GUEST EDITORIAL: 4 Tips For Planning an Outdoor Movie Party

Image: Derek Sutton on Unsplash

4 Tips For Planning an Outdoor Movie Party

by Kevin Gardner

If you and your friends love movies, summer is the perfect time to take your film-watching outside in addition to other possible outdoor activities at home. Below are four tips for hosting outdoor movie parties your friends will be talking about all year.

1. Equipment

One of the first steps is making sure all your equipment is stocked and working properly. For example, get your movie screen and projector set up early in the day and test it out so you know there are no glitches come party time. Test all other electrics early in the day too. Whether you use traditional energy or have a handy solar power system, the last thing you want is something important not working when your guests are already there.

Additionally, make sure all your lounging equipment, such as chairs and lawn blankets, is ready and in good condition. To make it easier for you, ask everyone to bring their own seat for the showing. 

2. Films

At the heart of the party is the film collection. Whether you plan on having one or two parties over the summer or one every week, you need to have a good variety of films that most, if not all of your attendees, will enjoy. 

Depending on how many people are coming, it may be difficult to get 100% of your guests to love every film. However, do your best to ensure the majority of attendees approve the film. Just because you love gory horror movies does not mean everyone else will. Pick classic or widely popular films to show.

Another option is to take a poll before the party to see which movie everyone wants to watch. Pick three to five movies and send an email survey to your guests asking them to vote on which film they want to see. The movie with the most votes is the one you show.

3. Food and Drinks

Besides the movie, the grub is the next thing people look forward to. Decide about a week in advance what kind of food and drinks you want to have. You can offer a full meal, only snacks or only desserts. 

If your budget is tight, a potluck is a fantastic option. You provide a few dishes and everyone else brings a dish to share. If there is a long list of attendees, create a signup sheet to keep track of who is bringing what. Otherwise, if it is a smaller party, you can get away with sending a group text to track what everyone brings.

Determine if you want a dry party or not. As with the food, guests can bring their own beverage to make it easier on you. Otherwise, if you want to offer your guests alcohol, keep it simple, like beer and wine. If you include liquors, the party costs escalate quickly. 

4. Backup Plan

Even the beautiful summer weather is not without some dark and rainy days. Have a backup plan in case the weather does not cooperate. If you are hosting parties regularly throughout the summer, it might just be easier to cancel and wait until the next one. 

If you still want to have the party, the easiest option is to move the event inside your home. Have a space ready to go should you need to bring the guests inside. It will be a bit difficult to host a party in your living room if the couch is covered in laundry and stuff is scattered all over the floors. It does not have to be spotless but just be sure the room is picked up in case of bad weather. 

If you really want to keep the party outside, another option is utilizing a covered patio if you have one or putting a large tent in the backyard. This probably requires some reworking of your projector and screen but it is an alternative if you want to keep the party going outside.

While it takes some planning, outdoor movie parties are a fantastic way to socialize with loved ones this summer. Start with these four tips when planning your outdoor movie party.