Beach Bash
(Complete with links to product and how-to information)
You pick the spot--beachside, poolside, or living room--here's the perfect plan for some surfside fun.
Invitation Ideas
Find a mini-surfboard and put your invitation copy on the board.
Write the invitation wording on a toy sand shovel or attach the copy to its handle.
Sending a "message-in-a-bottle" invitation is perfect for this beach blast. Write the party particulars on a 5" x 7" sheet of beach-patterned paper, roll up and tie with a ribbon. Insert into a recycled, plastic soda bottle with a few seashells, sand, and a tropical drink paper umbrella Decorate the bottle with themed stickers, attach a mailing label and take to your post office to mail. (Note: Send one to yourself first to judge its condition and to determine length of time it takes to arrive.)
Pen your invitation in permanent marker on a beach ball and send uninflated for an invitation they'll take with them to your party.
Write your invitation on a colorful sun visor and mail in a cushioned envelope or box.
Pen the party particulars on a pair of oversized sunglasses .
For instant parties buy ready-made invites on special.
Encourage your guests to come in beach attire.
Entertainment
Check your music store or library for theme collections of beach-based rock and roll music --the Beach Boys love parties.
Rent or buy a couple of videos like “The Endless Summer,” “Jaws,” the Frankie and Annette beach movies, or “Gidget” films. You can show them with or without the sound.
If you can have the party outside, play volleyball or badminton. Limbo contests are fun even if you’re not limber.
See how long you can toss a beach ball around before someone drops it.
If you’re on the beach, invite your friends to make sand sculptures or get everyone together to make a huge sandcastle.
You also can contact a gardening supply store to deliver a pile of sand to your backyard for sand castles. After the party, simply spread the sand throughout your garden or put into a child's wading pool for their beach-based fun at home.
If at a pool, hold contests to see who can swim the fastest or hold their breath the longest.
Another fun pool activity is to "salvage" for "sunken" treasure. Place a couple of objects at the bottom of the pool and let your guests loose to try to retrieve them in the shortest time. (CAUTION: Don't try to put too many people in the pool at the same time to get an object. They may hurt themselves underwater.) If you do this as a nighttime activity, do not put on the pool lights. Let guests try to find objects in the dark. Give each guest a set period of time and blow a whistle when it's time for them to re-surface.
Provide arts and crafts supplies and let guests decorate their own sun glasses or visor.
Let the kids take target practice with squirting fish to see if they can shoot into the middle of a round life preserver floating in your pool.
Have everyone take a whack at a fishy pinăta filled with prizes geared to your group's ages.
When the party heats up, help your guests keep their cool with a battery-powered or floral hand fan .
Capture your beach bums or bunnies in their waterside attire in an instant Polaroid or Digital photo, presented in a decorative frame.
Decor
If the party is indoors, replace normal seating with beach and lounge chairs. Set blankets, straw mats, and beach towels around for additional seating.
Dress your guests in neon colored beachcomber hats to make them part of the decor and put them in a beach party mood.
Want to bring in some light on a rainy party day when the party's forced inside? Make it brightly lit indoors by replacing low wattage lights with 100 to 200 watt yellow bulbs for a sunny glow. (Make sure your lampshade and lamp is rated to hold a high-wattage bulb.)
Hang an oversized "sun" to shine down on your guests.
Have a sun lamp? Set it near a lounge chair so friends can catch “a couple of rays.” (Caution your friends to limit any exposure by placing a timer near the seat to avoid burns.)
Spread fishnets over tables and large furniture pieces.
Display your collection of seashells from trips to the beach.
Tie "flying fishes" to your ceiling fan.
Use straw mats or beach towels as tablecloths. (Straw matchstick blinds will work in a pinch.) Or decorate your buffet with bright beachy themed paper products .
Suspend large kites from the ceiling or ceiling fan set on low for color and a touch of the beach.
Place inflatable beach toys around the room.
Put your beach (or golf) umbrella in a large brightly-painted bucket of sand on your table. Hang swimsuits from the spokes as your centerpiece.
Mix shredded blue and green mylar shred strips together. Place around food dishes and props to give the illusion of water.
If it’s legal in your area, make a giant bonfire.
If the party is held outside, torches add a wonderful glow to and evening event.
Refreshments and Serving Ideas
Steam, boil, broil or bake lobsters, clams and/or crabs.
Cook a large pot of your favorite chowder and serve with oyster crackers.
Serve raw clams and cocktail sauce (Combine ketchup, horseradish and lemon juice to taste.)
Have a weenie roast.
Nestle fake lobsters and crabs into your beach buffet.
Serve “shrimp on the barbie” or traditional shrimp cocktail.
Serve snacks in a clever beach design appetizer tray.
Barbecue chicken, or serve it fried and cold.
Fill a child’s pool with ice, and chill your favorite beverages in it.
A sand pail makes a cute wine bucket too!
In addition to the usual assortment of alcoholic spirits and wine coolers, get a book on drink mixes and look up the recipes for beach-themed drinks such as, a Seabreeze, Sex on the Beach, or Tahitian Breeze. Click HERE for free drink recipes.
Use colorful coils as napkin rings.
Serve goldfish-shaped crackers in a goldfish bowl.
Have a surfboard? Mount on two sawhorses and use as a table.
Use sand pails as food containers and beach tools as serving pieces.
Roast marshmallows over a campfire, grill, fireplace, or hibachi.
Serve dry snacks in overturned beachcomber straw hats .
Party Favors/Prizes
Sunglasses in a variety of styles.
Sunscreen and tanning lotion.
Kites
Water-resistant beach safes
Beach towels
Instant Photos in hand-decorated photo folders
Beach bags and backpacks
Beach-themed keychains
Sun visors guests have decorated.
Copy of Beach Party original version.
NOTE: The products we mention in this plan go in and out of stock quickly so some that you link to may be sold out. If you have any requests please contact us and we will try to help you find them.
Total Beach Party Goods Here Beach Party
For a full range of party supplies for every theme and occasion visit the companies below:
Plum Party is another great site for great Beach Party Goods
Directory of Kid's Party Themes
Visit the PartyPlansPlus.com catalog for books, reports, and products to give your party plans a boost. Or want to track down the absolute perfect book for your event? Check out our Best Party Planning Books Page.
To get on the PartyPlansPlus.com mailing list for our FREE newsletter, simply enter your e-mail address below. Use your back button to return to this page. Periodically you will receive news and announcements about the latest in the world of parties and celebrations.
