How is it already time to start planning for Labor Day? Well, time seriously flies when you’re having fun in the sun all summer long!
But, fear not—we’ve got you covered with plenty of Labor Day party ideas, mouthwatering recipes and invitation recs so you can have a fun and stress-free party planning process.
Celebrate Labor Day with these BBQ and party ideas
From classic themes to fun food inspo, this guide will give you all the info you need to throw the ultimate end-of-summer Labor Day party or Labor Day BBQ for all of your friends and family.
To get you started, check out our expertly curated playlist of songs for Labor Day. Queue up these tunes while you browse for Labor Day invitations or wait ‘til party day to pump up the jams!
Backyard BBQ
Fire up the grill and host a backyard BBQ! Invite friends and family over for classic cookout eats like hamburgers and hot dogs and soak up the final days of summer. Browse our selection of outdoor fun and family gathering designs to find the perfect invitation for your BBQ.
Pool party
Make a splash with a pool party! Enjoy the fleeting days of warm weather with good friends, yummy eats and a dip in the pool. Browse invitations from our summer party and pool party sections to find a design that floats your boat!
White clothing party
You know the rules: no wearing white clothing after Labor Day! Don your favorite white garb one final time this summer with a white clothing party.
Coastal clambake
Looking to add a coastal twist to your Labor Day festivities? Why not host a clambake? Pick up oodles of fresh seafood from the market, gather your friends and family and get ready to totally chow down!
End-of-summer movie night
Grab a projector like this one and stream summertime classics (our personal faves are Mamma Mia and The Parent Trap). Set up a snack table with popcorn, candy and fruit for easy grazing.
Grilled chicken with BBQ sauce
A Labor Day BBQ wouldn't be complete without some finger-licking grilled chicken slathered in tangy BBQ sauce. Marinate chicken breasts in your favorite sauce overnight, then grill them to perfection at your party. Serve with a side of corn for a classic summer plate.
Pasta salads
Whip up some vibrant and refreshing pasta salads that will please everyone's taste buds. Combine cooked pasta with a medley of colorful vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes, bell peppers and cucumbers. Toss with a zesty dressing and sprinkle with fresh herbs for a truly irresistible dish.
Grilled shrimp skewers
Elevate your BBQ with succulent grilled shrimp skewers! Marinate the shrimp in a mixture of garlic, lemon juice and olive oil, then thread them onto skewers and grill until they turn pink and slightly charred. It’s the perfect cookout option for seafood lovers and pescatarians alike!
Classic hot dogs
It wouldn't be a true Labor Day celebration without hot dogs. Set up a hot dog bar with an array of toppings such as sauerkraut, relish, mustard and ketchup. Your guests will have a blast creating their own hot dog masterpiece!
Potato salad
A BBQ staple, potato salad is a crowd-pleasing side that pairs perfectly with basically every cookout food. This classic potato salad recipe by Julia Turshen is perfect for any backyard bash. Toss boiled potatoes with a creamy dressing, chopped celery, red onions and a touch of Italian parsley. Chill before serving for a refreshing and comforting treat.
Side dishes
Okay, potato salad is totally a side dish, but it’s such a cookout staple we had to give it its own shoutout!
Now back to the side dish recs: consider serving corn on the cob, coleslaw, grilled veggies like zucchini or bell pepper or something fresh and colorful like cowboy caviar or a strawberry arugula salad.
Oh, and don’t forget the chips and dip! We love this cheffy guacamole with roasted chiles and this sour coconut cream ranch dip by James Beard Award winner Gregory Gourdet.
Ice cream!
No summer gathering is complete without something sweet to savor. Serve up scoops of ice cream in a variety of flavors and let your guests create their own sundaes with an assortment of toppings like chocolate sauce, caramel, nuts and sprinkles. It's a delightful way to end the summer on a sweet note. Pro tip: this recipe for unicorn ice cream cones will blow your guests away!
Drinks
Even though it’s coming to an end, summer (and its scorching heat) is not quite over yet. Make sure to keep your guests hydrated with plenty of refreshing beverages. In terms of non-alcoholic drinks, this cranberry pineapple lemonade recipe gives you a fun twist on a summertime classic. For alcoholic beverages, we love these easy big batch cocktail recipes.
Planning a Labor Day celebration doesn't have to be stressful. Take advantage of Evite’s easy-to-use online tools to create stunning personalized online invitations. Choose from a variety of Labor Day-themed designs, personalize your favorite one to your heart’s content, then send it out via email, text or shareable link! Sit back and relax as the RSVPs roll in. You can even add a poll to your invitation to get guests’ preferences on everything from food to movies to music!
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Choose Evite SignUp Sheets for the easiest, most streamlined way to get volunteers and signups for your next event!
Signup sheets are the perfect way to streamline scheduling, volunteer recruitment, class parties, snack duty, potluck organization, parent-teacher conferences and more! You can think of them as your digital assistant for coordinating events and tasks and ensuring that your event is a success.
Evite SignUp Sheets offers parents, teachers and event planners customizable online forms that organizers and volunteers can access and update effortlessly. Volunteers can choose their preferred time slots, sign up for tasks or indicate what they'll bring to the event. It only takes organizers a few minutes to create a signup sheet and send it out with a shareable link, so they can get the word out via text, email or social media—whichever way they prefer!
Long story short, signup sheets save everyone involved tons of time, avoid scheduling headaches and ensure everything runs smoothly before and during the event.
Creating a signup sheet has never been easier than with Evite! Here’s how to create a sheet that’s sure to make your event an absolute success:
When it comes to signup sheet information, there are some essentials to include regardless of what you’re organizing:
When adding your slot information, clearly define what people are signing up for, especially for a what-to-bring list or role assignments. If you want someone to bring healthy snacks for kids to enjoy after a game, specify that. You want your volunteers to feel confident in what they’re bringing and to make it easy for them to know what’s expected of them. It will save them time and stress (and you, too!). That being said, if you make your ask too specific (for example, asking for a hard-to-source item or something expensive), you may not end up with a volunteer for it. So be clear about what you expect, but also be reasonable!
Aside from providing the basic signup information, you can also add optional descriptions to both your entire signup sheet and individual slots. While not required, they can help guide your volunteers further and provide more information. You can add information about allergies, preferences and general info about the event. You can also add a wish list to make it easier for your volunteers to bring exactly what you need!
Signup sheet templates offer a ton of advantages for both organizers and volunteers and with Evite SignUp Sheets, you'll enjoy even more benefits than other digital and paper signup sheets! Some benefits our signup sheet templates offer include:
With Evite SignUp Sheets, you can enjoy organizing and coordinating all your events with ease. Signup sheets streamline the signup process for everyone involved, ensuring that everything will go to plan on the day of your event while saving you precious time in the process.