Tips for a Fabulous Summer Gathering
June 7, 2019This post was sponsored by Upgrade Your Summer as part of an Influencer Activation and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
When we first moved into our current residence, one of my favorite aspects of the property was the spacious backyard. During the warmer months, we love to entertain family & friends outdoors. Today I’ll be sharing some tips on having a successful summer gathering. From serving delicious food like SeaPak Budweiser® Beer Battered Shrimp to keeping plenty of sunscreen on hand, keep reading for all my tips.
When it comes to picking up supplies for a summer gathering, I always turn to Walmart. I can find beverages, snacks, main courses, decorations, and so much more – all in one place! It offers an affordable, one-stop shopping solution that saves me time and money every day.
By the way, there’s an awesome promotion going on at Walmart right now. When you buy participating brands at Walmart, you can enter for a chance to Upgrade Your Summer*. You can potentially win a backyard makeover that includes the Ultimate Outdoor Movie Theater! This sweepstakes runs from May 1, 2019 – July 22, 2019, so take advantage today! One grand prize winner will receive a Samsung® 8 Series 50” LED Smart TV, Sonos® Outdoor Speaker Playbar, a Weber® 11 E310 Grill, Belleze® all-weather backyard 4-piece outdoor patio set and more, including the chance to win a whopping $25,000 check!
Let’s get right to my list of summer gathering essentials now, shall we?
1. Serve Delicious Food!
A party is definitely not complete without delicious food! We recently tried SeaPak Budweiser® Beer Battered Shrimp and it has quickly become a favorite around here. It adds a delicious hearty protein to our parties. The best part? Nobody is stuck by the grill for hours – these shrimp cook in the oven quickly!
I love that SeaPak Budweiser® Beer-Battered Shrimp provide a delicious pub-style taste at home. These shrimp are actually battered in Budweiser® Beer and are super crunchy!
It was easy to prepare following the package directions. In no time, I had these crunchy shrimp! By the way, it comes with a super delicious, slightly tangy dressing that’s perfect for dipping.
2. Offer Plenty of Snacks!
In addition to a main entree, snacks and appetizers are essential! Blue Diamond Original Almond Nut-Thins are deliciously crispy & crunchy and make a perfect appetizer for parties. I love that they’re made with real Blue Diamond almonds.
They’re also free of wheat & gluten and they contain no artificial flavors, so it’s a food I feel good about serving to my guests.
These Nut-Thins go so well with Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, which is the perfect summer dip! I love to dip fresh veggies, protein or crackers in this hummus. Such a versatile party food!
3. Include Fun Decorations!
A summer party is made more festive with the right decorations. It’s not necessary to spend a lot of money on decorations. A series of mason jars filled with water & some cut flowers can make a big impact and is relatively inexpensive. Other fun things to add to your summer parties include tiki torches, pinwheels, and lawn decorations.
4. Serve Refreshing Beverages!
Staying hydrated during summer parties is very important. We picked up this 12 count of Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade 12 fl oz. cans from Walmart. This beverage is such a delicious, unexpected twist on the classic favorite.
It’s made with real ginger and a splash of real lemon juice… it really makes the perfect drink to kick back and relax this summer! Free of caffeine and naturally flavored, it’s a beverage I’ll turn to on many summer days.
5. Create Ambiance!
Adding a little glamour and mood to a summer party is easy. A fire pit makes a big impact and adds lighting/warmth to an evening party. An extra bonus? You can even roast marshmallows and add s’mores to the menu! YUM! Another fun way to add some mood lighting is with a string of globe lights.
6. Use non-breakables!
I always like to use non-breakables during parties, but this is especially true for outdoor gatherings. It’s best to keep glass items to a minimum, particularly if children will be present. With the wind, you never know when something will get knocked to the ground. Sticking with acrylic or melamine plates is definitely a smart move for outdoor gatherings.
7. Provide sunscreen & bug spray!
During outdoor parties, nothing can ruin a party more quickly than a swarm of mosquitoes. Treating the yard for pests and lighting citronella candles is a smart idea. I like the idea of keeping bottles filled with bug spray & sunscreen available for guests to help themselves.
I hope these tips have inspired you to have many fabulous summer gatherings this year. One bonus tip is to have a backup plan in mind in case of inclement weather. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, will you head inside the house? To a neighboring restaurant? Have a plan in mind so you’ll know what to do if necessary.
Don’t forget to purchase SeaPak Budweiser® Beer Battered Shrimp and enter the Upgrade Your Summer sweepstakes to win! Do you have any fun summer parties planned for this year?
*No purchase necessary to enter or win. A purchase will not increase your chance of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Must be at least 21+ and a legal resident of the 50 U.S./DC. The Sweepstakes will consist of one (1) random drawing period to award (131) prizes. Sweepstakes begins on 5/1/19 at 12:00:01 a.m. (midnight) ET and ends on 7/22/19 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. To enter and for Official Rules and other important terms and conditions, visit upgrade-your-summer.com. Sponsor: Fuel Partnerships, Inc., 6111 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite #265, Boca Raton, FL 33487.
Those shrimp look delicious and you have the perfect summer gathering tips. I also love that Walmart is having an Upgrade Your Summer Sweeps. I’d love to win!
I know, right?! What an awesome set of prizes!!
I love these tips! We need lots of food and drink for my kids, so I always have a stock going. Then when they have friends over, I need food for them, so yeah, lots of food and drinks are a must.
You seem to have all the right supplies for an outdoor gala. My son loves shrimp so I have to get those for him. Bug spray and sunscreen are so important.
Yes, you have to try this shrimp! So delicious!!
This is a perfect summer gathering. I would do this for my friends and I for our book club I just need to get some cute paper plates to go with the decor.
I’m definitely ready to have a few guests over to enjoy the summer weather and some good food. I like these ideas a lot!
We host a TON of summer parties, and I think you’ve covered all the bases on how to have a great gathering. The bug spray and sunscreen is really important and often overlooked when party planning.
Wow, this would be a perfect delicious shrimp recipe.!!
This is a nice way to just sit outdoors with friends. With all those good food and drinks, it’s going to be great. Thank you for the nice idea.
I haven’t had shrimp in a long time, but those look great for a cookout. As far as the tips, I always forget to provide bug spray!
I love food so serving delicious food is definitely very important. 🙂 And I agree with non-breakables. We use paper plates and plastic cups not just for kids but for adults too.
I feel so lucky to have a spacious backyard too. I grew up drinking Canada Dry (how very Canadian of me) haha. Didn’t know they came out with the lemonade flavour!
Hahaha… yes, the lemonade one is super delicious!!
I don’t have any fun summer parties planned but I bet that SeaPak Budweiser® Beer Battered Shrimp would be an amazing side to have.
It’s sooo delicious… and so easy to prepare!
Thanks for the great tips for summer gathering. I need to grab few of them for the get together.
I love easy entertaining! The last thing I want to be doing when we have guests is to be trying to complete my recipe. I’ll have to look for the Seapak Budweiser shrimp, I know we’ll love it.
Love that hummus Sabra dip. One of my favorites. Great set up for outdoor entertainment. Loving the battered shrimp idea. And of course, in the Summer, bugspray is a must!!
Yes, it’s essential to spray against bugs!! The mosquitoes here are vicious lol!
I am such a snacker! I would rather snack than eat an actual meal and these all look like wonderful snacks! Great post!
Nut thins are so good. I am currently gluten free and I didn’t realize how limiting it can be as a guest.
Those bud beer shrimp look yummy. Usually we stick with grilled foods when guests come over in the summer. I wonder if you could bake them in the grill!
That looks both delicious and fun! I love your outdoor space. Summer gatherings are a part of what make summer so fun!