By Sarah Babineau of Drive Productions
We attended to a 50th birthday party this past weekend that was a huge success! The guest of honor was a lifelong Red Sox fan, so his family put together a Red Sox Celebration to mark his 50th. They had red plates, blue napkins and white cutlery and a homemade sign on the front door that said, "Happy Birthday, Dad / Go Sox!" The menu included Fenway fair such as grilled sausages, peppers and onions, homemade mini-pizzas, pretzels, hotdogs and a big cooler of soft drinks and beer. They did a great job making a small party of around 15 guests feel like an afternoon at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox are an important part of our lives in New England and many parties revolve around Red Sox themes or even games. If you’re planning a Red Sox themed party, here are some party planning tips and ideas that could help with a larger party; a corporate event, family reunion, or even a wedding…
For a guest list of 100-300 people, first try to find a venue where games can be played, picnic tables are available and age-appropriate family activities can be set up.
Venue
Ted Williams Park in Lakeville, MA has horseshoe pits, a fitness trail, volleyball courts, basketball courts and of course, a softball field. Since the park doubles as a summer camp, there are restroom facilities throughout the park, picnic tables and a building for indoor activities in case of inclement weather. There is even a gazebo over-looking the pond which could make a beautiful setting for a wedding ceremony. Contact the town of Lakeville, MA for full rental information: www.lakevillema.org/departments/park_commission.cfm.
Cochituate State Park in Framingham, MA has comparable features; http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/coch.htm
Next you need a creative caterer.
Food
The Fenway Sausage Guy www.thesausageguy.com is an obvious choice for a baseball themed party, but food carts are small and for a larger party the selection could be limited. Hiring a main caterer to work with The Sausage Guy will ensure that all your guests’ needs are met. Men Wielding Fire (www.menwieldingfire.net) is a mobile caterer with a full-sized kitchen and rotisseries in a trailer in which they can cook anything from sirloin steak tips, baby back ribs, burgers hot dogs, or pizza. Their side dishes and desserts are homemade and absolutely phenomenal.
So then what do your guests do at the party?
Activities
The answer is two things; eat and play. So you need party rentals. Make sure you have a tent big enough for people to sit under while they eat, and plenty of tables, chairs and lighting, if needed; www.themenuboston.com/vxi229/Perfect_Parties_USA. Buffy’s Party Rentals is also a great place to find moonwalks and bouncy-houses for your younger guests www.themenuboston.com/vxi160/Buffy's_Parties. And you can find badminton nets, volleyballs, toys and novelties like squirt guns for short money at Ocean State Job Lot or www.EBay.com.
More Entertainment
Stage and lighting rentals are available on The Menu as well as your pick of professional bands and DJs. If you know you will have a lot of children, you may want to hire a clown or magician to perform and make theme appropriate balloon animals. Prepare any entertainers you hire well in advance by telling them the theme of the party and how you envision it so they can get the most relevant materials. It’s also a good idea to make them aware of any other special occasions coinciding with your party (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) The right entertainment will help keep the atmosphere lively and exciting all day.
Finishing Touches
After you’ve laid the foundations for the perfect outdoor summer celebration, create the theme in the details.
You can have festive custom banners made to hang above the entrances, on the door, over the dance floor or behind the band on stage at www.themepartiesnmore.com.
For a Red Sox (or other sports themed party), the CBS sports store offers party packs for every major league team for most popular sports that include official logos on plates, napkins, cutlery, freeze-able beers-steins, balloons, table clothes and more. CBS Sports Store: Boston Red Sox Party Suppies
Also take a look at the Red Sox Foundation’s website (the official charity team of the Boston Red Sox) at www.redsoxfoundation.org/merchandise/index.htm for more merchandise and event ideas, as well as opportunities to take part in Red Sox parties for the benefit of worthy causes such as The Jimmy Fund, Dimock Community Heath Center, Red Sox Scholars and youth baseball programs.
Of course you can pick and choose which elements you would like to use at your own party and where to have them based on your time, budget and space constraints. A 10-person party can be just as memorable as a 300 person employee appreciation event or family reunion. The key to a successful party of any size is to bear in mind that the best memories are found in the smallest details.
Sarah Babineau
Drive Productions
Acoustic Duo & DJ Team
www.DriveProductions.net
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