In July I was able to get away from things for a while to spend week in the mountains of Virginia with friends. Our days were filled with hikes on the trails, swims in the lake, off-roading, cooking for our small army, visiting mountain wineries, swinging into the river off of rope hung on trees, and kayaking for miles. We were having too much fun to plan anything beyond “Who has the cooler?” — which is the way vacation should be!
Now, the daily grind has got me wishing to be in the mountains again, just one last time before summer’s end!
So let’s plan a great end-of-summer party on those beautiful riverbanks…
a shady spot on the riverbank near Humpback Bridge
a secluded area off of the James River, where this awesome jumping tree was set up
Here are some suggestions for making summer’s last party a blast:
Even if it’s an outdoor party, why not dress it up a little? Throw a tablecloth over that picnic table and put comfortable cushions on the benches, and spread out a big blanket on the ground. Be sure to use lots of color in unbreakable dishware, lanterns and pots. Keep a huge cooler or tub on hand to ensure cold drinks. Buy cheap and easy decorations, like lanterns to hang from trees, or make your own party bunting and string it around your party.
Sources:
left column: beautiful lakeside picnic table setup from Country Living. cute, colorful slingback chairs from Country Living.
center column: decorative papers from Scrapbook.com. make your own party bunting tutorial at Craftblog or See Mommy Sew. seat cushion from Ikea.
right column: get colorful lanterns to hang on tree branches from Luna Bazaar. galvanized tub for drinks from CB2.
And don’t forget the party games! Here are some of our favorites:
(clockwise from top left)
lawn bowling image from Country Living. hammock image from Country Living. ladderball image from here. bocce image from here.
For more ideas on throwing your outdoor Labor Day party, Martha Stewart Home, Good Housekeeping, and Country Living are great resources.
Let us know what your end-of-summer party is like!
