Labor Day is one of those holidays that makes it hard to throw a themed party. There’s no specific color scheme, like Valentine’s Day, or set theme, like Halloween, to help you plan the celebration.
But there's a silver lining - the lack of established guidelines frees you up to do whatever you want! Here are a few fun theme ideas for a Labor Day party or BBQ:
Fun Fiesta
Everyone might be barbecued out with all the burgers, hot dogs, chips and random mayonnaise laden “salads” that serve as staple summer BBQ fare. So instead, why not turn your backyard into La Cantina? Hang up some chile pepper party lights and turn up the salsa tunes. Serve up fresh grilled chicken and steak on corn tortillas with a squirt of lime juice and a spoonful of salsa or guacamole. Have healthy sides of black beans and a cool quinoa salad. You can even bust out the margaritas and Coronas for a grown-up party. Most importantly, clear the patio for dancing! (Because as we all know, any decent fiesta has dancing.)
Potluck Party
While the obvious association with a potluck is that everyone brings a dish to the table, add a modern twist by having your friends bring a fun decoration, too. (But make sure this is somewhat planned ahead so you don’t end up with a billion tablecloths.) Best case scenario - you'll end up with some crazy decor, from a plastic Christmas tree, a jack-o-lantern, some graduation banners, and Valentine’s Day cards for all. To go with the eclectic theme, you might also have everyone send you their favorite song to create a playlist for the night. Enjoy the randomness and let loose for a night!
Career-Inspired Costumes
Have a costume party with a great theme: What did you want to grow up to be? Your guests can dress up as astronauts, ninjas, pirates, pilots, doctors, teachers, and so on. The food for this could be reminiscent of childhood, with your favorite brown bag lunch foods or lots of snacks! A party sub is a good way to get a sandwich for all with lots of veggies but without having to make individual sandwiches for everyone. Then, have guests bring veggies, fruits, chips, or cookies.
Game Night
Getting everyone together for a night of board games is always a fun way to spend an evening. Play silly games like Apples to Apples, Quelf, or Headbands. To maintain a focus on playing games and having fun, serve only finger foods and appetizers: cheese and crackers, veggies with dip, chips and salsa, Lil smokies, whatever you want. For an added level of excitement, you could turn it into a monthly thing and rotate hosting duties - with the next night hosted at the game loser's house.
Clam Bake
While this might not be a stretch for New Englanders, it’ll be a big change from many of the usual summer BBQs. If you’re living in the New England area, you know how to do it right. For the rest of us who don’t have access to authentic clam baking techniques, steam up some delicious clams, lobster, and crab and serve alongside sausage, potatoes, and corn on the cob. Have everyone dress in their most nautical attire, and decorate with nets, shells, anchors, and even lobster twinkle lights.
What are some of your favorite Labor Day party ideas?
