Barbecue party ideas

Do you dream of the smell of smoking charcoal briquettes in the hot summer sun? Do you fantasize all winter long about shiny new barbecue tools and the zesty taste of the down-home barbecue sauces? Do you attend endless parties with the same old theme? Are you finding yourself daydreaming about grilling steaks, ribs, burgers, chicken, or hot dogs? Are you sick and tired of the fancy food and costumes that go with the fancy themed parties? Are you having trouble waiting for a holiday that focuses on gathering outside and grilling food? If you have answered "yes" to one or more of these questions, then you are going through "Barbecue Withdrawal".

Don't laugh! This is very serious! The only cure is to host the biggest, best barbecue bonanza that your backyard has ever seen. Invite everyone on your block to come to your backyard for fun in the sun and to sample your famous barbecue recipes.

Backyard BBQ Invitations
Summon your neighbors with a personalized summer invitation in a fun BBQ design, perfect for any barbecue feast.

Send each guest a piece of Tupperware with the details of the barbecue shindig inside. Invite each family to make their favorite side dish or dessert (to be placed in the Tupperware) to compliment your culinary creations. (The guests keep the Tupperware as a favor).

Invite your friends in style by mailing or hand delivering "barbecue apron invitations". Write all the party information with washable makers on a BBQ apron and your guests will be anticipating your barbeque from day one!

You can also hand-deliver barbecue sauces to your potential guests. Replace the store label with a custom one with all of the party details printed on it.

BBQ Decorations and Party Supplies

Start off the decorations by welcoming your guests with a personalized bbq banner. This is sure to excite your guests and get them ready to bbq.
Since the festivities will most likely take place in the backyard, make sure to hang some lanterns throughout the party using fishing line. Another fun idea is to use festive lights in the shape of margarita glasses, flowers or tiki statues.

You can also decorate you guests with fun leis and brightly colored sunglasses. Set up a beach scene setter and let your guests snap photos of themselves in their wacky barbeque wearables!

BBQ Table Decorations and Menu
Set your table using gingham paper products. Covered with hamburgers, hotdogs and skewers, this design is perfect for a backyard BBQ. And having paper plates is a much better idea than washing those dishes in hot water in the middle of summer!

You can make your centerpiece useful as well as fun! Fill a plastic pail with sand and stick several pairs of sunglasses in the sand. Your guests can grab a pair as a favor!

Light up your party even more by serving drinks in glowing barware! You can hand out light up glasses or serve drinks in clear glasses with glowing ice cubes. Either way, the glowing glasses will be the hit of the party! Because it will be hot serve bottled water with a personalized water bottle label.

Barbecue Party Activities
Barbecue party games are always a lot of fun. Make sure to have plenty of relay races planned so that everyone gets into the spirit. Here are some ideas to help get you started.

• Tie a Yellow Ribbon - This is a great way to introduce everyone if you have an even number of people at your party. Buy some yarn or ribbon, and cut the ribbon/yarn up into various lengths (at least 100-400 uneven pieces). Put everyone into pairs, and have them search throughout the yard to find as many pieces of ribbon/yarn as they possibly can. They must work with their partners to tie each piece of ribbon/yarn together to create one long piece of yarn/ribbon. The team with the longest piece of ribbon/yarn at the end of 15 minutes wins the game.
• Couples Relay - When the host/hostess says, "Go, " the first partner has to eat two crackers. Then as quickly as is possible, he/she has to whistle a designated tune to his/her partner. When the partner guesses the tune correctly, he/she has to pop a balloon (that is already blown up) by sitting on it. The partners then get together, and must run to the finish line with an orange between their lips. To show that they have finished, one person must sit in the other person's lap!
• Lay an Egg - In each pair, the partners stand with their backs to each other. Placing a raw egg between their backs, the object of the game is to lay the egg on the floor without it breaking. The first couple to successfully place the egg on the ground without so much as a crack in it is the winner.
• Belly Burst - Everyone must divide into random pairs. Each couple has to hold a balloon between their stomachs. The couple who is able to burst the balloon first using only their stomachs is the winner.
• Of course, there is always the traditional potato sack races, balloon toss, tag and backyard baseball. Badminton, croquet, Frisbee and horseshoes, while seemingly usual, are all actually great ways for people to relax, socialize and be outside.

Check out more Summer Party Games for more great ideas!

Barbecue Party Favors
Send your guests home with something that reminds them of the blast they had at your barbeque:

• Some of the most popular favor ideas for a barbecue party are items that glow. Barbecues begin in the daylight but usually last well into the evening. Everyone loves to walk around the party with a variety of body parts glowing so hand out glow jewlery.
• Plastic pinwheels, beach balls, plastic foam plane gliders, yo-yos, kites, bubbles, jump ropes, outdoor chalk and water toys are great favors for kids.
• Personalized soda bottles, BBQ sauce, BBQ tools or outdoor mugs are all useful and appreciated by adults.