7 Fun BBQ Party Ideas for Next Summer
When summer comes, it’s time to get outdoors and have some fun! While spending a day at the beach or going on a long-awaited vacation can be great, there is nothing like throwing a BBQ party in your backyard and inviting friends and family.
Why not do things differently this summer? Get some inspiration from these seven fun BBQ party ideas. Your guests and you can spend an unforgettable moment together!
Idea #1: Fancy burger bar
If you love grilling burgers on your brand new gas barbecue, you can take things further by planning a fancy burger bar for your next BBQ party.
You can grill different meat patties and set up a table with various burger buns, cheeses, condiments, and toppings. Your guests will have fun assembling their burgers, and you could also offer different choices of drinks for everyone. Of course, you will need to prepare your gas grills before the party. Clean the grill and ensure it passes all the safety requirements.
To make things easier to prepare, you should start setting up your different ingredients the day before your party. Keep them in the fridge so that they stay fresh.
Idea #2: Western BBQ party
A Western-themed BBQ party can make your friends and family feel like partying in Texas. Prepare slow-cooked meats such as beef brisket or BBQ ribs, use hickory BBQ smoking chips to add authentic smoky flavours and put different BBQ sauces on the table.
You can have some fun decorating your backyard with a big cactus or two and some Western signs. If you know your guests like to dress up, you could send them invitations to your party to let them know they should bring their cowboy hat and attire if they want to.
Idea #3: BBQ and beer tasting party
This BBQ party idea is only for the grown-ups. Grill some burgers, ribs, chicken drumsticks, or any cut of meat you want, and have a good selection of beers for your guests to taste. Don’t forget to provide a lot of beer-friendly snacks such as French fries, onion rings, chips and nachos, and salted nuts.
Since it will be a tasting party, you could prepare cards so your guests can rate the different types of beer available and decide on which one pair well with their food. At the end of the party, the beer with the best ratings will be crowned champion.
Idea #4: BBQ party by the sea
Unless you are lucky enough to live by the sea, your BBQ party could feature your swimming pool. And if you don’t have a swimming pool, you can still make your guests feel like they are spending some time on a sunny beach with the right decor elements, and most of all, the right food.
Cook salmon, shrimps, scallops, lobster tails, and seafood skewers. Prepare pasta or salad as a side dish, or grill some corn on the cob.
Decorate the tables with seashells, lanterns, and other decorative items with blue or turquoise accents, and play the music that will make you feel like you are eating on a tropical island.
Idea #5: A lawn games party
You could host a BBQ and lawn games party if you have a big backyard. Grill some delicious food on your gas barbecue, and entertain your guests with a game of croquet, horseshoes, badminton, frisbee, or ladder toss.
Alternatively, you could play some of your favourite board games at a large picnic table. Have plenty of snacks and drinks, and provide cushions to keep your guests comfortable, especially planning a long tournament.
If you play lawn games until the sun goes down, make sure you have some outdoor lighting. You don’t want to finish your game in the dark!
Idea #6: Movie marathon
Do your guests prefer watching a few movies to playing lawn or board games? A movie marathon could be an excellent BBQ party idea. You could turn your backyard into an outdoor movie theatre for a movie marathon.
In addition to delicious burgers or hot dogs, make sure everyone has plenty of fresh popcorn to eat. Set up a screen with a projector, and make sure everyone is comfortable with lawn chairs, blankets, and outdoor cushions.
Idea #7: Camping party
Any type of BBQ party can be turned into a camping party, so your guests don’t have to drive home at the end of the day. Ask everyone to bring their tent and their sleeping bag, serve great foods and drinks, and you have all the ingredients for a memorable party.
If you have a fire pit in your yard, you could even enjoy a campfire and grill marshmallows or s’mores for dessert.
And when everyone gets up in the morning, you can even use your barbecue again to grill toasts, bacon, eggs, or pancakes for breakfast.
