How to Celebrate the Unofficial End of the Season with a Catered Summer Party
One of the most underrated summer holidays, Labor Day, is almost here, and what better way to celebrate than with one final catered summer party?
Labor Day is the symbolic end to summer, when kids will soon return to school (if they haven’t already). It’s a milestone that often focuses more on being sad that summer is over than it is a celebration.
For a change of pace this year, why not host a Labor Day party with the help of a NYC catering company? While Labor Day and catered summer party don’t often go hand-in-hand like Fourth of July, there’s no reason you can’t have one last celebration to end the summer in style.
Here are some unique ideas for how you can throw a memorable catered summer party with a NYC catering company.
Host a Clambake
Summer in the New York City area is all about seafood. So what better theme for a Labor Day party than food revolved around seafood?
A clambake is a social event, one that both kids and adults alike can enjoy. A good NYC catering company can help you host a clambake that won’t just wow your guests’ taste buds, but will surprise them with an impressive presentation as well.
The clambake at your catered summer party will be the hit of the summer. The NYC catering company can build an authentic clambake pit, fueled by wood and accented with wet seaweed to create a homemade outdoor grill of sorts.
In addition to delicious local clams and lobster, the clambake can include all the normal fixin’s – boiled potatoes, seasonal corn on the cob and even other seafood such as shrimp.
For the land lovers or vegetarians, simple grilled meats and vegetables could be the perfect accompaniment to your catered summer party.
Hire a Band to Play Live Music
No Labor Day party would be complete without some good music. Instead of hooking up the iPod to some speakers, though, try jazzing up your party by hiring a local band to play live music for your guests.
Your guests will love the added touch of live music that appeals to people of all ages. You can set up a temporary stage, or a designated place they can play, so the music doesn’t overtake the party. Also, consider setting up a dance floor or a place where people can get their bodies moving to the beat of the music.
If you know of a local band you can contact directly, that would be great. If you can’t, though, talk to your NYC catering company. They may have contacts for you through their extensive experience in helping to throw outstanding parties of all kinds.
Offer an Ice Cream Sundae Bar
Ice cream and summer are synonymous. So, pay homage to the pairing by having your NYC catering company set up a full-fledged ice cream sundae bar as the dessert feature of your catered summer party.
Guests young and old are sure to love customizing their delicious, cold dessert by choosing from a wide variety of ice cream flavors and toppings. You should offer the basic flavors of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla ice cream, but also consider adding more eclectic and creative flavor combinations, depending on where you get the ice cream from. Some examples could include blueberry ricotta, chocolate peanut butter, and salted caramel.
Sundae topping options should include all the requisite sauces (chocolate, caramel, marshmallow, etc.), candies, nuts, whipped cream and other accoutrements that one would expect at an ice cream stand.
For a special flair for your Labor Day party, see if your NYC catering company can partner with a local ice cream shop to provide the ice cream. This would be a great way to excite your local guests with a treat they are familiar with, and impress your out-of-town guests by showing them what you enjoy.
Watch a Movie Under the Stars
Your catered summer party doesn’t have to end when the sun goes down. In fact, the star of the show can happen once it gets dark.
Fireworks are the centerpiece of any good Fourth of July, but for your Labor Day party, you can have after-dark entertainment, too. To do this, host an outdoor movie under the stars.
You can rent a temporary outdoor movie projector or even purchase one for future use. Nowadays, there are even blow-up outdoor movie projectors that make it easy to set up and take down.
Pick a good family-friendly movie that will pay homage to your Labor Day party and summer in general. For a sports crowd, consider “The Sandlot.” Other good features would be “The Parent Trap,” “Finding Nemo,” “My Girl” and “The Baby-Sitter’s Club.”
To complete the movie under the stars, you could have your NYC catering company offer a variety of unique popcorn flavors and slushy drinks for all to enjoy while they’re watching the film. In addition to traditional butter popcorn, you could offer ranch, truffle or crab popcorn for savory treats.
As for the drinks, a nice selection of colorful and flavorful natural fruit juices poured over shaved ice would give the kids a final sweet treat to end the night. For the adults at the party, “spiking” these slushies with alcohol would give the movie night a nice touch.
Choose a Great NYC Catering Company for Your Labor Day party
The best way to celebrate the end of the season is with a Labor Day party that your guests will be talking about for quite some time. And with the help of a great NYC catering company, you won’t have to worry about the “labor” in your Labor Day party.
Leave the work to an experienced NYC catering company that can handle every aspect of your catered summer party.
Paul Evans Catering, a premier New York caterer serving Manhattan to Montauk, can help you do just that. Whether your Labor Day party will include the ideas above, or if you have some unique ones of your own, Paul Evans can make your catered summer party shine.
Paul Evans Catering has locations in Long Island, The Hamptons and Manhattan, and can help you choose among endless menu options to help you curate the perfect items for your summer wedding catering menu. Visit their website or call Paul Evans Catering today to plan the perfect Hamptons party. Long Island (516) 889-4101, Hamptons (631) 288-5992, Manhattan (212) 321-1822.
