How to Add Some Excitement to Outdoor Entertaining

How to Add Some Excitement to Outdoor Entertaining

It’s time to take the party outdoors. Here are some fun ideas for entertaining on the balmy days and nights ahead:

• Cool Spread: Host a potluck in your backyard, setting up a long picnic table for guests to display their dishes. You can make things more interesting by adding a theme or challenge. Whether it’s to incorporate a specific seasonal ingredient into every dish or to only bring dips, the possibilities are endless. Use online tools to help you organize, such as perfectpotluck.com, which gives guests an opportunity to sign up for a specific item ahead of time so there are no duplicates.

• Outdoor Movie Night: It’s easy to turn the backyard into an outdoor cinema. Grab some lawn chairs and blankets and host a movie night outdoors under the stars. You can be sure you get a clear, crisp picture with a projector designed to automatically adjust its brightness relative to ambient light. For example, the XJ-F210WN, part of Casio’s Advanced Series line of projectors, combines a laser and LED light source and uses an Intelligent Light Control feature to ensure viewers get great visuals. Powered on and off in as fast as five seconds, this mercury-free, energy efficient choice is right for hosts who don’t like to make their guests wait.

• Decorate: Your decorations should evoke the spirit of the season. Think garlands, fresh flower centerpieces, paper lanterns and vibrant colors.

• Make Music: No party is complete without music. Whether you’re hosting a jam session or karaoke night, take advantage of the season by taking the musical fun outdoors. A versatile portable keyboard, such as the CT-X700, can help you get the party started. It comes with the AiX Sound Source, which faithfully reproduces the sound of acoustic instruments such as guitars, wind instruments and more, as well as 100 built-in songs, 600 tones and 195 rhythms. It also includes a class-compliant USB-MIDI port that connects to most devices with no drivers or installation needed, making it a good choice for an outdoor set-up.

This season, be the host with the most by taking the party outdoors. (StatePoint)