The end of spring signals the onset of Graduation parties, Confirmation/Communion celebrations & Memorial Day BBQs. Host your own Spring BBQ with easy entertaining ideas.
If the beginning of Spring is heralded by the return of the robin and the blooming of the forsythia, then the end of spring is heralded by the delivery of invitations to Graduation parties, Confirmation and Communion celebrations and Memorial Day BBQs. While these gatherings may seem like totally different functions, they all share some common threads. Typically, these seasonal parties take advantage of the weather, they are somewhat casual, host a larger number of guests, and they often utilize an open house/drop-in format. Let's discuss some effective ways to implement this type of party.
Format
An open house or drop-in format works well, since many times you will be competing for your guests' time with other parties on the same day. Plan on a window of 4 to 5 hours, to enable your guests to spend some time with you, while still fulfilling their other obligations. You may want to "schedule" several guests, confirming their attendance times and/or make sure that some guests will be staying for the duration. This will insure that you never have an empty house (an awkward situation at any party!)
Party Location
For obvious reasons, an Open House is most convenient if it's held at your own home. If this is not possible, consider hosting the function at a local park (with running water and bathroom facilities), at your apartment complex's multipurpose room, at your subdivision's clubhouse, or even in a generous friend's home or yard.
Function Space Set-Up
Since this party will be an Open House, there is no need to provide seating for the maximum number of guests. A good rule of thumb is to provide seats for 1/3 to 1/2 of your guest list, as the guests should be rotating through your party. If you plan to use your outdoor space, include these seats (lawn chairs, patio furniture, deck seating) in your total at a rate of 50%. (For instance, if you have a patio set with 6 seats, only count 3 of the seats into your total). If you don't own enough chairs, consider borrowing lawn chairs from your friends or renting folding chairs (usually about $1 apiece) from your local rental center.
Food/Buffet
It is imperative for the food to be maintained at a safe temperature. Ideally, the food should be offered indoors. If the food must be outside, make sure that it is served over ice and/or does not contain perishable items such as eggs, mayonnaise or dairy products. The simplest way to serve beverages is to offer individual cans and bottles, iced in large coolers. If cost is a factor, pitchers of lemonade, iced tea and water are a great way to offer beverages at a minimal cost.
Check back next week for the continuation of this article.
© Text by Janice Benoit, [May, 2006]. (c) FreeFoto.com; photo by Ian Britton. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use will constitute an infringement of copyright.
