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You are here: Home / Cool Things / Happy July 4th: Hosting a Stars and Stripes Party

Happy July 4th: Hosting a Stars and Stripes Party

June 25, 2018 By Donna Biroczky Leave a Comment

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stars and stripes party

Every year, we are one of the hosts of a neighborhood block party. Now, we live on a cul-de-sac, so it’s not a huge block party but with all the kids and extended family members and a few special friends that show up, we have a pretty good crowd. It’s a bunch of fun people who like to eat, try new beverages and light a few legal fireworks. Everyone enjoys good conversation, delicious themed food and there are a lot of laughs from start to finish.

Because it’s a once-a-year deal, we like to make it special. This means a menu that’s planned in advance and decor to suit the occasion: stars and stripes, perfect for a stars and stripes party!

But, since it’s an annual thing, the pressure goes up each time to make sure it’s unique and distinct from the year before. While we can come up with varying red, white and blue foods, desserts and cocktails, we have to ramp up the decorations. We can’t just do any plastic plates and utensils, but we have to really make sure that our serving ware befits the importance of the holiday celebration, the playlist is as festive as possible and each person immediately gets the stars and stripes party feel as soon as they walk in the door….or cul-de-sac!

This is where Wayfair comes in to play. Wayfair.com is loaded with entertainment, decor and home goods designed to help you create any atmosphere that you aim for, including July 4th. As a thanks for sharing this website with you, Wayfair compensated me but the words here are my own. (The pictures, however, are theirs! We are up to our necks in prep for a special event next week and I can’t decorate yet!)

Our party is held primarily outside, with a series of rectangular tables, a couple of portable canopies and one or two grills. Some of the food is created inside, but other than some drink refill stations and restrooms, we’re outside for the duration. We play cornhole, horseshoes, do silly things with three-wheel scooters and play with water balloons. It’s always a blast…and of course, the balloons are red, white and blue!

I have a vision of what this year’s affair will look like — this stars and stripes party will be the best one yet! Red, white and blue stars and stripes will adorn every table, each buffet, and even the games will be color-coordinated. From glasses to utensils to the lighting, it’s stars and strips everywhere!

This American Flag Cotton Table Runner fits both the stars and the stripes criteria. It’s also durable enough to withstand the breezes we typically get, and any melted ice cream spills. (This year, we’re serving wine slushies!)

stars and stripes party

To help anchor the table runners and carry some items back and forth to the house, this Two Piece Tin Star Bucket Set will be split between two of the tables. They are 9″ deep, so I’m thinking one will be used for the water bucket to put out the used fireworks. (Only ground fireworks and sparklers are legal here, so we always keep a couple of buckets on hand for safety.)

stars and stripes party

And those wine slushies I mentioned? They will look FAB in these stemless wine glasses that sport patriotic phrases.

stars and stripes party

In the spirit of a July 4th parade, the party wouldn’t be complete without some bunting. We usually hang it from the front of our garage, since that’s our place of entry for the festivities. Our house has a weird front door and we want to discourage people from going to that door, as no one will hear them to let them in! These 3′ x 6′ polyester buntings will create an unavoidable doorway to the beverages and bathrooms, two really important party ingredients, right?

stars and stripes party

To help line the sidewalk and keep it safe once the sun sets, these American Luminaria Bags will keep people on the right path and still provide a glowing stars and stripes look.

stars and stripes party

Food serving is easy, with the help of some inexpensive red, white and blue round and rectangle plastic trays I’ve already purchased. Something inevitably gets dropped so we try to cut back on the possibility of injuries from broken glass. This year, I want to add in these Patriotic Stars and Stripes Food Trays, which come in a pack of 50. These would be especially fun for the kids, but who wouldn’t want to eat their party snacks or hot dog out of one of these trays?

stars and stripes party

I typically make sangria, which I may not do this year because of the wine slushies — too much alcohol in the hot sun isn’t always good — so I’m thinking of making either a fancy iced tea or mint- or fruit-infused water to go in the beverage cooler. This 192 oz. blue dispenser fits right in with the color scheme and even cooler, you can buy multiples, because in the interest of space, they stack!

stars and stripes party

Each year, at every holiday, I try to add one extra thing, something no one else has done, something that makes people say “WOW, I wish I had done that!” We’re known for hosting stellar parties, and it can be hard to live up to the hype without breaking the bank. This year, people are going to rave about this amazing Patriotic Stars and Stripes Inflatable Cooler. Isn’t it pretty amazing? And it’s a great conversation starter, because it is big enough to hold juice boxes, soda cans or beer bottles, ensuring everyone at the party is going to revisit it all day long.

stars and stripes party

And because everyone loves to take selfies or other similar party photos, I am SO getting this Uncle Sam Photo Prop. For only $9.99, it’s totally worth it for the entertainment value!

stars and stripes party

Whether you do a full blown stars and stripes party complete with a firework finale, or you just get takeout and listen to the fireworks exploding from your livingroom, enjoy the holiday and stay safe! (And I’ll share some goofy Uncle Sam selfies later!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I’m Donna, and I’m not a mommy blogger.
I’m a Gen X mom of four, a Marvel geek and creator of Dangerous Cupcake, a Southern California lifestyle blog dedicated to life after the kids grow up. As my kids enter different stages of their lives, I get to do the same, having fun, loving Disney, watching Marvel, and not letting my age define anything. Phase 2 of life is pretty amazing, and midlife isn’t a bad word. Join me in changing focus and enjoying life during our next adventure, without totally starting over. However you do it, life is short, live a little dangerously.
Donna@DangerousCupcakeLifestyle.com

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Out here in Rancho Cucamonga, there are a lot of h Out here in Rancho Cucamonga, there are a lot of hidden gems for foodies. One of them is the Haven City Market, and my favorite place to eat there is Belly & Snout. Not only were they on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, but they are a main stay of the market with their Filipino-inspired take on American comfort food. Their grilled cheese sandwiches are AH-mazing, but I prefer their bowls.

This pic shows you what my pork belly bowl looked like. Pork belly sits on a bed of fluffy jasmine rice, along with garlic chili aioli, red radishes, green onion and just the right amount of pickled red onion. The pork is perfectly cooked, with a bit of a crisp and rendering of the fat that melts in your mouth. I get it every time!

Steve got the pork belly grilled cheese, made of almost the same ingredients but sandwiched between bread and covered with pepper jack cheese. SO good. 

And of course, if you get spicy food of any realm, you need to get a drink from Native Son bar. The drink you see in this pic is the Rancho Water, made with tequila, passion fruit and citrus…and it’s just sparkly enough to be absolutely refreshing. (I easily drank more than one of these babies. They don’t taste strong, but drink responsibly; good bevs like this sneak up on you!) 

We love to try fancy new restaurants near and far, but sometimes, hanging around close to home is just what we need. Short car ride, casual clothes, fun environment we know we'll enjoy...it's perfect for the kind of weeks we've had lately. Whatever your mood, head over to the market, get your beverage, grab your food, and take it all outside amongst some trees on the green or on a table in the shade. We’ll be back for more….soon!

@havencitymarket @nativesonie @bellynsnout #havencitymarket #ranchocucamonga #inlandempirefood #inlandempire #iefoodie #bellyandsnout #cocktails #porkbelly #filipinofood #comfortfood #ranchofoodies #nativeson #dinersdriveinsanddives @foodnetwork #foodnetwork @guyfieri @dinersdriveins #ranchwater #ranchowater #tequila #grilledcheese #ranchocucamongafoodie @gorestaurantwk #foodblogger #foodblog
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@disneyparks @disneyland #disney #disneyland #thor #loki #avengers #marvel #avengerscampus #disneycaliforniaadventure #disneycalifornia #disneyhalloween #disneyhalloweentime #halloweenatdisney #magickeyholder #godofthunder #godofmischief #marvelavengers #disneymom #disneycreator @marvel #carthaycircle #lokiears #mjolnir #purplehair @converse #midlife
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Our cabin was from New Spirit Vacation Homes but there are so many to choose from. (And we’d definitely stay in the same cabin again!) Prices change throughout the seasons, but it’s a relatively easy drive that took us about 35 minutes from the 10/60 freeways. If you go during the winter, you will need an appropriate vehicle and probably chains; check your cabin’s driveway, too, as some are precarious if you’re not used to it. We have an 4x4 and would love to see the city during the Christmas season!

Put Idyllwild on your list of places to check out for your next mini-vacation!

#idyllwild #idyllwildcalifornia #pinecove #idyllwildca @idyllwildbrewpub #idyllwildbrewpub #oktoberfest @newspiritvacationhomes #travel #midlifetravel #midlife #travelblog #travelblogger #blogger #californiatravel #californiatrip #visitidyllwild #socaltravels #explorecalifornia #californiadestinations #hikecalifornia #sanjacintomountains #sanjacinto #shopidyllwild
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It’s a family-friendly venue with room to eat with your family while your kids can play in the grass, but if you’re there on a date or without the kids, there is adults-only seating in the bar area as well. They also host a lot of trivia nights during the week, so check out their calendar (via their Instagram, which I’ve linked below) and make some plans to go visit soon!

@havencitymarket @unidosporlamusica_ @musictreeschools #havencitymarket #havencity #mexicanindependenceday #nationalhispanicheritagemonth #balletfolklorico #mexicandance #ranchocucamonga #ranchocucamongafoodie #ranchofoodies #inlandempire #theie #ie #tequila @bellynsnout #bellyandsnout #cocktails #inlandempirefood
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#ZakPartner @zakdesigns #zakdesigns #StainlessSteel #Tumblers #Hydration #Coffee #CoffeeTumbler #StayHydrated #DrinkWater #Coffee #StayCaffeinated #Caffeine #tumbler #tumblersofinstagram #drinkcoffee #drinkcoffeedostuff #yoga #cupholder #togomug #togocup #everydaysmiles #midlifewomen #midlife #skincare #wellness
I saw Jack and Sally yesterday, so now it is offic I saw Jack and Sally yesterday, so now it is officially the Halloween season. The line was a little long, I had a Haunted Mansion Lightning Lane reservation at the same time but it was so worth the wait to see these two favorites! And I still made it on the ride…which had actually broken down and I had to wait but that’s what churros are for. The list of Halloween foods to try is long, but learn from my mistake and place your mobile order early. That pumpkin chai dessert will have to wait until I go again in two weeks. Bring on all the spooky stuff! 

@disneyland #disneyland #disney #halloween #jackandsally #jackskellington #nightmarebeforechristmas #disneyhalloween #magickeyholder #magickey #hauntedmansion #jackskellingtonandsally #disneyhalloweentime #disneycalifornia #disneygram #disneyfan #disneycreator #thisishalloween #mickeyears
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