
How to Throw the Best 4th of July Backyard Party
The 4th of July is a time to gather with friends and family and put our patriotism out front for everyone to see.
With that in mind we’ve thought of all of the things that make the 4th of July so much fun and have put together a list to help you throw the best 4th of July event.
Here is your Guide to Throwing the Best 4th of July Backyard Party:
1. Set the 4th of July Theme
What makes 4th of July parties stand apart from any other? It's the red, white and blue, and stars and stripes, incorporated throughout the elements of your party.
How do you host a 4th of July party?
Start by thinking about all of the ways in which you can incorporate your patriotism into the decor, food, drinks, and activities which is where the fun begins.
2. Decide on your Decor
So let's start with the decor since that is what sets the theme and feel when someone first walks into your party.
Decorating the front of your house and/or front yard can mean adding just a few touches of stars & stripes or going all out.

photo: Riles & Bash
If you want to keep it simple, hang a 4th of July wreath on your front door. It's a great symbol that people all over your neighborhood will get to enjoy and it's the first patriotic sign that your guests will see when they enter your party (whether or not they go inside or head straight to the back yard).
There are so many versions of wreaths that you can buy but it's also something that you can DIY yourself.

photo: Elle Decor

photo: Celebration Designs Co.
Balloons scream party so they are a must at your 4th of July event. We did say this was going to be an epic 4th of July party after all.
The Riles & Bash Red White & Blue Link Balloon Garland Kit makes adding your patriotic theme throughout your party super easy because these link balloons allow you to string the garland in so many different ways.
Here are a few of the ways that we love to use these balloons.

photo: Riles & Bash

photo: Riles & Bash
PLUS! One of our favorite ways to use these red white and blue link balloons is to create an American Flag Balloon Wall. This balloon wall can be the feature wall of your party, the backdrop to your food tables or even a backdrop for your guests to take photos in front of. They will love it!
We've created step by step instructions on how to create this USA Flag Balloon Wall so that you can get it done and move on to setting up the rest of your party. It's really simple for the huge bang that it will create at your party.

photo: Riles & Bash
Now for your tables...whether you're having a backyard BBQ, pot luck or sit-down dinner, your food tables will be a feature of your party so incorporating your patriotic theme is a must. With that said, you can create something very refined or go all out red, white & blue.
Here are some of our favorite table setups for 4th of July to give you some inspiration to get started...

photo: Riles & Bash

photo: Southern Living

photo: remodelacasa
Keep in mind that as the party host, you want to make sure that your guests are comfortable so just remember to have enough seating for your guests. If you're doing a potluck or BBQ you want to have seating for about 50-75% of your guests. They won't all be eating at the same time so you don't need to have a seat for everyone.
3. Select the Food for your 4th of July Menu
What is a good 4th of July menu?
Now onto the food. This is another really fun part of designing your party because you can keep things really simple and still incorporate the patriotic feel or you can be the Martha Stewart of parties and make everything themed.

photo: Riles & Bash
What should I grill for the 4th of July?
BBQ is synonymous with 4th of July parties so chances are you will have some sort of BBQ food at your event. It's easy and you can cook up a range of different mains from hot dogs and burgers to chicken and ribs, and of course veggie options for the vegans out there.

photo: Decanter
If you decide to host a potluck (and this can be in addition to your BBQ), make sure you divvy up the dishes to round out the menu so that you don't end up with 5 potato salads. However, if you forget to do this you can just turn it into a "Best Potato Salad" contest and pretend like that was always the plan (wink, wink).

photo: Culinary Hill
Coming off the heels of a pandemic you may choose to create a feast made up of pre-made portions. This will take a little more time but it will lend your party to the Martha Stewart feel of everything in perfect portions and leave your guests extra impressed at your attention to detail.
photo: The Sweetest Occasion
4. Include some Themed Drinks
The first thing to consider when it comes to drinks is keeping your guests hydrated, especially on hot days as July 4th tends to be.
One very stylish way to do this is to include your theme in a water station with red and blue fruit like raspberries and blueberries for example. You could even use a cookie cutter to cut out stars in watermelon and pop that into your water.

photo: The View from Great Island
Another way to have fun with the drinks is to create a signature cocktail featuring the patriotic colors.
We really like this recipe from Kelly Leigh Creates because it's non-alcoholic which means even the kids can enjoy it.

photo: Kelly Leigh Creates
You could even make a sangria using red wine and pop in blueberries as part of the fruit combination to make it patriotic.
Here's an easy recipe from Mighty Mrs. where you can play with different variations of your sangria.

photo: Mighty Mrs.
When you first invite your guests to the party, make sure you're clear on the BYOB policy. Creating a signature cocktail and having your guests bring their own cocktail of choice is an easy way to keep everyone happy.
5. Can't forget about Dessert
Ok, now on to the desserts...pies, cakes, and S'mores oh my!
This is definitely a highlight of the 4th of July...well for the kids anyway. There are so many fun ways to incorporate your theme into the desserts and treats.
If you want to keep it really easy, simply add red and blue fruit like strawberries and blueberries to a cake or cupcakes with white icing and popping in some American flag toothpicks. Presto!

photo: Riles & Bash
You can also use Jell-O by layering the red and blue and topping it off with whipping cream.

photo: Riles & Bash
Now on a hot day like the 4th of July some red, white and blue popsicles are definitely needed.

photo: Meg's Everyday Indulgence
And of course, every 4th of July party needs a patriotic pie right?

photo: Landolakes
One of the best treats to have once the sun goes down is S'mores and we love this DIY recipe from Studio DIY for Tie Dye S'mores.

photo: Studio DIY
6. Games & Entertainment
What time do 4th of July parties start?
A 4th of July party tends to start late in the afternoon and go on well after dark so having some games and entertainment is a must at your party.
How do you make a Fourth of July party fun?
Classic games that you can include are corn hole, lawn tic tac toe and patriotic bingo.

photo: Charles and Hudson

photo: Evite
This is a great idea from A Girl and a Glue Gun for Glow in the Dark Ring Toss.

photo: A Girl and a Glue Gun
Some other ways to keep guests entertained is by setting up some photo props that they can use when they take their photos, having temporary tattoos for the kids to put on.
While everyone is enjoying the party, make sure that you have some music to set the celebratory theme.
A great night time activity is a backyard movie night. Pick a family friendly movie that everyone will enjoy.

photo: Life by Leanna
7. Fireworks and/or Sparklers/Poppers
Who doesn't think of fireworks when you think of the 4th of July?

photo: My Home and Travels
Perhaps you're in a location where you can see a fireworks display from the city or neighbours, or maybe you have someone experienced to safely host a display at your event.
Either way, sparklers and/or confetti poppers can also be a fun option.

photo: Joyful Reflections Photography
Did we capture everything that you need to throw an epic 4th of July? Let us know what your must haves are for a great 4th of July backyard party.
Happy 4th of July!
Check out our 4th of July Pinterest board for more ideas and links to 4th of July recipes.
SHOP 4th OF JULY
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Riles & Bash Red White and Blue Link Balloons | Riles & Bash Red White and Blue Link Balloons |
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2 comments
Hi Jen,
There are a few ways you can hang your sheet screen:
If you have a garage/shed or part of the house you can hang against, explore screwing some hooks into the structure so that you can use string to tie the corners of the sheet and hang it over the hooks.
You could also try some 3M hooks instead of screw hooks, or possibly strong clamps to clamp the sheet to one of the structures.
Another option is to use a few large safety pins in each corner of the sheet (so not all of the weight is on 1 pin), and string to tie to the outdoor structure or tree, etc.
Finally, if you plan to do movie nights on more than one occasion, investing in an inexpensive screen and stand could be a good way to go. Here is a great inexpensive screen that we’ve actually used that worked really well. It has grommets and comes with rope to make it really easy to tie up (this is a Not an affiliate link): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FB6VW1M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Hope that helps! Have a great movie night.
- Riles & Bash
Any tips for hanging your sheet screen?
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