Outdoor party ideas

Summer has officially arrived. The heat and humidity has brought thunderstorms and chilly nights. Mosquitoes will soon make their arrival in some areas of the United States, but this should not prevent you from enjoying your outdoor fun. Start up the grill and invite your guests to dinner. Plan a themed party, and enjoy summer with fireworks, hot dogs and baseball games. Here's some party fun to get you started to a summer of relaxation and campfire stories.

1) Swap party
This is simply how it sounds ladies (or gentlemen). You invite your friends over for a lazy afternoon, but it's important guests have similar tastes as the host. It's an eco-friendly and economical way to "swap" your items with your friends. Finger-foods and conversation are served at this delightful party. The guests are asked to bring gently-used items they would like to swap with other guests. There's then three strategies that can take place. Guests can either use tokens to shop the items, draw a number to see who shops first, or each guest goes home with the number of items they swapped.

2) Neighborhood block party
A party-themed committee are always the masterminds to a fantastic neighborhood block party. It's great to get all the neighbors on board for "the party of the summer." Committee members will have to negotiate costs for food, entertainment, decorations and cleanup expenses. The committee may also want to nominate someone to talk to the local police department and get the approval to block off the streets. Furthermore, the committee who is willing to publicize the event and create flyers. This will help get the word out to the neighbors and the other guests. The committee may even want to have fundraisers, such as a bake-off or car wash to raise money for the block party.

3) Slide-n-splash party
Pool parties are a staple of summer fun. It's important to beat-the-heat while enjoying beach volleyball and marco polo. Children may find it entertaining to have races down the family's slip-n-slide. It's all the more reason for a slide-n-splash party where guests can come to stay cool. Consider beach-themed decorations and sand volleyball if two trees are close enough together. Refreshments could lemonade and fruit salad with finger sandwiches. Have several games for the guests, such as water balloon contests and water guns.

4) Porch/Deck Picnic
Beautiful weather should be enjoyed as much as possible. Invite some guests over to your home and have a meal outside. The decorations for this party are minimal, which leaves you more time to enjoy the quality conversation. Decorate the table with some garden flowers to give the party more of a homestyle feel. Likewise, complement your table with a table cloth and an umbrella to make the party more enjoyable.

5) Grill Out
Finally, a grilling out party can be combined with all the other party ideas. Anything can made on a gas grill, including peach cobbler. In addition, it serves as a central place to gather friends for some great conversation. While charcoal and gas grills vary, gas grills usually give a better taste. With a charcoal grill, the hamburgers and hot dogs have a smokey taste. Furthermore, it's a better way to eat healthier because grills often drain off much of the fat on meat.