Carole Middleton Column: How to Put On the Perfect Street Party
Gather all your family and friends together for a relaxed summer afternoon feast they won’t forget, with these tips from Carole Middleton
A summer street party decked out with food, drink and brightly coloured décor is the perfect excuse to get to know your neighbours and spend time with close family and friends in this warm weather. Long tressle tables adorned with flowers, bunting and colourful crockery will set the scene – and don’t be afraid to mix-and-match your chairs, crockery, napkins and glasses for a real homespun, vintage feel. Red, white and blue is a fun and vibrant colour scheme – and union jack prints add that retro vibe to the day.
When it comes to serving your food, choose large platters, casserole dishes and oversized wooden serving spoons so everyone can dig in, and let the little ones help themselves to drinks with your very own Kilner dispenser filled with homemade lemonade or punch. Fun is the order of the day for a street party, so you could even have your own drinks station filled with jars of chopped up fruit, mint and paper straws so kids (and adults!) can jazz up their punch. And don’t forget the sweet treats either – a showstopping Victoria sponge topped with strawberries and cool cake pops work well, or beat the heat with homemade ice lollies, or hire an ice cream van.
Finally, eating and drinking is all part of the action, but don’t forget to include a few games and activities to keep the kids busy, too. Tug-of-war, hopscotch, water fights, bicycle races and fancy dress competitions are all classic choices. You may want to steer clear of ball games unless you have sufficient space! You could organise special party bags filled with activities like colouring books and pens, and paper flags, to keep them entertained, too.
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