If you wish to have friends and neighbors come to your home for a festive party, consider hosting a summer kick-off event, luau style. This theme will sure to be a hit with young and old alike, and you may find you wish to continue the tradition in hosting the same theme in subsequent years. Here are some ideas you can use when hosting a luau in your backyard to celebrate the beginning of summer.
Create The Atmosphere
Before your guests arrive, decorate your backyard to make it feel like a tropical paradise. Place several tiki torches in the ground around the perimeter of your yard to keep insects away. Hang colored paper lanterns from trees to help give the area a splash of color. Have a compact disc player hooked up to speakers playing some Hawaiian and beach tunes for your guests to enjoy throughout the event.
Dress The Part
Purchase several pairs of flip-flops from a discount store in your area. Hot glue a tropical flower on the thong portion of each shoe. You can also purchase leis and grass skirts if you desire. Place these items on a table near the entrance to the party area. Place a mat on the ground to hold everyone's shoes should they decide to slip into a pair of tropical sandals for the event. Getting dressed up with put everyone into a festive spirit and will make for some great pictures as well.
Make Tasty Foods
Consider having your event catered by a service that specializes in Hawaiian cuisine. They will have a variety of tropical foods for your guests to sample as well as old favorites guests turn to for comfort. The catering table can be dressed up with a grass skirt around the perimeter, signifying where to line up for some delicious treats. Talk to a company like Marians Island Wide Catering for more help.
If you wish to make a few dishes yourself, offer grilled shrimp skewers with pineapples and limes, grilled mahi mahi, or pork and pineapple mini subs. Make a fruit platter including tropical favorites like pineapple, mango, and coconut. Make sure to whip up a batch of mai tais for guests who want alcoholic beverages. You can also make a volcano cake to enjoy for dessert!
Enjoy Some Games
One great game to play at a luau party is the limbo. Purchase a bamboo stick from a craft store or hardware store and have party guests line up to see if they can make their way under the pole while music plays. A conga line can also be formed at one part of the party to do a celebratory dance. Have each guest hold a coconut between their knees and see how far they can walk before it falls to the ground. Consider having a hula dancing or hula hoop contest as well.
