Football season kicked off with a resounding cheer, and pro teams in the NFL now find themselves well on the way to the Super Bowl. Fans of football celebrate with them along the way, tailgating at games and throwing watch parties. No bigger game exists than the Super Bowl, so it gets the biggest party. Start planning yours now and stock up on party supplies, food, and beverages early.
Choosing the Ideal Location
Will you host your party at home or in a restaurant or private club? Holding it at your home means you can invite someone who becomes inebriated to spend the night in the guest room. That could save them from a DUI, a charge that resulted in 27,638 arrests in Washington state in 2019, according to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. It also proves simpler to collect keys at the front door of your home than in a public place that may host many parties at one time.
Food and Drink to Serve
When attending a Super Bowl party, people expect tasty food. Consider unique recipes like bunless hamburger sliders, mini pizza rolls, chicken wings, deviled eggs, and other filling finger foods. Offer a buffet table of snacks, then serve a main course with side dishes during halftime. Consider serving fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans, or pizza, breadsticks with dipping sauces, and salad.
Concerning the beverage cart, provide water, sodas, and alcoholic beverages. Include non-alcoholic versions of traditionally alcoholic beverages, such as non-alcoholic wine and beer. Although 75% of Americans associate football and beer, they don’t all drink beer. Some Americans do not drink alcohol at all, so cater to everyone.
Consider mixing up two batches of cranberry mulled wine or mimosas – one with alcohol and one without. By serving cocktails and mocktails, you include everyone in the fun without making them feel uncomfortable. Mixing team-colored drinks offers a fun way to wash down dinner.
Create Team Super Bowl Shirts
Leverage your local screen printer. According to IBIS World, in 2022, the custom screen printing industry created $7.8 billion in revenue, so you probably live near such a service provider. Have them create custom t-shirts for your Super Bowl party guests in your favorite team’s colors.
Decorate with Football and Fans in Mind
Protect your furnishings and flooring from spills and messes. Buy furniture covers in team colors and temporarily cover your sofa, chairs, and tables. These covers let people set their plates or drinks down anywhere without leaving watermarks or other sauce stains. Buy one or two team-themed football rugs to put down in your kitchen and whichever room you host the watch party.
Once the party ends, you pull the furniture covers off and toss them in the washing machine to clean them. Take both rugs to your patio or garage, shake them off, and vacuum them. Roll them up and store them in the basement, attic, or garage until next year. Buying these items once saves your furniture and flooring for a lifetime.
Add a few streamers and some balloons. Offer party favors like miniature pom poms for everyone to shake while the game goes on. If the game may run late and you live in an area warm enough for the party to extend outside to your deck, hang some football-themed strand lights to light everyone’s evening.
Start Shopping Now for Your Super Bowl Party
Buy your carpets and furniture covers a few months in advance, so it has plenty of time to arrive. Shop for food two to three weeks in advance and freeze all of the meat and vegetables to keep them safe. Two weeks before the big party purchase your small decorations, like pom poms and streamers. Put everything in place the night before and thaw everything while you decorate, so you can cook the food fresh in the morning. Have fun!