The Fourth of July is always a great day to spend with your family and usually provides endless summer fun for the kids. But there are a few things you should keep in mind when planning a Fourth of July party that will set your celebration apart. Here are some of my tips for a throwing a super fun and successful Fourth of July party that all ages will enjoy!
General Party Planning Tips
If you are planning to invite families with young kids, think about starting your party in the late afternoon, say around 4:00pm. It’s after nap time, but there’s still plenty of daylight that will allow for a few hours of fun before the littles start to wear down. A lot of times the young ones may not even make it to the real fireworks show, which often takes place after 9:00pm.
Try to have your party in a shady area of your yard so your guests aren’t baking in the summer sun.
Have both organized and free play games for the kids, like soccer balls/nets, water tables, sprinklers, sack races and sparklers at dusk.
Décor Tips
It’s too late this year, but if you think of it next time around, you can start shopping for your Fourth of July party decor before Memorial Day. Stores usually start displaying their stock beginning in early May.
Fireworks centerpieces are seriously the simplest things to make, and they’re very eye-catching as well! Use a clear glass vase you already have, fill it about 1/3 of the way up with sand from a craft store (or your child’s sandbox), insert faux sparkly fireworks and rockets into the sand and you’re done! I also used red, white and blue checkered tablecloths—they aren’t specifically for the Fourth of July and can be used all year round for other events, which is an added bonus.
For a patriotic floral centerpiece, use hand-painted American flag-painted mason jars. Fill them with red, white and blue flowers to create an easy and festive look for your party tables!
Stores like Target and Joann’s are full of inexpensive burlap banners. Hang them as backdrops behind your food display tables.
Food and Beverage Tips
Cupcakes are always a hit, and they’re easy to eat outside. I topped mine with a mix of patriotic cupcake toppers, but my favorites are the firecracker cupcake toppers.
Have a dedicated adult beverage station, or in other words, A BAR! Adults want to have some fun too! Fill those ice buckets, and stock a plentiful beverage selection and lots of mix-ins. Keep the adult beverages up high on a bar height table, out of reach of the kids.
I love this mix of patriotic straws for an adult beverage station. Simply put the straws into a red mason jar and tie with a red, white and blue ribbon!
Where to Shop for Americana Décor
My favorite stores to shop for Fourth of July supplies are Pier 1, World Market, Joann’s and the Dollar Store or 99 Cents Store. You can really score great things at the 99 Cents Store, believe it or not. They even have great red plates for—you guessed it—99 cents each!
Online Printables
Add some more red, white and blue to your tables with festive holiday printables. I used these Land of the Free and Home of the Brave printables.
Have a happy, fun and safe Fourth of July party!
