A typical Fourth of July party includes potato salad, hamburgers, hot dogs, and pasta salad with a touch of sprinklers thrown in for fun. Instead of the typical picnic foods Fourth of July party, throw a remarkable event your guests will talk about for years to come.
Fourth of July Recipes
Rather than the common potato salad and pasta recipes, include historical recipes in your Fourth of July feast. Beside each recipe, attach a fact card explaining where the recipe originated. Serve George Washington’s Cranberry Pudding, Senate Bean Soup, Mrs. Truman’s Mac and Cheese, and Mamie Eisenhower's Million Dollar Fudge.
Additionally, have guests create edible works of art from plain cupcakes or large sugar cookies. Near the activity station, place a tray of large cookies or unfrosted cupcakes. Next, position frosting, red, white, and blue sprinkles, and also tubes of red, white, and blue frosting beside the desserts. Also have on display a flag photograph for reference. Young visitors will enjoy painting on a miniature U.S. flag using the frosting tubes or fireworks displays using sprinkles onto the cupcakes before consuming.
Another food station idea guests will enjoy creating is the patriotic pizza station. Set out pre-cooked, homemade, mini pizza dough or buy precooked dough such as Boboli. Beside the crust, place bowls of tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, onions, and other assorted toppings, along with blue serving spoons.
July 4th Activities
To give your Fourth of July party a touch of culture as well as fun, print out a July 4th fact sheet to hand out to guests. The article 10 Surprising Facts about the Fourth of July explains how the Fourth of July “commemorates the formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.” It also instructs that “the American national anthem, the "Star-Spangled Banner," is set to the tune of an English drinking song ("To Anacreon in Heaven").”
In addition to fact sheets, offer younger visitors coloring pages with a patriotic theme. Young patriots will enjoy coloring in flag templates or even a Fourth of July fairy. Also have on hand a variety of craft items such as sparkly paints, patriotic stickers, and red, white, and blue ribbon.
Adding an educational yet fun touch to your July 4th event is as simple as printing up a variety of coloring pages and fact sheets. Throw in some do-it-yourself recipe ideas to keep guests occupied and it all adds up to a memorable Fourth of July party.
Linda Hatton - Linda Hatton has a BFA in Acting from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Her work has appeared in Rainy Days, The Writing on the Wall, on ...
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