13 Easy Tips for a Star-Spangled Fourth of July Party

It’s nearly Independence Day and backyard barbecues are in full swing! We’ve talked grilling hacks already, so let’s set the scene for the rest of your Independence Day get-together. There’s no reason to go out and buy a carload of decorative items that you’ll only use once a year, so why not use what you’ve probably got around the house already to make some DIY magic? We’ve got 13 simple ideas for creating a star-spangled Fourth of July party your guests will love!

Painted Lawn Stars

Set the scene with a dressed-up lawn! Make stencils out of cardboard and spray paint stars on your lawn for creative decor you can just mow away after the fun is over. Make sure you buy construction-grade spray paint — it won’t kill the grass and can be sprayed upside-down.

No-Sew American Flag Photo Backdrop

Finally, a use for all the scrap fabric and ribbons in your crafting area! This easy backdrop takes less than 20 minutes to make and is seriously cute.

Easy Scrap Garland

If you’ve got extra longer pieces, tie them to a length of twine to create a simple shabby-chic garland that’ll look beautiful blowing in the wind.

Patriotic Popsicle Craft

The kids will love creating these “flags” with popsicle sticks, paint and stickers. Besides the clean and dry sticks, you’ll probably want to have sticks with the popsicles attached on-hand as well.

Lovely Luminaries

A few empty pickle jars, small flags, and twine come together for these gorgeous and festive luminaries. Mod-Podge miniature fabric or printed paper flags to the clean and dry jars, then nestle a tea light inside.

Yes, You Can Whip Up Easy Plasticware Holders

Chalk paint, meet emptied and cleaned cans. Add a little ribbon and you’re good to go!

..And Anything-Else Holders!

Ditto with upcycled Mason jars. Couldn’t be easier, and you can reuse them from year to year. Use them to display pinwheels, mini flags, sparklers, straws or whatever else needs wrangling on your table.

Super-Simple Place Settings

If you’ve still got extra Mason jars—enough for each place at the table—use them to craft cute placeholders! Wrap each guest’s flatware in a red or blue bandana napkin, then place inside the jar that’ll serve as their drinking glass.

Dreamy Daisy Decor

Use wild daisies or whatever else you’ve got blooming in your yard to create sweet, simple table decorations! Drop a little red or blue food coloring in the water for an instant effect—and if you leave them in long enough, the flowers will soak up the color themselves.

Hot Dog Station

Let your guests assemble their dawgs in style! Put together a station with different condiments, a display of toppings, and cute cardboard trays to put their meal together.

S’More Kits

Letting a big group of people make s’mores can get a little messy, but you can get a clean start when everything is already divided up and ready to go.

Let Your Fruit Flag Fly

At the end of the day, all you have to do is creatively (and patriotically) arrange your snacks to wow your guests. It looks like you spent way more time than you actually did, and it entices kids to reach for the fruit.

Star-Spangled Fruit Salad

Of course, bonus points are in order if you’ve sliced your watermelon into stars!

There you have it, folks–13 easy ways to jazz up your Fourth of July party with items that you’ve probably got around the house already. If you haven’t already made it out to our Fourth of July Sales Event, be sure to drop by our showroom at 7114 Maynardville Pike before it ends at close-of-business Saturday! Whatever your plans, we wish you and your family a safe and happy Independence Day!