as hot dogs, burgers and chicken wings!

Games

People will want to be entertained, especially the kids. Cornhole is the classic summertime game. For the little ones, it’s a fun idea to set up a “game station” where they will find things like blowing bubbles and sparklers (if they have been taught how to handle sparklers safely, of course).

Luckily, you can rent a carnival and create an All-American Midway experience with tons of carnival games. They include:

• Giant Jenga
• Giant Dominoes
• Bowl a Rama
• Skee Roll
• Prize Wheel

And so on. From classics to new takes on old games, you can find the right games for your July Fourth party.

Social Media

If you want to expand your guest list beyond your friends and family, then social media is the way to go for outreach.  For example, maybe you are holding a neighborhood block party or an event for your church. To reach more people, you’ll want to create messages on social media.

You can create an invite that is emailed to people on your list. For big events open to the public, consider creating a Facebook page. Also, create a unique hashtag that you can use on Twitter. Just make sure to check it hasn’t been used before. You’ll want to create one that is unique for your community, event or neighborhood.

These are some ideas to keep in mind for your next 4th of July party. With just a little effort, you can make your party one that will be remembered fondly for many summers to come.