Autumn Entertaining Ideas
Autumn is one of the best times for entertaining! The air is cool and crisp, lending well to outdoor parties. And the shortening daylight hours make for cozy, indoor gatherings, as well. As there are so many fall flavors that we look forward to every year, it’s easy to plan an enticing menu for your guests. Whether you prefer to entertain a small group of close friends, or throw a huge party, here are an array of fall entertaining ideas to help you create a memorable party this autumn.
OKTOBERFEST CELEBRATION
Occurring in Germany from mid-September to early-October, an Oktoberfest celebration is a great way to kick off autumn entertaining. It’s also super casual, so if you are a novice to entertaining or don’t have time for a more elaborate party, then Oktoberfest is perfect. It also requires minimal (if any) cooking, which is great if cooking for a crowd is daunting. Keep the party adults only, or include whole families and serve sweet cider for the under-21 in attendance.
Sample Oktoberfest Menu:
Brats and Wursts (I like to use flavored chicken sausages too)
Assorted Mustards (Shop gourmet food shops, local butchers, and cheese shops for unique varieties.)
Grilled Onions
Toasted Rolls or Buns (for people who’d like to make a sandwich)
Soft Pretzels
Beer (Gather a wide variety of unique beers. Make sure some are German. Include some hard ciders too.)
Sweet Apple Cider
This is the ideal party to host outdoors, while the weather is still warm enough. All you need for set-up are tables, chairs, plates, napkins, glasses for beer, a grill (for the meat), and any German decor that makes the day look more festive. The Beer Tasting Glasses, Octoberfest German Flag Picks, and Octoberfest Vintage German Beer Coasters in the shop all help to set the stage for a great celebration.
As with all entertaining, make sure you’re appealing to all the senses. Sight…looking festive. Smell…aroma of great food. Touch…warm hugs and hearty handshakes. Taste…beer and food. Hearing…music. Music is the finishing touch on all entertaining. Play Wonderful Life Farm’s Spotify playlist, Octoberfest Music to give your party an authentic, German sound.
PUMPKIN CARVING PARTY
As Halloween approaches, the weekend prior is a great time to host a pumpkin carving party. This is one of the simplest parties to host and makes kids so happy. Invite everyone to bring their own pumpkin and dress for the weather. Set up long tables outside with maybe a few chairs (but most carvers will end up standing). Cover the tables with brown kraft paper or newpaper. Cover your outdoor light strings with the Jack-o-Lantern Paper Lanterns for a delightful, Halloween look.
What you will need:
pumpkins
tables
chairs
kraft paper or newspaper
child safe carving knives
spoons or scoops
pencils
paper towels
trash bags
candles (Parents will appreciate that every jack-o-lantern goes home with a candle, so everything is ready for Halloween.)
It’s always nice to provide a few snacks for this simple party…ideally something that can be enjoyed while carving. Use the Harvest Bushel Basket, Metal Popcorn Scoop, and green Gingham Popcorn Bags to make an easy, help-yourself snack. Fill the Glass Pumpkin Candy Jar with a crowd-pleasing Halloween candy. Serve apple cider.
From experience, a pumpkin carving party flows more smoothly if several adults are willing to lend a helping hand. Some kids need inspiration in designing a face. Others will need help with scooping or carving.
AUTUMN BOOK CLUB PARTY
Autumn naturally turns our minds to books. With back-to-school for the kids, adult kids going off to college, and just the cooler weather turning our mind to indoor pursuits, it’s a cozy time of year to host a book club meeting or party. If the weather is crisp, but not too cool, this would be a lovely party to host on the patio or deck, providing warm, wool blankets as throws for all your friends. But indoors, snuggled up by the fire, would be delightful too. Create a centerpiece for your serving table with autumn flowers and foliage and the prettiest, old books on your shelf.
Some fun options for food:
Daytime book club party…serve coffee and tea and have everyone bring their favorite autumn quick bread.
Lunch time book club party…serve a big, autumn salad with crusty baguette and butter.
Dinner time book club party…serve Chicken Pot Pie with a glass of wine.
Dessert time book club party…serve warm, apple crisp with vanilla ice cream and cups of tea.
CHILI COOKOFF PARTY
Although chili cookoff events are often held by communities and organizations, they are a super fun, autumn entertaining idea for a gathering of family and friends too! Have all your guests bring a crockpot filled with their favorite chili recipe and announce there will be a prize for the winner. Provide paper and pens for voting. Assign each chili a number, so voting is (somewhat) blind. You will need bowls or mugs, spoons, plates, and napkins. The chili is the main event at this gathering, but the host will need to provide a few extras.
Chili Cookoff Extras
toppings: chopped onion, chopped cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, tortilla chips
sides: green salad and dressings, cornbread (or other bread) and butter
beverages: beer, wine, and definitely water
Gift cards, apropos to the event, make a great prize for a chili cookoff and could include a card to: the local butcher, a hot sauce shop, or a Tex-Mex restaurant.
If you think you’ll make a chili cookoff an annual fall gathering, make your prize a high-quality soup ladle. Each year, the ladle gets passed to the current winner.
PASTA PARTY
With autumn comes the return of our craving for comfort foods. Who could resist the lure of a pasta party! This party is great for a close-knit group of adult friends…people who like food and find enjoyment in it. Invite 6-10 friends for a night of pasta. You might need to borrow a large pot or two, so you can have several types of pasta. Since pasta must be served just after it’s done cooking, you’ll want to do everything else you can for this party in advance. I’d set the table the morning of (if not the day before). Do all the chopping for sides ahead of time. Make the salad and have it in the refrigerator. And buy an assortment of breads and serve with butter or Boursin cheese.
This sort of party is straight out of a Nancy Meyers film…everyone gathering around the kitchen island helping to cook and sipping wine. Be sure to put on a great playlist to set the mood. I love this Nancy Meyer’s Kitchen playlist on Spotify.
To Pair with Pasta:
Sauces: white and red (will need to be heated), pesto
Meats: crispy proscuitto (sauté in a bit of olive oil ahead of time), cooked Italian sausages (sliced or crumbled), grilled chicken
Vegetables: caramelized onions (can be done days in advance), sautéed onions and peppers, roasted tomatoes, sautéed squash
Other: pine nuts, basil, Parmesan cheese, freshly cracked pepper
To time this party well, I’d enlist a friend or two to help reheat previously prepared items. Set everything out, buffet style on your kitchen island. And when the pasta is done, have everyone file past the pasta pots and help themselves to pasta and then down the island to top their pasta with all the accompaniments. Have the salad and bread waiting on the table. Don’t forget the wine!
FOOTBALL PARTY
Are your favorite teams playing in the big game this weekend? Are you college friends back in town and your alma mater is playing? Hosting a football party is half about the game and half about the food. Set your party time to coincide with game time and serve everyone’s favorite football-watching foods. Decorate your buffet spread with the team colors, footballs, silver trophy cups, and pennants. No need for music at this party, as the football cheers and play calls will be all you need. Here are three different football party scenarios based on how much time you have:
Freshman Football Party - Order pizza. Provide beverages. Make a pan of brownies for dessert.
Junior-Varsity Football Party - Make a big pot of chili and serve with all the toppings. Make cornbread. Serve warm brownies topped with ice cream and hot fudge sauce for dessert.
Varsity Football Party - Make wings and meatballs. Order a pizza. Create a build-your-own nacho bar. Also serve: potato salad, mixed nuts, potato chips with dips, vegetables and dip, and more. Brownies and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
AUTUMN TEA PARTY
Not all parties have to be big affairs with lots of people. Sometimes, it’s nice to take a quiet moment with just a friend or two. Carving out time to make a simple tea party for your closest friends can be an easy way to jump into entertaining, if you haven’t done much of it in the past. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. In England, “cream tea” on a menu is simply scones (with cream and jam) and a pot of tea. And it is comforting and indulgent and absolutely lovely. Take a cue from the season and put a few seasonal blooms in a vase for a simple centerpiece (even a handful of autumn leaves). Teapot and cups do not need to be elaborate. The very simple Glass Teapot and Cups Set from the shop sets a tone of quiet and simplicity.
Recipe for a Simple Tea Party
My foolproof Proper British Scones recipe.
Clotted Cream. (I buy it at Whole Foods, but you can also get it from Amazon here.)
Jam
Teapot filled with hot water and an assortment of teas in the Wooden Tea Storage Box.
Find a good playlist of classical music.
CHARCUTERIE PARTY
A super simple party idea is a charcuterie party. Do it all yourself, or ask everyone to contribute an item. This is a great party idea for someone who doesn’t enjoy cooking, as virtually everything is store bought. It also lends itself well to a small group of friends or a larger gathering. Play some upbeat jazz music in the background for this party. Be sure to have an assortment of red and white wines. You’ll need appetizer plates, cocktail napkins, and wine glasses. Be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to arrange the charcuterie platter. Cheese develops its full flavor when at room temperature, so it’s okay to get an early start on preparations.
Charcuterie Elements:
Crackers - A variety of crackers is the key…wheat, water, club, artisan crisps with fruit and nuts, and more. I like a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, textures, and ingredients on a charcuterie board. Cheese straws and tall, high-quality breadsticks are fun additions too.
Meats - salami, prosciutto, pepperoni
Cheeses - The key to choosing cheese is to choose contrasting cheeses. A soft cheese AND a hard cheese. A pungent cheese or a smoky cheese AND a sweet cheese. Cow’s milk AND sheep’s milk. Traditional cheese (like Swiss) and untraditional (like a Stilton with mango). You can never go wrong with contrasting cheeses, because then there is something for everyone.
Fruit - dried fruits, apples, figs, pears
Nuts - pistachios, whole almonds, marcona almonds, walnuts
Spreads - quince paste, cheese-pairing jams, tapenade
The Black Slate Charcuterie Board in the shop is my go-to for a gathering of 2-6 people.
SOUP PARTY
As soon as the weather turns cold, everyone starts thinking about soup. A soup party is an easy party to host, as everyone contributes a crockpot of their favorite soup. Ask all your guests to bring copies of their recipe, so everyone goes home with a handful of great soup recipes for the season ahead. This is the casual sort of gathering that makes for a great time for everyone. If you worry about conversation flow at a party, the soup sampling provides obvious points of discussion, as people ooh and aah and ask about ingredients.
Soup Party Essentials:
Soups (Hosts should provide one. Guests contribute as well.)
Green Salad with Dressing
Crusty Bread with Butter
Hard Cider
Wine
Dessert
Mugs, Plates, Napkins, Glassware
I hope you’ve found plenty of inspiration and practical tips for hosting an incredibly memorable autumn party. Here’s a handy pin to pin to your autumn Pinterest board, so you can refer back to this post for inspiration every autumn.
