22 Fun End Of Summer Party Themes

As summer comes to a close and the days grow shorter, it’s a great idea to celebrate the changing of the seasons during your next special event. End-of-summer parties can be a standalone event for the fun of it, or you can use some of Peerspace’s amazing end-of-summer party themes as the basis for a birthday, bachelorette party, baby shower, or other event you have planned that’s happening at summer’s close! Curious yet? Then keep on reading and choose a theme that best fits the party you have in mind.

1. Say goodbye to summer with a beach party

Depending on where you live, there won’t be many more warm days left for beach outings. So be sure to gather everyone up and head to the beach on a warm day that still has the feel of summer in the air! Beach parties can be super casual, with blankets, picnic baskets, and card games, or you can make it a big day by renting a spot at a public beach with a volleyball net for swimming along your own private stretch.

2. Choose a festive outdoor venue for warm evenings

Summer isn’t over yet! The nights are starting to cool but it’s still a wonderful time for evening parties under the stars. Good company, a grillmaster working the BBQ, and some great music are timeless recipes for a swinging party.

The best part will be the venue you pick, something Peerspace can help you with. We have party spots like this 25-person rooftop in San Francisco, CA, with skyline views, a BBQ, and other essentials for a downtown neon party!

3. Bring the tropics to you with a luau party

A luau party is the very essence of Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. Pork and pineapple-based dishes, games of limbo, tropical-themed decor, and Pacific cocktails are just a few of the directions you could go. Luau-party planners should check out more of Peerspace’s luau party ideas, party game ideas, and party food ideas for a great time. 

4. Cook by the fireside with hot dogs and smores

Parties don’t have to be a stressful thing to plan. A venue with a fire pit or starting a safe bonfire in the woods is one of the best end-of-summer party themes. Fireside parties are great for couples wanting to celebrate with a unique unity ceremony. Or you can ask everyone to bring food that cooks easily by leaving it in the fire. Along with a cooler of beer and some music!

5. Dress creatively for a vintage swimwear party

A party at the beach or swimming pool is just the beginning of bringing a theme to life. Add some creativity by having everyone dress in vintage swimwear! Browse vintage and hand-me-down shops for swim caps, striped one-piece outfits, leopard print, and other classics that have gone out of style.

6. Send out invitations for a block party where everyone is invited

Get to know everyone on the block with a nostalgic block party! Anyone who lives nearby should swing by for burgers, music, and a chance to get to know everyone else. Making it a potluck party is even better since it takes some of the meal prep out of your hands and lets everyone contribute to the evening’s success.

These delicious potluck food ideas are tailor-made for this end-of-summer party idea!

7. Watch films under the stars with an outdoor movie party

The evenings are still warm so make the most of them with a backyard movie bash. A projector screen, some cozy cushions, a snack table, and a good sound system that’s not TOO loud are an easy party formula! If you’d rather take the movie night indoors, check out our guide on how to rent your very own movie theater, with movie night snacks that aren’t popcorn to go with it!

8. Get classy with a garden tea party

Fans of Downton Abbey and princess-themed get-togethers should give this end-of-summer party theme a try! A lush cultivated garden with cozy chairs, a spacious table, and tea party food ideas is where you begin. It’s equally important to dress the part, however, with your best tea party finery.

9. Get fancy-casual with a boho-chic picnic party

Set out some candles, plants, Persian carpets, and low cushions for a party that’s just the right blend between casual and chic. A boho-chic affair is fun to plan because you have so much freedom in your food, decor, and apparel choices! It’s Instagram-worthy yet still a casual event.

10. Go poolside with a dunk and donuts party

Donuts are surefire crowd-pleasers and so is time with your friends by the pool. So bring them both together with a dunk and donuts party. You’ll want to stop by the famous donut chain for a few boxes of their best donuts. If you can score some donut pool floats for your friends, so much the better!

11. Make a splash with a waterslide party

If you don’t feel like a full body soak, then how about a few water slides for your friends and family? Waterslides are easy to inflate and get wet with a little water so they take way less prep if you don’t have easy swimming pool access. The snack table can also reflect this amazing end-of-summer party theme! A really long table with colorful balloons and other creative touches is how we’d go about it.

12. Bring the light indoors with a blacklight party

Neon or blacklight parties can be held outdoors or indoors. A dark outdoor space can easily be lit up with glowing neon lights, garlands, and globes. Don’t forget about your guests, who should be dressed up in neon glasses, shirts, and waving glow sticks.

An indoor glow-in-the-dark party needs a venue with black lights, colored panels, and other essentials installed. Have you seen our blacklight party studio in Chicago, IL? The art-covered walls and intimate space are perfect for a small end-of-summer party indoors!

13. Ride the waves with a surf-themed party

A beach-themed end-of-summer party doesn’t mean you have to take a trip. You can hold a surf party anywhere with the right decorations – even in your inland backyard! Set out some colorful blankets, put up sun umbrellas, invite everyone to come dressed in their best surfer outfits, and go to town.

14. Taste the sun at a lemon party

Yellow lemons make guests think of summer lemonade stands and pure sunshine itself. Lemons are a wonderful end-of-summer party theme you can use for a bridal shower, birthday, or other special event with ease. Besides the decor, the best way to bring this theme to life is through carefully chosen lemon-flavored drinks, snacks, and main dishes!

15. Have everyone over for a classic backyard BBQ

Is there anything more nostalgic than a backyard BBQ party? Show off your grill skills as you make some burgers while you entertain! Backyard BBQ parties aren’t just for folks with an actual backyard, though.

Even apartment dwellers can plan these events with Peerspace, the nation’s leading online marketplace for event venues. We have party venues like this spacious backyard in Philadelphia, PA, with a BBQ, fire pit, projector, and projector screen for an unforgettable end-of-summer party!

16. Get pretty in pink with a Barbie party

Barbie (and Ken) parties are fun for all ages, especially if everyone gets to dress up for the occasion! You can make Barbie part of any of the end-of-summer themes we have here, like a beach Barbie party or a Barbie pool party. Check out a few of our favorite Barbie party food ideas as well.

Our guide on National Barbie Day gives you more ways to celebrate everyone’s favorite doll. Be sure to scope it out!

17. Throw a flower party to celebrate beautiful blossoms

The end of summer means a winding down of flower blossoms in most places. So let’s bring them back for one last hurrah with a flower party! Work with a local florist to decorate the table with vibrant floral centerpieces along with flower garlands strewn everywhere. You can even include flower-themed DIY crafts like flower pressing.

18. Have everyone over for an old-fashioned seafood boil

Seafood boils are wonderful casual dinners for family and friends that are traditional in coastal regions of the USA. All you need is good company, a big table covered in newspaper or plastic, and the right seafood boil recipe! 

19. Make good cuisine the theme with a food truck caravan party

You’ll need to hire a few food trucks to cater your event for this end-of-summer party theme. But most cities have plenty of food trucks willing to show up! From cider flights and vegan tacos to hamburger sliders with artisan ice cream, food truck caravans can provide an incredible dining experience for the day.

20. Bring the sommelier to you for a wine-tasting party

We often head to wineries when we get the urge to do some wine tasting. But did you know that you can easily hire a sommelier to come to you instead? Have a wine or beer sommelier educate you and your friends on the finer points of your favorite drinks in a well-chosen end-of-summer party venue. Don’t forget the a menu of perfect wine pairings chosen by you! 

21. Go international with an around-the-world potluck dinner

Summer might be ending where you are but it’s only just beginning in another hemisphere. Cook the flavors of international destinations – or better still, let everyone do the same with an international potluck party. Be sure to include labels with culinary names, countries, and flags with each dish!

22. Celebrate the outdoors with a hiking or outdoor party

Looking to squeeze in a few more hikes or camping trips before it becomes too cold? If your friends love the outdoors as much as you, then use that as your end-of-summer party theme! You can even rent a space at your favorite local state or national park where your favorite hikes are just steps away from the party venue.

End-of-summer party themes: conclusion

Dinner and dancing, lounging by the pool, renting a rooftop space to watch the stars come out…There are so many ways to celebrate summer’s end! We at Peerspace hope these end-of-summer party themes offer some inspiration for any upcoming event you may be planning. By the way, if you haven’t chosen a venue for the occasion, check out a few of our party venues near you as well.

Find unique event venues for your end-of-summer party on Peerspace