Summertime is perfect for outdoor parties. You don't even need to leave your backyard! Use these tips and ideas for gathering your friends and having a blast.

1. Banish the Bugs

Bug bites can ruin even the liveliest of parties, so take precautions before your guests arrive to ensure that they're not on the menu alongside your snacks. Think about things like bug spray, mosquito nets, and insect-repelling torches.

2. Experiment With Summer Cocktails

It's time to put away the heavy wines and liquors. When the sun is beating on your shoulders, you'll need to cool down with light, fruity cocktails that taste like strawberries, peaches, melons, and limes. You can even arrange a do-it-yourself mixer bar for your guests.

3. Splish and Splash

Perfect for both the young and the young at heart, a pool party will be lots of fun for visitors of all ages. Do cannonballs in the deep end; swat at water-filled balloons like pinatas; break out hoses, sprinklers, and water guns for extra craziness.

4. Play Summertime Games

From three-legged races to lawn bowling with plastic pins, there are many games you can play during a "fun in the sun" party. Don't worry too much about rules; as long as everyone is acting goofy and having a good time, you don't even need to keep score.

5. Make Arts and Crafts

This is another party idea that can be modified for all ages. Have your friends each bring a pair of flip-flops and have a bunch of decorative goodies ready to jazz them up together. If you're a parent, give the kids a bunch of popsicle sticks and glitter and let them go nuts.

6. Throw a Garden Party

Garden parties are a nice way to welcome good weather. You can pick flowers, set out finger foods and chill champagne on the veranda as you catch up with old friends. And no need to wait until five o'clock for this one – a garden party goes best with lots of sunshine, and mimosas are a breakfast drink, right?

7. Gaze at the Stars

Try something a little different with a nighttime party that celebrates the sky. Spread out blankets on the grass and pass around telescopes and other astronomical instruments to see, track, and record the stars above. For best results, throw your party during an eclipse or meteor shower.

8. Bring the Barbecue

A barbecue is a classic summertime party idea, but there's more to hosting this event than just firing up the grill. For example, you'll need non-meat options for your vegetarian friends, and you'll need a variety of spices, sauces, glazes, condiments, and meat rubs for a truly diverse table.

9. Decorate Your Porch or Patio

This is an area where your guests will naturally gravitate, so make sure it'll withstand the increased amount of attention. Put pillows and cushions on your chairs, have coolers on deck, and let everyone know where the coasters can be found!

10. Host a Pizza Party

Who doesn't love pizza? Not only will your guests be enthused about the menu, but it's also an easy one for you as the host/hostess. All you need are paper plates and plastic cups, and everyone can throw their own garbage away without any clean-up needed on your part.

11. Belt Out Your Favourite Tunes

Your guests will be absolutely mortified when you bust out the karaoke machine, so pour another round and wait 30 minutes. Once they're serenading the trees with their version of Bohemian Rhapsody, you'll have trouble prying the microphone out of their hands!

12. Visit the Other Side of the Pond

Tea parties may sound like the domain of young girls, but you can actually have an elegant afternoon by channelling your inner Englishwoman. Bring out your finest china and an arrangement of dainty cakes and doilies. Everyone will feel like a queen, and you won't even have to fly overseas!

13. Organize a Potluck

Potlucks are fun for the whole neighbourhood. They can also be a memorable way to introduce yourself if you've just moved to the community. Tell everyone to bring their favourite dish and see what your new neighbours can cook up.

14. Have a Theme

Every party will benefit from having a theme. It can be as grand as "old Hollywood majesty" where everyone dresses to the nines and gives toasts to one another; it can be as simple as "good times in the country" where wooden furniture is decorated with red-and-white plaid.

15. Scream for Ice Cream

It isn't summertime without ice cream. Fortunately, it's quite easy to throw an ice cream party: Just load up a picnic table with bowls, spoons, and a variety of toppings. Everyone can create their own sundaes before mingling together in the yard or on the deck.

16. Light It Up

Hang fairy lights or paper lanterns throughout your yard. You don't want your guests stumbling around and hurting themselves on a dark, unfamiliar landscape. Plus, your backyard will look amazing with lights strung up in the trees and across the fence.

17. Tell Stories Around the Campfire

A fire pit will serve as an excellent centrepiece for your outdoor gathering. Your guests can roast marshmallows, make sticky s'mores, and send sparks into the air as day turns to dusk. Just keep an eye on the kids if they're around the flames!

18. Encourage Relaxation

Put reclining chairs in the backyard. Hang a hammock between the trees. Install a porch swing. After everything is said and done, your guests will appreciate a moment to decompress before they drive home. They might also need time to let their "food baby" settle in their stomach!

From grilling adventures to stargazing extravaganzas, these are just 18 tips and tricks for hosting a party in your backyard. Have fun!

With guests to come, you may be thinking about ways to make sure the outside of your home looks fresh and welcoming. Our guide to a lush landscape can set you up for party success!

Photo credits: family, friends, barbecue