July 4 Picnic & Party Ideas

On the wooden farm tables, Hatch Creative Studio punctuated wheatgrass flats with wheat stocks and red Mason jars holding candles. Custom red bandannas printed with event details served as napkins, and family-style bowls of pickled beet, wheat berry, and kale salads sat atop platforms made from tree trunks.

Grilled corn on the cob with assorted toppings; roasted potato salad on chive sticks; watermelon cubes with feta and spinach; spinach salad with chopped eggs and microgreens in bacon cups; “hot dog” and “hamburger” macarons; and apple pie parfaits, by Windows Catering Company in Washington

Design Cuisine Caterers served beverages in red, white, and blue-colored glasses at the 2012 Ball on the Mall, the only gala allowed on Washington's historic lawn.

Guests could also help themselves to boxes filled with crudités and jars of ranch dressing, which were placed atop wooden barrels.

Flags don't have to be red, white, and blue. At a Tommy Hilfiger event at the Metropolitan Opera House, designer Raúl Àvila created a 10- by 24-foot topiary in the shape of the stars and stripes.

Stress-relievers designed to look like patriotic hats were a popular item in Facebook’s workspace in the Tampa Convention Center.

To kick off the one-year countdown to the 2012 election, Yahoo News D.C. hosted a party in Washington that projected red and blue hues as well as stars onto the ceiling of a tent.

The details of the event were leaked on the Internet before it took place, prompting a surge of R.S.V.P.s and a line down the block that night. Security and event staffers kept the party from becoming overwhelming by limiting the number of guests in the venue at any one time.

In 2003, Restaurant Associates created rather patriotic cocktails, with red cosmopolitans and blue martinis for an event hosted by the greater New York chapter of M.P.I.

Attendees played with glow-in-the-dark balls on a grassy boccie court.

A lounge area included chairs and a coffee table crafted from wood pallets. Pillows and blankets from the Feed U.S.A. collection completed the look.

Grab-and-go options also included Mason jars filled with Italian pasta salad.

Inside the dinner space, the Americana aesthetic of the collection translated to the event decor and the low-key, relaxed vibe. As a party favor, each guest received a burlap tote bag from the line.

Moss-filled mason jars served as table numbers.

Croquet mallets in the grass added another picnic touch.

The picnic lunches—presented in baskets provided by Gifts for the Good Life—included orzo pasta, fried apple pie, a fresh pear, and a choice of a turkey-and-provolone sandwich or a Southern-style vegetable bánh mì sandwich.

Linens and upholstery in American flag-inspired patterns decked the space.

Each attendee at the July 4 event was given a picnic blanket, and the team from Macy's Parade & Entertainment Group brought in seven food trucks to serve picnic fare like hot dogs.

Yogurt trifles by Creative Tastes Catering are served in mason jars with an attached spoon for on-the-go guests.

Chopped salad with salumi, provolone, fresh oregano, and red wine vinaigrette; tarragon egg salad sandwiches with watercress and radishes; and ricotta pound cake with Meyer lemon curd and whipped cream, produced by Dandelion Ranch Events with catering by Cooks County in Los Angeles

On Monday afternoon, guests could choose from an extensive list of small-group experiences, including horseback riding, archery lessons, winery tours, and rafting. Before heading out, every guest received a branded gift bag relating to his or her chosen activity. For example, those taking part in outdoor activities got drawstring backpacks, packs of granola, and reusable water bottles (pictured).

David Stark's vignettes mixed hay bales and a pickup truck with bedding and apparel from the new line.

Artfull Experience provided face painting for the younger event attendees.

As part of the "California Cool" theme, organizers set up a lemonade stand near the registration table and served lemonade to guests.

Tealicious provided concession-stand-inspired snacks like mini hot dogs.

At a Belvedere-sponsored event during the 2012 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, guests sat on haystacks covered with bright orange blankets and chevron-patterned pillows.

Filling cups marked with the Target logo, candy popcorn and nuts were available for guests to nosh on during the short screening and Q&A session.

Give a sweet gift from All Jarred Up in honor of the 4th of July.

Carriage House Punch from Damon Boelte of Prime Meats in New York. Scandinavian glass punch bowl, $20, from DC Rental in Washington. Parisian reversible damask linen, starts at $36, from Party Rental Ltd. in New York. Antiques from Props for Today in New York; silver-plated ladle, $10; silver stand, $20; and etched glasses, $13 each. Flowers and props styled by Bridget Vizoso of the Designers\' Co-Op in New York.

Carnival games, such as the ring toss, were mostly positioned against one far wall in a straight line. All games featured some sort of special Stella McCartney branding, but done in a playful and casual manner.

Nothing beats an ice pop when temperatures rise. At the 2013 mtvU Woodie Awards and Festival, held in March in Austin, Texas, guests beat the heat with more than 7,000 custom-flavored all-natural frozen pops from Mom & Pops.

Record a Hit Entertainment provided inflatable batting cages.

To preview its new summer menu of regional American barbecue flavors, Burger King tapped Peter Callahan to style bite-size versions of the new burgers for a tasting party at the Glasshouses in New York on May 16. The mini sandwich options included barbecue chicken salad, pulled pork, and a Carolina BBQ Whopper.

A Garrett popcorn bar gave guests a taste of the iconic Chicago snack.

A table with kid-friendly snack options served funny-face pizzas.

The invitation arrived in a leather-clasped wicker basket lined in red gingham, containing four varieties of SoBe Lifewater, two branded wine glasses, and a bottle opener.

Burger King debuted its summer menu in May with a summer barbecue at the Glasshouses in New York. Peter Callahan Catering styled the food, and gift bags included barbecue sauce and USB drives in the form of the classic Whopper hamburger.