I like being spontaneous.
I like having fun.
I enjoy entertaining family and friends.
This morning I woke up with the idea of hosting a Tiki Bar Party this weekend. Today is Tuesday. This party would be on Friday. That gives me three days to pull this together. But I’m up for the challenge!
If you’re looking for something fun and different to do this first weekend of the New Year (and first weekend of the new decade), here’s how you, too, can put together a last-minute, quick-and-easy, Tiki Bar Party.
I only write about things I have or love – and I’m sharing them with you because maybe you’ll love them, too. The links in this post may contain affiliate links. I’ll receive a small commission (at no expense to you) if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.
The Decor
Since there isn’t a lot of time to build a Tiki Bar (out of lumber, cardboard, or a kit), I’m going to turn our center island into our Tiki Bar.
I have a grass table skirt left over from a Hawaiian Luau party we had many years ago. I’m going to tape that around our center island. Should look pretty cool.
I also have a bunch of large tropical leaves that I’ll dig out to use as placemats, and to put under bowls and trays of snacks. I think these leaves will add a lot to the decor!
Of course, you need bright colored tropical flowers for a Tiki party! I’ll sprinkle the silk hibiscus flowers I still have from the Luau party all over the center island and dining room table.
I still have a dozen inflatable palm trees from our past luau party – I’ll have to blow them up and set them in the kitchen and dining room. I’m sure our kids will remember them and I think it will give the party a fun look.
No Tiki Bar Party would be complete without Tiki torches! Of course, I don’t want to burn actual Tiki torches inside the house, so I found these solar LED Tiki torches instead! I think they’re going to look fabulous at the party. I’m going to put one of the torches outside on the front entryway to greet guests, and the other three will be in our dining room. How cool is that?! (I just ordered these torches today – thank goodness for Amazon Prime! And, these are going to be awesome torches to set out by our firepit in the Spring and Summer months – they will definitely get used more than once)!
The Food
For most parties, I spend a lot of time making unique and tasty appetizers and snacks. I really enjoy designing the party menu, but in the spirit of keeping things “simple” and considering the time frame, the food prep for this Tiki Bar Party is also going to be simple. Really simple.
I’m planning on serving these quick-and-easy snacks:
- Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Tequilla Lime Chicken Wings
- Rotel Queso Dip and Chips
- Pupu Platter (pre-made pot stickers, pre-made egg rolls, pre-made crab rangoon, fried shrimp, fried wontons, five spice chicken wings, and BBQ riblets – all of these pre-made appetizers can be found at your local grocery store)
- Fruit Bowls (pineapple, star fruit, mango, melon, grapes, pomegranate, and kiwi)
Guests will be able to use these unique palm leaf plates and bamboo utensils for their food and snacks. Pretty cool, eh? I think they will go well with Tiki napkins.
The Beverages
You just have to have at least a few Tiki mugs for a Tiki Bar Party!
I used to have a bunch of vintage Tiki mugs, and we used them for Summer parties before we had kids. I sold them all several years ago (she says kicking herself). I found these two sets of four Tiki mugs this morning and quickly ordered them – they will be delivered on Friday (nothing like cutting it close). I wish I would have had time to find a bunch of vintage Tiki mugs for the party, but these will have to do. I think I’ll be hanging on to these mugs now until they become vintage. And I am sure we can use them this Summer while sitting out by the pool – I know they’ll get good use!
I also found these bamboo paper straws – they’ll work great with the Tiki mugs!
Since the Tiki Bar Party will include young adults (who don’t drink alcohol), I’ll be making exotic, non-alcoholic drinks to serve in these mugs. I want to keep party prep as simple as possible, so I bought Jose Cuervo Margarita Mix and will serve it with crushed ice. Another beverage will be a Pina Colada Slush – yum! Of course, Strawberry Daiquiri’s are also a must. And no Tiki Bar Party would be complete without the classic Mai Tai. The adults can add their choice of alcohol, or drink the beverages without – whichever they prefer. I’ll also have Ginger Ale available, so the kids can add that to their drinks to concoct something new.
Yes, I know there are lots of awesome drink recipes for a Tiki Bar Party, and you could certainly mix up your own drinks – but to keep the party planning simple, I’m going to stick with these beverages.
The Music
I’m going to set up our Bluetooth speaker and stream a variety of Tiki music to set the mood. Here are the albums I’ll be playing – all of which can be streamed through Amazon (free – if you have Amazon Prime).
The Activities
We have a game called Tiki Topple that our kids played when they were younger. I’m going to dig that game out and I’m sure it will get played at the party. It will be fun to see it again!
We also have a limbo set that my husband made for one of our past parties. I’ll dig that out and set it up and we’ll see if anyone wants to try to Limbo!
Party Wear (optional)
While this isn’t a costume party, and it’s not mandatory, it would be fun if everyone were to dress in tropical attire. Shorts, Hawaiian or tropical print shirts, sunglasses and flip flops.
So there you have it! A Tiki Bar Party put together at the last minute! I think this will be a fun evening. I might even turn this party theme into a family tradition – it would would be fun to have a Tiki Bar Party on the first weekend of the New Year every year. I’m sure our boys would enjoy it over the years, and it might be something they even look forward to.
If you decide to try this party (either this weekend, or another time), share your party ideas in a comment below!
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