From a “Tacky Tourist Costume Party” to a “Sunshine and Sunflowers Party,” check out these 25 unique summer party ideas for a fun-filled summer celebration!
With plenty of sunshine, summer is the perfect time to gather with friends and family to celebrate the season. From pool parties to ice cream socials, the warm weather lets you enjoy activities that just aren’t possible in winter. If you’re planning a summer party this year and want something beyond the usual pool party, check out these creative summer party ideas.
Summer Party Ideas
1. Summer Camp Themed Party
Summer is synonymous with summer camp for kids, and no matter your age, you can recreate a fun summer camp themed party that will bring out your inner child! To bring this party to life, host it outdoors with a variety of classic camp games, serve sandwiches, and simply enjoy a fun time in the sun.
2. Strawberry Themed Party
Summer is peak strawberry season, making it the perfect time to show you’re “berry” in love with the season with an adorable strawberry-themed party. Decorate with red and strawberry-inspired decorations, and incorporate fresh strawberries into your party menu.
3. Tacky Tourist Costume Party
Summertime is also peak travel and vacation season, so why not put a playful twist on it with a tacky tourist costume party? Invite your guests to dress in over-the-top, cheesy tourist outfits to really bring the theme to life.
For a full breakdown on how to plan a tacky tourist costume party, check out the link below!
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4. Couch Potato Party
If you’re looking for a relaxed, chill, and creative party theme, consider a couch potato party. As the name suggests, this theme revolves around being a couch potato. Invite your friends over to binge-watch a TV series or movie, and just lounge and relax on the couch.
Serve classic “couch potato” snacks like chips and soda. Or take inspiration from the theme by offering a potato-themed menu, with dishes like loaded French fries and baked potatoes.
5. Ice Cream Social
Ice cream is a classic treat especially in the summer. Whether you host a full blown ice cream party or a more casual and chill ice cream social, this party is sure to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.
RELATED: 22 Ice Cream Party Ideas for a Sweet Celebration
6. Cherry Themed Party
Cherry red is a trending color this year, and cherries are also in season during summer—making it the perfect time for a cherry-themed party. Embrace the trend and the season by decorating with deep red cherry hues, adding cute cherry themed decor, and most importantly, serving cherry-inspired food and drinks on your party menu.
7. Fisherman Themed Party
Another trending element for this year is the fisherman aesthetic. It is exactly what it sounds like and draws inspiration from the sea and classic fisherman elements. Bring this party theme to life by decorating with stripes, incorporating fishnets and ocean-themed posters, and serving seafood dishes like seafood boils and fish tacos.
RELATED: 22 Trending Fisherman Aesthetic Party Ideas
8. Sunshine and Sunflower Party
A sunshine and sunflower party theme is a super cute way to celebrate summer by combining two of its best elements—sunshine and in-season sunflowers. Decorate with plenty of sunflowers, yellow and orange decor, and host the party outdoors to fully embrace the “sunshine” vibe.
9. Golden Hour Backyard Dinner Party
There’s something magical about summer sunsets, making them the perfect backdrop for a golden hour backyard dinner party. Guests can enjoy the warm glow and snap some cute pictures!
You can set up this dinner party in two ways:
- Serve the meal an hour or two before sunset so guests can finish eating and then take pictures as the sun goes down.
- Let guests take pictures first during sunset and serve the meal afterward. If you choose this option, be sure to have plenty of outdoor lighting, as it will get dark once the sun sets.
10. Doppelgänger Themed Party
For a doppelgänger-themed party, invite your guests to dress up as a celebrity or famous person they resemble. At the party, everyone can guess who each person is dressed as, making it a fun and interactive game!
11. Summer Potluck Party
Host a summer potluck party where guests can get creative with their dishes! Try fun themes like bringing a dish that starts with the first letter of your name or a color-themed potluck. For easy ideas on how to theme your potluck, check out the link below!
RELATED: Fun Potluck Themes to Spice up Your Gathering
12. Disney Channel Original Movie Night
Another great summer party idea is hosting a Disney Channel original movie night. As a child, I remember the excitement and all of the commercials leading up to Disney Channel movie premieres—it always felt like a big event.
Recreate that fun by hosting your own nostalgic movie night! Choose a Disney original movie, grab your snacks, blankets, and have a super cozy and laid-back event.
13. Book Club Party
You and your friends read a book over the summer, then have a party where you can come together to discuss it—dissect the plot, share your favorite parts, and dive into the details.
Plus, a book club party is perfect if you want to add reading to your summer bucket list but need a little extra incentive to get started!
Fun Summer Party Ideas
14. Christmas in July Party
Fa la la la la! Bring the Christmas vibes into summer with a Christmas in July-themed party. This is perfect if you’re excited for the holiday season and need a break from the summer heat.
Plus, this party theme is a creative way to put a fun twist on classic Christmas elements. For example, swap an ugly sweater party for an ugly T-shirt party, trade hot cocoa for iced cocoa, and replace Christmas ham with Canadian bacon pizza.
For a full list of Christmas in July party ideas, check out the link below!
RELATED: 15 Epic Ideas for a Christmas in July Party Theme
15. Pink Disco Party
A pink disco is a fun, colorful twist on the classic silver disco-themed party. Decorate with pink accents, disco balls, and plenty of glittery decorations, and encourage your guests to dress in glittery or pink inspired outfits.
16. Garden Party
If you’re looking for a great backyard party idea that is super elegant consider a garden party. Host this party in the early morning when the sun isn’t as high. Decorate with plenty of flowers, and even incorporate edible flowers into your menu. Have your guests wear cute floral-inspired outfits, and for a fun activity, set up a floral bar where they can create their own floral arrangements.
RELATED: 26 Garden Party Ideas for Outdoor Entertaining
17. Movie Night Party
Host a classic indoor movie night for a relaxed summer party. If you want to elevate it a bit, decorate your space based on the movie you’re watching and create themed snacks that match the film.
18. Summer Dinner Party
A dinner party is a fun and relaxed hosting idea. Invite your guests over for dinner and enjoy the laid-back nature of sitting at a table, having great conversations, and eating delicious food.
19. Carnival Themed Party
Bring the fairground vibes to your party with a carnival-themed celebration. Set up DIY versions of popular carnival games like cup knock down and ring toss. To complete the theme, serve fair-inspired foods such as corn dogs, fried Oreos, and cotton candy.
RELATED: 30 Carnival Theme Party Ideas
20. Summer Fiesta
Host a summer fiesta with Latin-inspired elements, including colorful decorations, fun Latin music, and a Latin-inspired menu.
21. Tropical Party
Bring the vacation vibes to your home with a tropical-themed party! Play Caribbean and tropical-themed songs, incorporate plenty of fruits into your party menu, and include fun games like limbo to truly capture that tropical vacation feel.
RELATED: The Best Tropical Party Ideas
22. Paint and Sip Party
A paint and sip party is a fun and creative way to tap into everyone’s artistic side. From painting canvases to flower pots or even customizing tote bags, this party theme is perfect for exploring everyone’s creativity while enjoying a relaxed atmosphere.
RELATED: Creative Paint and Sip Party Ideas
23. Cupcake Decorating Party
Prepare some cupcakes ahead of time, set out frosting, sprinkles, and other toppings, and host a cupcake decorating party. This is another fun, hands-on, and artsy party where guests can get creative and design their own sweet treats.
24. Karaoke Party
Next on the list of summer party ideas, is a karaoke party! Encourage your guests to sing their hearts out at this fun musical party. To make it even more exciting, have a singing competition. Hand out cool prizes to make it even more fun and to give everyone something to compete for.
25. Iced Tea Party
Ditch the hot tea and host an iced tea party perfect for the summer heat. Serve your iced tea drinks in cute glassware instead of tea cups. Offer tea sandwiches, pastries, and encourage guests to wear cute floral or pastel outfits to complete the look. Decorate the table with a beautiful tablecloth and fresh flowers, and you’re all set!
