SUMMER BACKYARD MOVIE NIGHT AT HOME

This summer seemed to fly right by and for some it may feel like it never really started. 2020 has been tough year for all of us. So many fun activities were canceled like swimming pools, fairs and festivals, sporting events with no fans, and movie theaters. Therefore, what better reason to do something special and say goodbye to summer than a movie night outdoors under the stars.

Throw a party for your family or a small group of neighbor friends. A backyard movie night has been one of our favorite summertime activities. Some of our movies featured is the past were The Incredibles, Wizard of Oz, and The Lorax. This year, we decided on the new movie SCOOB. The movie was just released on DVD and good for all ages. Of course, we had to set up in style, but you really only need 6 essential things to host your next movie night.

6 Simple Steps to Hosting a Backyard Movie Night

1. Screen

There are so many options to choose from a screen set up. You could use a white sheet, white tarp, or even a white wall. Got your head spinning? Previously, we used a white tarp that we hung from our back deck but this year, we decided to go big or go home. We purchased a 22-foot inflatable outdoor movie screen and it was so worth it. The picture quality was amazing, and it was giant! Only problem is that any wind over 15 mph will send it swaying.

2. Projector

To display your movie you will need a projector. Any projector will do but may I recommend one with over 3,000 lumens, a resolution of 1080p, and HDMI ports as a minimum. This Epson projector is the one that we have and it works great. We also use it in the basement to project movies and video games.

3. Media Player

You don’t need anything fancy here. Any blue ray, DVD player, laptop, or game console will do just fine. Besides DVDs, you could also stream or rent a movie digitally through Netflix, Disney+, and other streaming options.

4. Sound

My husband was the master mind behind the speakers and amplifier. I am not going to pretend that I am an expert here. We purchased the 5.2-Channel Hi-Fi Bluetooth Stereo Amplifier and these Acoustic Audio by Goldwood AA351B Indoor Outdoor 2 Way Speakers for our movie night. Word of advice? Please practice your connections and set up before the big night to make sure it is all working properly. You will thank me later!

5. Seating

This is the easy part! Just ask everyone to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets. In previous years, we hauled a bunch of straw bales into our backyard for seating, but they weren’t very comfortable. My dream would be to set up lavish cushions, fancy pillows, outdoor rugs, and cute little tables for each family but there is this thing called budget that keeps cramping my style. A girl can dream, right!

6. Snacks

Can you really watch a movie without popcorn and sugary treats? I didn’t think so either. In true fashion of the theme, we offered a wide variety of “Scooby Snacks”. However due to the current situation, we had to brainstorm ways to offer them in prepackaged amounts. This is where I partnered with several local businesses to offer their yummy treats to guests.

LinZ Cakes made these adorable Scooby Snack Treats complete with homemade icing and sprinkles. Theses snacks were a delicious and brought back a nostalgic feeling with the adults.

Sweet Girly Girl Cookies created these perfectly themed cookies for the event with all the characters. They were almost too cute to eat.

Halls Takes the Cake baked these delicious smores cupcakes topped with marshmallows, chocolate, and Scooby snacks.

Poptique Popcorn – The owner has always been great to work with during past events. When I asked for individual sized popcorn bags, he asked, ‘How many?’ Even though we didn’t have our popcorn bar, this was still an awesome way to serve popcorn.

Macaron Bar – I will be honest and say that until these came in the mail, I wasn’t sure if I ever tried macarons before. The verdict – very tasty! They come in a variety of colors and flavors. Naturally, I picked the colors that would go well with the theme.

Thank to all the vendors and local small businesses!

Taking the Party to Another Level

If the excitement of an outdoor movie night wasn’t enough you can add some extras to level up your party. One of my favorite things to offer is glow in the dark party favors like glow bracelets, necklaces, rings, and finger lights. Besides shopping at my local Dollar Tree, I also purchased a 67 piece light glow party favors and a 20 pack of glow bracelets from Amazon. Another option to consider is setting up a campfire for guests to keep warm or roast s’mores. Outdoor yard games and photo booths are also great ways to create more options to have fun.