14 Last-Minute Ideas for Summer Parties

Event design company Tinsel & Twine recently designed a private corporate event on Ellis Island that featured Cuban-inspired decor, catering, and talent. The center of the bar showcased a giant banana tower.

For those in search of a remote, glamping-style idea for groups, Terra Glamping—a full-service glamping and event production company—recently partnered with the National Park Service to launch a luxury camp pop-up in Fort Tilden. Located on the Rockaway Peninsula in New York, the pop-up offers furnished safari-style tents that accommodate two, with amenities including side tables, decorative rugs, and lanterns. Additional amenities include an outdoor lounge with couches, chairs, and hammocks, and bathroom and shower facilities. The pop-up runs through September 19.

An arch adorned in roses and other greenery welcomed guests into an evening lounge.

Cocktails made with watermelon and pineapples were served from Pinch Food Design’s mobile cocktail cart.

At the clothing brand’s third annual Fourth of July party in the Hamptons, giant 3-D floral signage spelling out Revolve served as a photo op for guests.

The event, which was presented in partnership with Moët & Chandon, served guests cotton candy and Moët Ice Imperial and Ice Rosé in branded glasses.

Branded carnival-style games for guests included a dunk tank and a ring toss.

The sixth annual Airport Food & Beverage Conference took place June 21-23 at the Toronto Pearson International Airport. During the event, New York-based airport hospitality company OTG hosted a “farm-to-terminal” gala dinner that featured table-length centerpieces created with seasonal, local produce. The event was designed by Candice & Alison.

To celebrate Shark Week in July, the New York Marriott Marquis, Washington Marriott Wardman Park, Washington Marriott Georgetown, and the Skiff Bar at Newport Marriott in Rhode Island served guests a variety of shark-theme cocktails, including a Blood in the Water martini that was garnished with a gummy shark.

For events that are themed after geographic locations, wooden signs can be an easy way to showcase that theme to guests. At Chandon's limited-edition bottle launch in 2016, Wooden signs pointing to Napa Valley and France paid homage to Chandon's current home and origins. The event, which took place on the High Line in New York, was designed by Ignition Inc.

For a car wash-inspired idea, New York-based experiential marketing agency MKG used Jerry cans as décor for its car wash-theme bash in 2016.

For festive, floral decor, the Engage!16 Wedding Summit held a croquet lunch that featured floral flamingos on the lawn. The event was designed by the Design Studio at the Breakers in Palm Beach.

For planners looking to incorporate fruit into their summer party décor, Svedka’s Rio carnival party, which took place in Los Angeles in 2014, used pineapples instead of vases to hold tropical floral arrangements. The event was designed by BMF Media Group.

Skincare brand La Roche-Posay’s beach-theme event took place in New York in 2013, promoting awareness about sun protection and skin cancer prevention. To draw in passersby, the event featured a suspended umbrella installation. The umbrellas were printed with the La Roche-Posay and SOS-Save Our Skin logos.