15 summer party ideas

Friends watching movie on a video projector in the backyard garden

15 fun summer party ideas

1. Summer cocktail party

Four glasses of frozen watermelon margarita on a platter

Toast to the warmer weather with a summer cocktail party, complete with seasonal drinks and fruity punches. Fill a portable bar cart with all the ingredients for a summery cocktail, plus pre-made cocktail pitchers and mocktails for kids. Make sure to stock up on stirrers and garnishes for easy access.

Deciding which tipples to serve guests? A thirst-quenching Aperol spritz only requires three ingredients, and it only takes a few minutes to make, ideal for an impromptu gathering. For a speedy cooling cocktail, try freezing ice cubes of aperol, ready to pop in a glass of soda water or lemonade, or blitz in a food processor then top up with prosecco.

A fruity punch tastes like summer in a glass, and our bright and bold summer punch can be thrown together in minutes. Garnish with your choice of fresh herbs – we love mint and lemon verbena. Find more recipes in our round-up of easy summer punches — they're simple to make and don't require special mixology skills or equipment.

Opt for a Spanish staple with a jug of fruity sangria and let your guests be transported to a swanky rooftop bar in Barcelona. Or conjure up images of sunny holidays with frozen watermelon margaritas – these take just 10 minutes of prep.

Discover more fabulous cocktails with our easy summer cocktail ideas, party drinks recipes and top cocktails & drinks guides. Looking to update your kit? Read our reviews of the best cocktails shakers, punch bowls and home bar supplies.

2. Weekend BBQ party

A plate serving a maple & mustard glazed spatchcock chicken

Nothing screams summertime quite like a good old fashioned barbecue. Fire up the barbie and host the ultimate barbecue bash with a buffet-style spread of burgers, skewers and sides, along with fresh salads and veggie barbecue dishes. Take the stress out of hosting by politely asking guests to bring a side dish, such as a potato salad or coleslaw.

After enjoying the main event, follow up with a seriously indulgent barbecued pud. Anyone with a sweet tooth will love these BBQ s'mores, plus they require just three ingredients to make. Our BBQ banoffee splits are equally as tasty, placed on the embers to cook until sticky and caramelised.

Looking to update your BBQ kit? Read our reviews of the best charcoal barbecues, electric barbecues and portable barbecues.

Relish the sunshine even more with our best-ever barbecue recipes, family barbecue recipes and barbecue desserts. We also share our 10 tips for the perfect BBQ, as well as tips on how to light a BBQ and how to use barbecue coals.

3. Outdoor movie night

Friends watching movie on the video projector in the backyard garden

Set the scene for a magical outdoor movie night for a special summer occasion. Set up an outdoor projector or inflatable screen and fill your garden with outdoor seating, blankets, cushions and twinkly fairy lights. You're also going to need refreshments — see our family film recipes for ultimate food inspiration (sweet chilli dogs and chocolate-drizzled popcorn, anyone?).

A movie night is a brilliant way of bringing together kids, teens and adults, plus it'll make a lovely summer memory.

To truly bring the movie to life, theme your snacks and drinks around the film that you're screening. If the weather turns for the worse, move inside and cosy up indoors.

Read our guide to throwing the ultimate family film night.

4. Summer pizza party

Freshly cooked and prepred pizza being taken out of a portable pizza oven in the garden outside

In the mood for a pizza party? Fire up the pizza oven and round up the troops for a chill afternoon of pizza and socialising. Ordering a pizza takeaway has its perks, but it's far more enjoyable to make it yourself. Showcase the season's best produce with a variety of fresh toppings for guests to dress up their own.

Decorate your garden in bunting, blankets and outdoor seating, and make sure you have plenty of plates and sauces to go around. And have your pizza boxes ready for leftovers!

Become a pro pizzaiolo with the best pizza oven accessories, and make sure you're kitted out with the best pizza cutters, scissors and knives.

See our round-up of the best pizza ovens for creating delicious and high-quality pizza at home. We also have our guide on the best pizza stones for oven and BBQ.

5. Al fresco dinner party

Arroz con gambas served in a wide paella pan

Throw an al fresco dinner party with a menu celebrating fresh, seasonal produce. Decorate your table with mismatched tableware and colourful glassware - see our review of the best melamine dinnerware and outdoor tableware pieces for inspiration. Take it to the next level by creating the ultimate tablescape, complete with bouquets, garlands and dinner candles.

You could start with a bracing kohlrabi salad with pickled jalapeño dressing, followed by an epic Spanish prawn and squid paella and a glorious mango & passion fruit curd sunshine tart to finish. Accompany your summer feast with a refreshing summer cocktail or non-alcoholic summer drink.

Looking for new summer dinner party menu ideas? Find the best seasonal dishes in our summer dinner party recipe collection, as well as our dinner party menu ideas, no-cook dinner party ideas and summer dinner ideas.

6. Tropical themed party

A tropical-themed party is sure to get guests talking. Transport guests to the sunny shores of Hawaii with tiki-inspired decor, tropical cocktails and the coolest party food. A selection of garden games and activities are also great for keeping guests entertained.

Try a tropical twist on hot dogs with our vegan hot dogs, served with a fresh and summery salsa of pineapple, green chilli, lime, red onion and coriander. These tropical ice lollies will go down a treat with kids, as will our non-alcoholic tropical fizz.

Offer guests a slice of paradise with a creamy coconut rum punch or refreshing piña colada, or whet the whistle with one of our rum cocktails. To ensure your drinks stay cool, see our review of the best ice cube trays of all shapes and sizes, from diamonds to dachshunds.

For sweet treats, there's our moreish tropical cheesecake bars, or impress guests with a tropical tiramisu or tropical pavlova.

7. Ice cream bar

An ice cream sundae bar, with cones and pots of chocolate, sweets and sauce

Summer and ice cream go hand in hand, and we can't think of a better way to enjoy them than with a pop-up ice cream bar. Choose the flavours everyone likes and offer a range of toppings so guests can help themselves — see our ice cream sundae bar for ideas.

Unleash your sundae creativity with our round-up of 50 ice cream topping ideas, from healthy nuts to decadent brownies, sweets and cookies.

Alternatively, serve homemade ice lollies for kids and boozy alternatives for adults, such as our gin & tonic ice lollies, mojito ice lollies and strawberry & Prosecco ice lollies.

8. Picnic party

Rollick in the sunshine with a laid back picnic party, hosted in the garden or a nearby park.

Picnics take some organising, from making easy food choices to finding equipment that's going to make your gathering a walk in the park (pun intended). Set yourself up for picnic success wherever you lay your blanket with a spread of salads, sandwiches and desserts. Our top 60 picnic recipe guide covers all the bases for a stress-free picnic experience, including our top-rated quiche Lorraine, epic summer salad and cherry & almond brownies.

We've reviewed the best picnic accessories for all your al fresco needs, from baskets and rugs to cool bags, plates and storage solution.

9. Beach party

Sun, sand and the salty sea air… nothing quite beats a trip to the seaside. Pack a beach-friendly picnic with the help of our top tips and recipes to take to the seaside, from bite-sized cheese & chive flapjacks to hummus & crudités and fruity blackberry bakewell squares. Iced water is a must for a sunny day, but this fiery ginger beer would go down a treat at lunchtime. Don't forget to dust off your cooler and pack enough beach towels, as well as a beach umbrella and plenty of sun cream.

Alternatively, bring the seaside flavours to your table with a beach party at home. Deck out the garden in beach-themed decor, inflatables, towels and deck chairs then let festivities unfold! These Great British seaside recipes to enjoy at home are perfect for creating a beach-style feast in the comfort of your kitchen, whether you're craving a Cornish pasty, beer-battered fish burgers or a fruity ice cream sundae.

Celebrate the sunny climes with a delectable spread of bright summer salads. Prepare a variety of salads which best showcase seasonal produce, such as courgettes, tomatoes and watermelon. Our vibrant quinoa, goat’s cheese & peach salad is full of textures and fresh flavours, while this robust chicken shawarma salad is made for feeding a crowd. Serve with flatbreads with garlic butter for mopping up the juices.

For refreshments, whip up a jug of mint and mango iced green tea or energise guests with a round of cool iced lattes. You could also mix up a jug cocktail with a low ABV, such as a fruity Pimm's. If you're not sure what to serve your refreshments in, take a look at our round-up of the best cocktail jugs and pitchers on the market, perfect for serving both soft drinks and cocktails.

You could turn this event into a pot-luck, whereby each guest brings a salad as a contribution. This means you'll get a wider variety of dishes without heaps of prep. Soggy sandwiches will be a thing of the past!

See our summer salad recipes, summer drink recipes and iced tea recipes for plenty more ideas.

Embrace la dolce vita and invite friends for pasta sharing plates. Pasta pairs perfectly with seasonal summer ingredients such as seafood, broad beans and aubergines. Rustle up this pepper & lemon spaghetti with basil & pine nuts for a dish brimming with fresh, zesty flavours, or impress guests with this shellfish, orzo & saffron stew — a dig-in dish that's prefect for an informal gathering. Fresh crab is one of summer’s real treats, and this creamy crab & pea pasta is the perfect recipe to showcase it. Its delicate flavour means it needs only minimal cooking.

A pasta party would not be complete without cacio e pepe, a popular Italian dish made of just four simple ingredients: spaghetti, pepper, parmesan and butter. Alternatively, this seafood fideuà paella is a paella with a difference, using fideo or vermicelli pasta instead of rice, with prawns, mussels, squid, monkfish and a sprinkling of saffron.

This is an activity which benefits from guests bringing a dish, whether its Italian snacks like taralli or springy focaccia for mopping up the juices.

Whet the whistle with an Italian-inspired aperitif — such as this campari spritz — then whip up this quick & easy tiramisu for dessert. Take a browse through our summer pasta recipes for more inspiration.

12. Hot dog party

A tray of hot dogs with siracha and bowls of dip

Switch things up this summer by throwing your own hot dog party. Gone are the days of the humble sausage and bun, our pimped-up versions take the hot dog to the next level. Sausages are brushed with hoisin sauce then topped with cucumber slices and spring onion in these umami-rich hoisin hot dogs, while our NYC-inspired hot dogs see frankfurters topped with caramelised onions, ketchup, American mustard and a little sauerkraut for a punchy bite.

Looking to remix your hot dog with unusual toppings? Try kimchi and spicy mayonnaise in place of onions and ketchup, as demonstrated in our reinvented Korean hot dogs. Guests will be chatting about this spicy-tangy dish for weeks.

You could also assemble a buffet-style spread and offer a range of toppings so guests can help themselves. Wash it all down with a refreshing lager or crisp cider, or iced cold cola for little ones.

See our collection of hot dog recipes for more ideas.

13. Fire pit party

Recreate a cosy campfire in your garden for an enchanting summer evening all ages can enjoy. Provide guests with garden chairs, cushions and blankets and huddle around the fire pit for a laid-back affair - see our review of the best garden fire pits if you need to update your kit. Festoon the garden with twinkly lights and bunting, and don't forget to set up a table of refreshments for guests to help themselves.

Fancy firing up the camping stove for a spot of outdoor cooking? We’ve tested the best camping stoves to bring you the best outdoor cookers. See our round-up of the best camping food ideas and camping recipes for ideas to cook up a storm - our highlights include mango chutney cheese toasties, smoky sausage and black bean chilli and halloumi burgers in squidgy brioche buns.

For something sweet, you can't go wrong with roasting marshmallows. See our recipe for s’mores for a classic campfire snack, or char banana slices and serve with toasted hazelnuts on top of warmed chocolate custard.

Scroll through our collection of moreish sweet and savoury s'mores recipes.

14. Summer buffet party

Invite friends and family round for a relaxed buffet-style party. In classic pot-luck style, guests can bring their own plate options, with imaginations permitted to run wild with whatever snacks, party food and sweet treats they fancy.

Throw your buffet party outside or indoors, depending on the weather. If you're hosting al fresco, position your spread under an umbrella or overhang to protect from the elements, and make sure there are lights so people can see what's left come sundown.

Assemble your spread in a suitable order so guests don't reach over each other, with plates and savoury options first, followed by cutlery and napkins.

Rustle up our squash & barley salad with balsamic vinaigrette for a dig-in salad that's delicious warm or cold. These coronation chicken scones are brilliant savoury morsels to feed a crowd. Alternatively, share your favourite dishes in a vegetarian meze-style sharing board, complete with cauliflower and feta fritters, carrot & tahini salad and falafels.

Dips make perfect, easy party food to serve with crudités and warm pittas: this luxury hummus is made with good-quality chickpeas to give a really silky feel. See our buffet recipes and party food recipes for more inspiration.

15. Summer brunch party

Breakfast pancake platter with a variety of toppings

End the summer with a bang by hosting a weekend brunch party. Serve a base of American-style pancakes alongside a range of toppings in our epic breakfast pancake platter. Go sweet with seasonal fruit and yogurt, or savoury with soft cheese and salmon.

Make a batch of mini pancakes to serve with seasonal berries, or take things up a notch with fluffy Japanese pancakes - maple syrup, fruit and whipped cream all work well.

As another option, assemble a smorgasbord of provisions including breakfast meats, eggs and fruits and let guests help themselves. For a special sweet treat, turn your hand to these seasonal strawberry crumble buns.

Wash it all down with a pineapple smoothie, blending fresh pineapple with banana and lime juice, or fix a batch of bloody marys for a classic boozy tipple.

Serve tea or coffee alongside your spread - see our round-up of the best cafetières if you're looking to update your kit. Don't forget to bring out your finest serving dishes and platters to serve!

See our brunch recipes, vegan brunch recipes and brunch egg recipes for more ideas.