5 Football Watch Party Ideas to Make your Get-Together Unforgettable

It’s the time of year for family, fun and football! Nothing brings friends and family together quite like the ultimate football watch party! With football season in full swing, follow these five tips for making your watch party unforgettable!

Football Watch Party Food

As if the excitement of watching your favorite teams and sports stars battle it out on the field wasn’t enough, the menu can make or break your gathering. Typical football watch party foods include buffalo chicken dip, wings, meatballs, tacos, chips, hot dogs, burgers, fries, chili and queso dip. Think finger-food or easy-to-eat foods, so you can eat and watch the big game all at the same time. Things can always get messy of course, but that’s part of the fun!

So, get ready to cheer, jump up and down, and possibly yell out at the TV as we show you tips on how to host the ultimate football watch party. Your guests are sure to be amazed at your awesome party planning skills!

How to Host a Football Watch Party

1 | Create an inviting space | Having a comfy place to lounge will allow your guests to feel at home in your house. Make sure there are enough places to sit while your guests watch the game, and move any interferences out of the way, such as large pieces of furniture or any breakable items. Aim to create an open space that will allow your guests to walk around freely. You could also try setting up a projector (you can rent one online if you don’t own one) and have your watch party out in the backyard. Don’t forget the lawn chairs!

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2 | Tasty food is a must | You can’t throw a party without food, and finger-food is always a good idea! Try a themed dish or Google game day recipes like salted beer pretzel pigskin bites. You could even buy or make a cake that looks like a football field or football, itself. Get creative, or just have a bunch of options for your guests to choose from. Party dishes like pizza or hamburgers are usually a hit, too. You could also set up a toppings bar and let your guests personalize their food. Don’t forget the drinks! Have alcohol on hand for those 21 and up, but also plenty of water, sodas, juices and maybe some fun mocktails for those having to get behind the wheel after the game. Try to get a headcount a few days prior, so you know how much to prepare and buy.

3 | Get festive | Decorate your home with football-themed décor. Color-coordinate your décor with your team’s colors! Show your team spirit by hanging banners or wearing your favorite player’s jersey. You can even have a makeshift photobooth with little props, glasses and hats, to show off your team pride a little more. You can make a DIY backdrop from almost anything, a bed sheet, streamers, a long piece of construction paper – you name it! Have a polaroid camera station set up so your guests can take their pictures with them. Polaroids are also great for scrapbooking.

4 | Make it fun! | Get ready for pre-game, post-game and commercial break entertainment by having games set up for your guests to play. Enjoy a classic game of football outside, or set up a party game such as cornhole on the patio. Also, games like charades and heads-up are great for larger groups of people, especially if kids are coming to the party. You definitely want to keep them entertained while the adults enjoy the game. If you want to stick to the football theme, you could try coming up with your own football trivia questions. Everybody loves a good brain teaser!

5 | Plan ahead | As mentioned before, planning ahead is key. Start setting things up way in advance of the big game. Make out a schedule of when you’ll set up, what ingredients you’ll need to buy and even how you’ll clean up after game day. The day of the game, you don’t want to feel stressed and rushed. For example, you don’t want to get stuck without that awesome sound system you’re borrowing from your brother-in-law. Have a plan, stick to it, but when things go wrong – and they usually do – just go with it and remember that you’ll laugh about it later.

Tips for Throwing the Ultimate Football Watching Party

Now, you’re ready to host the ultimate watch party for friends and family. Remember, planning is a must! Get a headcount so you won’t be surprised when a guest brings a guest of their own. Also, make sure you have more food than you think you’ll need. No one wants to run out of beer and chips at halftime and have to make an emergency run to the nearest convenience store. Don’t focus on having a perfect time, just make sure it’s fun and that good memories are being made. People usually laugh about things later, even if they’re stressful at the time. And don’t forget, no matter who wins or loses, show good sportsmanship. Don’t be a sore loser!

For more tips and tricks, plus travel guides, visit our Westgate Resorts Travel Blog.

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