Country Theme Party Ideas

A country theme party is so much fun and relatively easy to put together. First and foremost is the date, time and location. You will need a large enough room or enough space for everyone to move around when the music starts and dancing begins. It is better to have a late spring or early fall party (depending on where you live) because it is a pretty active party and won't be so hot.

Invitations - Send them written on a hankie, gingham mateiral or attached to a bandana. Request everyone dress - it makes for more fun. All is needed are jeans, checkered shirt and boots plus your imigination.

Next comes decorating -

Outside: Large haybales with fabric draped on them for extra seating displayed around the room or yard. An old saddle and tools with possibly a spitoon on display is a great addition. Great source for purchasing decorations at a reasonable price are antique shops. Dried corn stalks and large sun flowers gathered in groups make a fun look for a walkway, attached to columns or attached to fence poles with twine. Cowboy hats, straw hats, ropes and bandanas also make a great display. A fun to do display is a clothes line with overalls, long johns and old tattered clothes haning on them with old timey clothes pins (not the new ones with the spring in them). This can also be done inside as people enter they will have to go through the clothes.

Tables: Gingham tablecloths in red and white check are a must. Centerpieces: Small aluminum pails with flowers (artificial or real) in them. The pails can be painted, left galvanized, or made to look aged with rust colored paint sponged on them. Another good idea is wrap in burlap and twine, either raffia or small rope. If pails are painted you can stencil your initials on them, numbers or greetings in complimentary colors. Every table should have different color pails on them if painted. Small hay bales are also a great accent to the tables as well as scrubbed clean horseshoes.

Food table: Sunflowers in vases are a great accent to a food table in white milk glass also wrapped with raffia ribbon. Drinks can be iced in large wash tubs placed around the room. Plates need to be in a large basket and forks, knives, etc in a galvanized pail with a bandana draped in it to support the utensils.

Food: Spring or summer party - Watermelon carved like a basket with fruit in it, chicken fingers, biscuits, potato salad, sliced vegetables, lemonade and home churned ice cream and apple pie. Winter or fall party - Spiced apple cider, chicken fingers, collard greens (plenty of hot sauce), corn bread, mashed potatoes and green beans. Treats around the room, rock candy, old fashioned peppermint sticks and lemon drops. All food served on white milk glass serving pieces or silver pie tins. Nothing fancy.

Music: Banjo, guitar, and country. It is fun if you get a bunch of your musically talented friends together to sing and play. If not a CD and karaoke is fun to country tunes.

Games: Square dancing contest. A Sadie Hawkins dance (this is where the girls ask a guy to dance). Yodeling contest. Best dressed couple. If room or live in a remote area - horse rides, pony rides for kids, and tractor rides.

From experience this is one of my favorite parties and easiest to do. Everyone really likes to join in the fun and enjoys themselves.