Summertime offers many things; but few of those things are as enjoyable as a delicious and delightful BBQ. The sunshine streaming combined with the satiating smell of the sizzling grill brings with it an appeal that’s hard to resist. With the incredible fall weather we’ve been having in Calgary, those summer BBQs aren’t over yet!
If you want to make your next BBQ the “talk of the town” amongst your friends and family, then be sure to take advantage of these 6 simple tips.
1.Load Up Your Playlist
Music sets the tone in pretty much any environment, and this is especially true when it comes to BBQs. Think about it; everyone is there to catch up with each other, have a few drinks, enjoy some delicious food, and just generally have a good time. The moment you plug the tunes in is the exact moment the mood of the room will begin to elevate. Now, you don’t need to blast the volume and annoy your neighbors, just some light background music to set an upbeat tone will be sufficient.
2.Keep the Menu Casual
You don’t need to go overboard with the menu. Keeping it simple and straightforward will allow you to remain sane while you’re on the grill. Trying to cook a plethora of different meals while entertaining guests is not going to be good for either of those tasks. A good rule of thumb is to have maybe two meat options such as burgers and chicken, or possibly hot dogs and sausages and then have a couple of fixings on the side. Potato salad and coleslaw are usually some pretty popular options.
Entertaining and catching up with guests can prove to be difficult when your focus is split between conversing, cooking, and making sure everyone is taken care of. If you want to ease the stress, a great alternative is casual catering that brings the BBQ to you. You’re free to sit back, enjoy, and be truly present!
3.Have Enough Seats
Be sure that you know how many guests will be attending your BBQ. It can be a frustrating experience trying to juggle a plate of food with a conversation while being forced to stand due to a lack of adequate seating. Don’t do your guests dirty like that! Pull out all the stops if you have to; the lawn chairs, camping chairs, beach chairs — whatever you have at your disposal, make it available for your visitors.
4.Replenish the Bar
Good hosts never let their guests become parched at their BBQs. Whether it’s alcohol, hard liquor, juice, soda, or plain water, be sure that your fridge or cooler are stocked full of refreshments. Also, you’ll want to calculate a rough ballpark of how many drinks will be needed based on the number of guests who will be attending. Nothing is worse than running out of drinks half way through the evening because you didn’t properly prepare beforehand — don’t be that guy!
5.Entertainment
A little entertainment goes a long way at any hosting event, but especially during a BBQ simply because of the additional effort. To host, cook, and set the tone for your guests is all great! But those are kind of the standard, the bare minimum requirements of hosting a BBQ. If you really want to take it up a notch and truly create an experience for your guests that they won’t forget, try incorporating some form of entertainment. Maybe a portion of the evening can be booked for salsa dancing, or you can dust off that old guitar and serenade your visitors, or have some games set up for people to play — get creative with it!
6.A Bonfire
Having a fire burning during your BBQ will bring people together and keep your guests warm during the cooler fall nights. There’s something primal about fires that draws us in and engages our attention. If you set up a fire in your backyard — like moths to a flame — it will become a centerpiece where people will congregate to conversate.