Festival Themed Party
A festival-inspired party is a great way to celebrate a milestone birthday with friends and family. Here are my top tips for creating that feel-good atmosphere without the hassle!
1: Outdoor setting
The obvious place for this type of party would be your own garden, but not everyone is lucky enough to have one. However, these days there are lots of outdoor venues you can hire for this type of event. Search for ‘outdoor venue hire near me’ or there are even websites where you can see advertised gardens like ‘Borrow My Garden’ where you can search by region and postcode. The listings will tell you what is available on site and whether you can have tipis, tents and camping etc.
If the venue doesn’t have it’s own power available, you may need to consider hiring a generator, so do ask the owner if they have any recommendations or alternatively try The Powerline, who offer generator hire for weddings and parties, and they can supply lighting and audio too.
2: Shelter
With the British weather being rather unpredictable, some sort of shelter is a must. Depending on your budget, you might want to opt for a simple party tent or two, but if you can stretch a bit further, something more substantial will serve not only as a great place to shelter from the rain but will add to the overall ambience. The list of options is huge these days with everything from stretch tents and traditional marquees to star shelters and even vintage army tents. Some of my favourites include:
Stretch & Tents Marquees of Woburn Vintage Marquees Vintage Army Tents
3. Colourful decor
Use bright and bold colours to create a festive atmosphere. You can use colourful bunting, pom-poms and lanterns to add pops of colour throughout the venue. Our streamer aerials can look amazing in a marquee or tent and our streamer arches and backdrops can create the perfect entrance or backdrop for your event.
4. Festival flags
Use festival flags to create a whimsical and festive atmosphere. You can use a mix of colourful flags or make your own custom flags with the guest of honour’s name or birthday message.
If you have the budget, The Event Flag Hire Company will bring the real deal to a field near you, but there are other options to be hire, such as our streamer flags, that can bring a great pop of colour on a more modest budget.
A cheap and easy DIY option is to create windsock flags that can hang from trees or poles out of a small embroidery or floristry hoop, available on Amazon or eBay, and simply tie ribbons or paper streamers to them that can blow in the breeze.
5. Vintage furniture
Use vintage furniture to create a relaxed and comfortable seating area. You can use vintage sofas, chairs, and tables to create a cosy lounge area for guests. We have a variety of styles to create that eclectic festival feel.
If you can get hold of them, folding beer tables and benches, wooden crates and hay bales are also great, but don’t forget some blankets or cushions to make them more comfortable and stop hay from getting on everyone’s clothes! We have lots of options over on our furniture hire catalogue.
6. Lighting
Use festoon lighting, lanterns, and candles to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. You can also use fairy lights to add a magical touch. These can be hired in (we have up to 120m of connectable fairy lights available) and if you don’t have trees to hand them from you can get specific poles to do the job.
7. Music
This is obviously the big one when it comes to creating that festival atmosphere. If you can afford a live band or a DJ to create a festival vibe, that would be amazing, and of course, they usually bring all their own equipment. There are plenty of festival parties that don’t go this route and playing a favourite playlist over Bluetooth speakers, or inviting friends to add their favourite tunes to a queue, can be a great way to get people more involved.
If you’re worried about noise and the neighbours, consider a silent disco, where you can rent headsets that will stream your chosen playlist, and many offer different channels so you can entertain the ravers and the disco lovers at the same time!
8: Food & Drink
You could go all out and hire a mobile bar and food trucks to create an authentic festival feel but there are lots of options that won’t stretch the budget quite so far.
It’s really easy to create a pop-up bar where guests can help themselves these days. Many breweries offer kegs you can purchase and set up on tables. Large glass dispensers can be filled with your favourite premixed drinks and don’t forget about offering something like a mocktail for those who aren’t drinking but don’t want another Diet Coke! You can get bio-degradable plastic cups made from corn starch or why not ask friends to bring their own along to reduce the waste even further. Large tubs of ice will help to keep drinks cold and an insulated cool box can be on hand for topping up.
When it comes to food, something that can be prepared in advance and allows guests to help themselves is always going to be a winner. For me something like a chilli station, with both meat and vegetarian options is perfect. You can prepare the chilli in advance and then defrost and reheat it on the day. Places like Costco even sell pre-made chilli in extra large cans for catering, so you don’t even have to make it if you’re pushed for time and freezer space. If you can get hold of some slow cookers or chaffing dishes, these will help to keep everything nice and hot too. You could serve rice or make things even simpler with wraps or tortillas. Some sour cream, salsa, guacamole and cheese to top things off and everyone will be able to find their perfect combo. Ooh, and don’t forget extra jalapenos for those who might want an extra kick! Stack some biodegradable paper plates, cutlery and napkins and people can serve themselves, allowing you to enjoy the party knowing your guests will be well fed.
Remember, the key to a successful festival-inspired party is to create a relaxed and fun atmosphere and encourages all your guests to unwind and get into the party spirit.
