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Although the summer brings many reasons to celebrate with friends and family, the thought of a “Patio Party” in the Arizona summer might make you want to run for the hills. Don’t worry, because it is possible to throw a fantastic outdoor summer bash with a few easy-to-implement tips and tricks. Stay cool this summer while entertaining friends and family in your own backyard, especially with the investment of patio sunscreens. Try some of these easy and inexpensive tips at your next summer get-together and truly make an impression.
Start Near Sunset
Living in the desert, we are used to extreme variances between our daily high and low temperatures. Think about it, where else does the weather swing 30+ degrees on the daily? Use this to your (and your guests) advantage this summer, by hosting a near-sunset soiree. Your patio sunscreens will keep your guests cool, before the sun sets. It’ll be a great way to start off the evening, and as it gets darker, roll up those sunscreens to adore one of the beautiful sunset displays our Arizona sky is famous for, and then continue into the evening, where temperatures quickly go from boiling to beautiful.
Serve “Cool” Drinks
Rather than playing bartender all night, whip up a few of these creative “big batch” drink ideas along with the classic wines and beers to keep your guests hydrated all evening. Here is the recipe for our personal favorite, Pineapple Mint Punch. This recipe serves about 4-5 people, feel free to double, triple or quadruple the recipe!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar syrup
- 2 cups fresh (or canned) pineapple
- 5-6 sprigs of fresh mint
- 2 cups club soda
- 1 cup white rum
- Juice of 1-2 limes
Instructions:
- Pour the sugar syrup into a large jar
- Crush the fresh pineapple and pour it into the jar (with juices) or pour canned pineapple into jar.
- Tear fresh mint leaves and squeeze lime juice
- Add rum and top off with club soda
- Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve
Optional: Freeze pineapple juice in an ice tray to use rather than ice cubes, to avoid a watered down version by the end of the evening.
** Cool tip, keep frozen grapes on hand to keep white wine chilly, without watering down the taste. ** For more fun big-batch recipes, click here.
Get Creative with Lighting
One of the drawbacks of a post-sunset party is the lack of natural lighting. Pull out those old Christmas lights from the shed and hang them across your trees and patio shade for a charmed and romantic atmosphere. Another beautiful and inexpensive tip is placing battery operated tea lights into various sized mason jars to place on tables or hang under balconies.
Keep the Pool Open
Although temperatures do drop significantly during our Arizona summer evenings, the extreme daytime sun usually heats up the pool enough to enjoy a refreshing evening swim. Allowing and encouraging guests to enjoy the pool in the evening is a fun way to keep the party going, escape the heat, and enjoy the sparking pool without any risk of excess sun exposure. Check, check and check.