A Graduation Celebration Outdoors

Take The Party Outside for A Bon Fire Themed Graduation Party

Light Up The Night
With summer just around the corner what better way to celebrate the end of one chapter and the beginning of another than taking the party outdoors. If your fire pit is still covered from the winter months it's time to fire it up and end your graduation in the blaze of glory.  Let these great outdoor party ideas inspire your backyard bash.

Photo: welcomehomedesmoines.com

In addition to a fire pit, adding outdoor lighting can create a festive atmosphere. Some quick and easy solutions include string lights, rope lights, paper lanterns, luminaries and tiki torches.

Photo: BestPickr

Keep your guests protected by strategically placing homemade bug repellant throughout the party zone. Here is an attractive idea using mason jars and floating candles. And an added bonus is it adds additional lighting creating a beautiful ambiance. 


Bug Repellant Ingredients: mason jars, water, your favorite scents (such as mint, lemon, lime, rosemary), citronella oil, floating candles, tie inspirational tags with twine or ribbon (optional)

Photo: Nest of Posies

Serving Your Guests
Wrap the flatware in white napkins and tie with a ribbon to look like a diploma

Photo: B Lovely Events

Fire pits are not just for s'mores anymore. Since you have your pit all fired up, why not have it do double duty and cook some food for your guests.  Like hot dogs, kabobs can be roasted over a hearty fire or if you really want to impress those grads cook up some wood fired pizza with a Dutch oven. You can find this recipe at pioneersettler.com.

Photo: Pioneer Settler

Of course s'mores are a no brainer, but why not take it to the next level and provide a DIY s'more buffet. There are a variety of graham cracker and marshmallow options to choose from. You can stock your s'more station with both white and colored marshmallows, and in addition to the traditional milk chocolate, offer a variety of options like white, dark, caramel, and peanut butter. And even graham crackers come in chocolate and cinnamon. Here is a great way to offer up a gourmet spread and make your graduation party unforgettable. 

Photo: By Stephanie Lynn

And don't forget the beverages. What better non-alchohlic drinks to serve your teens outdoors than lemonade and iced tea. How about adding a twist to the classic thirst quenchers? You can choose a recipe from these lists of enticing flavors or maybe they'll inspire your own creation.

12 Refreshing Lemonade Recipes That Will Make You Say Aaaaah
24 Totally Delicious Ways to Upgrade Your Iced Tea

Photo: Cherished Bliss

Outdoor Activities
There are a variety of classic backyard games to enjoy, such as bocce ball and horse shoes. But you can still take other typical indoor games outside but on a grander scale. For instance, you can spray paint your lawn with circles to play Twister or checkered boxes for chess.

Photo: onegoodthingbyjillee.com

If you are really handy, you can craft giant Dominoes or Scrabble tiles.

Photo: Iron & Twine

If you want more ideas on how to light up your party at night, here's a couple more. Add strings of lights to a volleyball net or use glow-in-the-dark paint on your horseshoes.

Photo: weheartit.com

Ending The Night

In the spirit of celebration and lighting up the night, mark this milestone with sparklers for your guests to make wishes for the bright future ahead. This is a beautiful way to close one chapter and open another.

Photo: weheartit.com

I hope these ideas spark some amazing fire pit party ideas to make your graduation celebration the most memorable.

Gas vs. Wood Burning Fire Pits

What to consider when choosing between a gas and wood burning fire pit.

With the growing interest in outdoor fire pits and fireplaces so has the variety of styles grown. The vast selection can be overwhelming when choosing what would be best for your space. If you haven't decided on whether to go with a classic wood burning fire pit or the more modern gas fire pit here are some points to consider and hopefully guide you towards an option you can be confident about.

Outdoor Space
Is your outdoor space suitable for a wood burning fire pit or would a gas fire pit be more ideal? Check with your local fire safety regulations regarding wood burning fire pits. Wood produces sparks and creates hot embers that are slow to burn out which makes them more of a fire hazard around structures and brush. Also consider reserving space to store your fire wood if you choose to go with a wood burning fire pit.



Ambiance
Wood burning fire pits can have much bigger fires depending on how much wood you use. And the smell of wood burning can bring back fond childhood campfire memories. If you don't mind the smell of smoke on your clothes or adjusting your position with every shift of the wind then aim for the ambiance you desire most. Gas fire pits produce no smoke so your clothes won't smell and the smaller flames can be adjustable and create a relaxing ambiance.

Time and Effort
Starting a fire with wood is more effort than with gas and can be time-consuming. It also requires continual effort to keep the fire burning but that could be fun for your family or guests to throw another log on the fire. You will also need to wait until all the embers are completely burned out before cleaning out the ashes to avoid potentially starting an unwanted fire. With gas there is no need to clean up and the gas is easily shutoff by simply flipping a switch.



Cost
Wood burning fire pits are more affordable to purchase and install compared to gas fire pits. There is also the cost of refilling your liquid propane gas tanks. But unless you have access to a woodland area and the time to gather your own wood then the cost of firewood versus the gas may be something to compare as well. If you are leaning towards a gas fire pit, consider the installation requirements and whether you will need to hire a professional to install the fire pit.

It basically comes down to your own personal preference. But I hope these points of consideration help guide you towards selecting the best fire pit for you and your family.