Patriotic Fourth of July Party Ideas

The calendar only just flipped to June, but I’m already in a flag-waving, fireworks and sparklers, red-white-and-blue mood.

Cue the trumpet, trombone and drums, and let’s all stand for the national anthem:

Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

To me, nothing says summer quite like Americana.

So, for this week’s Elements of Summer Tour, sponsored by All Things Home and featuring projects by 35 bloggers, I’m sharing scenes from my patriotic front porch and lots of Fourth of July party ideas, decorations, recipes and crafts.

Stay tuned all this month for a red-white-and-blue extravaganza as I share step-by-step tutorials and recipes for many of the projects you see here.

My parents came over on Memorial Day for a cookout, and the weather was so nice, we decided to eat outside. I decked out the front porch in red-white-and-blue for the occasion. And I love that these decorations will take me through July 4th!

We dined on paper plates, befitting a meal of falling-off-the-bone ribs (recipe coming soon!), homemade summer potato salad and baked beans.

For dessert, fresh strawberries and blueberries, plus a selection of iced cookies and red punch (because I wasn’t patient enough to make layered red-white-and-blue punch).

Be sure to check back next week for the recipe for these delicious iced cookies.

I used a bouquet of vintage flags as our centerpiece. (I’ll show you how I made them next week, too!)

The metal bench got a makeover: an old quilt fashioned as a seat cover and a few new pillows that I actually sewed myself.

I told you my back porch makeover project had inspired me to try my hand at sewing!

These sand-filled mason jars were a fun family craft project, and they also make perfect candle holders. (Stay tuned for the tutorial.)

I made a new wreath for the front door and hauled out an assortment of red-white-and-blue accessories, including this bandana-style tablecloth, an antique store find several years ago.

Aside from a few paper goods from the dollar store, I pulled all these Fourth of July party ideas and decorations together using items I already owned, most of them bought at yard sales, thrift stores or clearance sales.

As I mentioned, I got pretty crafty, too, in pulling this party and color scheme together. I even painted a table and chairs for the occasion!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this tour of my patriotic summer front porch.

I’d love for you to pin my ideas!

Now, be sure to check out all the other participants in the Elements of Summer tour.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

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