Texas summer nights, fireworks, and the smell of the grill. Those are my memories of the 4th of July! This is one of my favorite holidays because it’s all about celebrating our country in a low-key fashion.  Not to mention the theme and colors are predetermined, which makes decorating easy. So let’s break down a family-friendly, Americana-style party!

Party Checklist:

Colors: Red, White, and Blue

Theme:  Outdoor 4th of July Celebration

Decorations: Check out some super cute crafts! If you’re not a DIY girl visit your local dollar store or Target for some pre made decorations. Remember that some colored table clothes and an excessive amount of flags can go a long way!

Savory Food: Fire up the grill y’all! If you like traditional then you can’t go wrong with burgers, hot dogs, and corn on the cob. There are also other fun foods you can grill that includeGrill; kebabs, pizzas, or seafood. As long as the grill is involved then you’re good to go!   Remember you may have guests that
are visiting a few 4th of July events, consider picking up a few festive to-go containers so you’re not left with an abundance of food at the end of the party.

Sweets: No 4th of July dessert table is complete unless you have some variation of strawberries and blueberries. Also, anything in the shape of a star is super cute. So pick up a star cookie cutter and use it on watermelon, sugar IMG_0895cookies, rice crispy treats or jello. My girls love to help me in the kitchen, and cookie cutters have proven to be very kid friendly. 

Beverage: Nothing says southern Americana like sweet tea and lemonade. For a twist add strawberry or raspberry to your lemonade so that it matches the color scheme. I also recommend a fun adult beverage. My personal favorite is a white wine sangria with strawberries and blueberries (Cheers!) For the final touch put any of these beverage in a mason jar and add a festive straw.

Entertainment: Pull out the bibs y’all, it’s time for a pie-eating contest! Get an assortment of big and small pies that way kids and adults can participate. Keep your guests entertained with classic lawn games like horseshoes, bocce ball, washers or corn hole boards. Some of these games have been retrofitted to glow in the dark in order to play to them at night.  If you know your party is going to go late, consider picking up some of these light up games. Finally, remember it will be hot so having some form of water activity available for kids is a must. This could be anything from a pool, waterballoonsprinkler or even a water table. There just needs to be something that will keep the kids entertained and cooled down while everyone is outside. We tested Battle Balloons, those water balloons that promise fill up in 30 seconds because they are all attached to a single water hose connection. They really worked! Once the balloon got too heavy it popped off the connector and was Waterballoonready to throw. One observation was that the filled water balloons are not at 100 percent capacity so they bounced off of you more times then the broke, but the kids loved it either way.  

Cue the Sparklers! If you live in the city then you are limited on your firework selection. You can still make the most out with some really BIG sparklers. Online your can order sparklers up to 36 inches. These are alway popular because they last longer and you get more opportunities to capture some awesome photos.

This is definitely a holiday where the emphasis is on good food and family fun! With that in mind keep your planning casual and so your day remains stress-free.  

What 4th of July party planning tips do you recommend?

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