Fall is the perfect time of year to have a party with friends or family. The air is cooler, the leaves are changing color and we’re getting closer to the holiday season. There are so many fun ways to celebrate the season, but these 10 outdoor fall party ideas are a great place to start.
10 Outdoor Fall Party Ideas
1. Hot Chili Bar and Blankets by the Firepit
What’s better than some hot chili next to the fire? Your guests will love this idea, and you can decorate your chili bar for the season by adding:
- Mini haystacks
- Mini pumpkins
- Signs to let people know what toppings you have
Use slow cookers to keep your chili hot and offer a variety of different toppings, like shredded cheese, jalapenos, peppers, onions, spices – whatever you want. Give your guests deep bowls to eat their chili from, so it’s easier to cozy up by the fire.
Along with your chili bar, set up a table with a pile of blankets that everyone can use to stay warm by the fire, like this 👇
Make sure you have enough blankets for each guest. I love the idea of hanging a lantern on the table and adding a sign to make the table more visible and encourage guests to use your blankets.
Related: 15+ Cozy Fall Party Ideas for This Holiday Season
2. Cozy Soup Party
Not a fan of chili, or want more variety? Throw an outdoor fall party with a soup bar. You can serve a variety of different soups, like:
- Chicken noodle
- Italian sausage and tortellini
- Tangy roasted garlic and potato
- Cream of mushroom
You can have your guests each bring a soup of their own or make all the varieties yourself.
Don’t forget to stop at the local bakery or supermarket to grab some fresh bread to serve with your soup.
Consider using Sterno (fuel cans) to keep your soups warm. Don’t forget to put out plenty of soup bowls, spices, spoons and napkins so that guests have everything they need to enjoy their soup.
You can even add a cute little display like in the Pin above with a pumpkin and a streamer that says “Soup’s On.”
As for drinks, you can serve water, punch, cider or any other fall drink you love.
3. Caramel Apple Making Party
This is one of those outdoor fall party ideas that everyone will love. Everyone can make their own caramel or chocolate-covered apples with different toppings.
Start by setting up your warm caramel and melted chocolate. You can set up disposable chafing dishes with fuel cans to keep both of these ingredients at just the right temperature.
Then, add bowls of different toppings:
- Crushed pecans or walnuts
- Sprinkles
- M&Ms
- Shredded coconut
- Crushed Oreos
- Toffee pieces
- Chocolate chips
Add apples to the table with sticks already attached for easy dipping.
Near the caramel apple-making station, you can set up chairs and a fire pit for everyone to sit around.
You can also set up a s’mores bar near the fire, so guests can make their own tasty snacks. Add graham crackers, chocolate bars, marshmallows and more to your station.
Don’t forget to plan some fun activities for the evening. You can watch a movie outdoors or play cornhole.
4. Cozy Fire Pit Gathering
Set up a gathering spot near the fire pit for everyone to sit around and enjoy. Set up a mix of haystacks and wooden benches.
Cover your haystacks and benches with cozy blankets. Add some throw pillows, lanterns and pumpkins to the space to add to the festive season. You could even make little “sofas” out of haystacks by stacking them up and adding throw blankets to make them comfortable.
Set up a blanket ladder like the one below:
This will allow your guests to grab their own blankets to stay warm while you swap stories by the fire or make s’mores.
Add a hot cider station for everyone to get their own drinks.
If you’re not a fan of cider, you can serve hot chocolate instead or whatever other hot beverage you want.
As for food, you can set up a chip and salsa bar 👇
5. Old Fashioned Pie Social
Transform your outdoor fall party into a pie social. You could make this a potluck event where everyone brings a pie to share, or you can serve a variety of different pies.
You don’t have to be a talented baker to pull this off. Check with the local bakery to see what they offer and purchase their pies if you can’t make your own.
There are so many wonderful flavors that are perfect for fall:
- Apple
- Pumpkin spice
- Maple pecan
- Chocolate caramel
- Butterscotch
- Salted honey
- Mocha pie
To set up your pie bar, you can use old-fashioned crates as display stands for your pies. Add a few pumpkins, some potted plants, plates, napkins and forks.
You can set up tables for everyone to sit and socialize. Don’t forget the fire pit for sharing stories and laughs.
Get creative with your setup and let your guests take home slices of pie as a “thank you” for coming.
Related: 25+ Mouthwatering Friendsgiving Dessert Ideas
6. Ladies Lunch at the Pumpkin Patch
Here’s one of the best outdoor fall party ideas if you don’t want to host your gathering at home. Invite your besties to join you at the local pumpkin patch and bring a picnic.
You can pack:
- Sandwiches
- Sides like rice and beans or salads
- Fresh fruit
- Hot cider
- Cute decor like pumpkins and a plaid tablecloth
Set up your party at a picnic table, and enjoy the crisp air without the messy cleanup.
7. Outdoor Gametime
I have a lot of great game options to choose from, which is always a nice way for guests to laugh and mingle at your party. You’re free to incorporate any game that you wish, but here are a few that are truly unique and a lot of fun:
Pumpkin painting:
- Buy small, mini pumpkins.
- Place them on a table with a “paint a pumpkin sign.”
- Add different paints to the table.
Your guests can paint their pumpkins and everyone can vote on their favorite one.
Painting not your thing? Try this awesome tic tac toe variation in the Pin below.
It’s as simple as setting up your table on some hay, adding a tic-tac-toe board, and then using orange and white pumpkins to act as the Xs and Os. Whoever gets three of the same colored pumpkins in a row wins.
8. Fall Movie Night
Movie nights outside? This is actually something I’ve been doing for years, so it only feels fitting to add it to this list of outdoor fall party ideas. You’ll start with a fire pit in the middle so that you can place your outdoor chairs around it in a half-moon shape.
You’ll be facing a large projector screen and will need a projector to project your film on.
And now comes the fun part: Decorating the space. You’ll want to add your own touch, but this Pin gives you a lot to work off of:
- Tall outdoor lanterns between chairs
- String lights hanging from the screen
- Lighter pumpkins lining the front of the projector and tables
You’ll want to choose a movie that all of your guests will like. And while I don’t see any food or snacks in the Pin, you’ll want to offer your guests something. Apple cider, apple cider donuts and other drinks of your choice will do the trick.
9. Backyard Bonfire
Bonfires are always a good way to welcome the winter months. You need to watch the weather and be sure that it’s a good time to have an outdoor fire. If it hasn’t rained in weeks, you may want to hold off on your plans.
But if it has rained and outdoor burning is okay, this is a great option for you and your guests.
You’ll need to create the perfect space with:
- Outdoor firepit
- Lawn chairs and tables
- Outdoor LED lanterns
- Pumpkins
Real or fake pumpkins will work, so the choice is yours. I do like how this idea has a large blackboard with all of the fire pit rules on it, which you can purchase on Amazon if you like.
Your only step left is to add outdoor throw pillows to the seat, cover your tables with red plaid tablecloths and add any lighting that you wish for ambiance.
Soft music playing in the background is always welcome, but I envision everyone telling stories around the campfire and enjoying the beautiful fall nights while they last.
Related: 19 Fall Dinner Party Ideas to Wow Your Guests
10. Hot Apple Cider
What’s the one drink people associate with fall? If you said hot apple cider, you would be right. On a cool day or night, drinking apple cider is almost a tradition. You can add this concept to your outdoor fall party ideas by doing the following:
- Set up your outdoor table/bar with a large “Hot Apple Cider” sign, like this one.
- Place two potted plants on top with your favorite flowers. In this Pin, they’re using Black-eyed Susans.
Jazz up your decorations with large and small pumpkins to complete the look.
Now, it’s time for your food:
- Tray of apple cider donuts.
- Basket of apples.
- Cider cups.
- Hot apple cider.
For the bar, you’ll want an outdoor model that can withstand the elements. You have quite a few options, such as this Acacia wood bistro table, a console table or this potting bench.
And if you have the budget, add dining chairs or picnic tables for a comfortable place for all of your guests to sit.
