Want to host a pool party you and your guests will remember the whole summer? A pool party with delicious food, entertaining games, and ice-chilled drinks that feel like a vacation? Well, we got this complete guide with ALL the essentials a pool party needs to be awesome. Help your guests have the time of their lives and host a pool party cookout without the stress. And if you don’t have a pool, host this cookout at a loved one’s house. What matters is for friends and family to be together for an event that’s relaxing and fun.
All the awesomeness of a pool party gets even better with freshly-cooked meals. Fire up the griddle right beside the pool to make hot and cold meet. Guests relaxing in the water can easily grab a hot dog or a burger. Nothing like a delicious meal after tiring yourself in the pool. So, keep the food simple yet delicious. Easy to cook, and quick to serve. Pool party cookouts are all about the fun - no stress.
Think about one thing first before inviting guests: what’s the size of the pool? It’s dangerous to have an overcrowded pool. An overcrowded pool is prone for accidents, injuries, and it’s not sanitary. For example, an Olympic size pool (80 x 20 feet) fits 65 people according to the Indiana State Department of Health standards. This is a guideline that makes sure everyone has enough space to swim comfortably. Now, 65 people swimming at once is a lot. And if you have a pool smaller than Olympic size, it’s best to limit up to 10 guests at a time. It’s easier to supervise - in case of kids - and everyone is comfortable.
When it comes to pool party cookouts, you need to make sure guests have everything they need. People always forget towels, flip-flops, and sunblock. You also need a lot of water. On hot days, people drink fast, and you don’t want to risk anyone getting dehydrated. Get a cooler and stash it. Oh, and why not add your fave drinks in too? And now that you’ve got the drinks sorted, you also need food. Buy ingredients like meat patties, buns, tacos/tortillas and hot dogs. Griddle them up to guests for a delicious meal after an intense swim in the pool. Also, think about the entertainment. Here are some tips:
You need enough food to go around for the whole party. And a lot of folks go for seconds, so keep that in mind too - it would be awful for a kid to go home without a burger or hot dog! Stay safe and buy in bulk. If you want to cook up burgers, make at least a couple for each guest. That means a party with 10 people needs 20 burgers. Not too tricky, especially on a 36” Griddle that fits 28 burgers - all at once! And when it comes to drinks, each person needs at least 2L (67 oz) of water a day, so fill up a cooler with a bottle for each guest.
Drinks are the easiest thing to get ready, right off the bat. All you need to do is put them in a cooler and keep it in the shade. Don’t forget to fill it up with a lot of ice. And besides water, you can prepare some beverages for people to chill out. Why not these: Non-alcoholic
A Pool Party isn’t complete without delicious food. Imagine swimming in the sun, getting a tan, and refreshing yourself. Everything’s good, but soon you’ll feel pretty hungry. That’s when you get the griddle in action. Fire up close to the pool and watch the guests climb out of the water for a delicious burger, some hot dogs or even fajitas. Keep the meals simple. Here are the best recipes to heat up those pool lovers: Hot Dogs
Burgers
Sliders
Wraps
Get the pool energized with some games. Especially for the kids - you’ll keep everyone entertained and a chance to mingle. The easiest of course is Marco Polo - someone is “it” and has to close their eyes. The goal is to tag someone else, by finding out their location shouting “marco” - the players need to respond “polo”! Who can win Marco Polo the fastest? Another classic is Sharks and Minnows. One player is the shark, and on the other side of the pool are the minnows. The goal is for the minnows to cross the pool without being tagged by the shark. Each tagged minnow becomes a shark, so the game gets tricky for the remaining fishes! The player that survives the longest is the winner! You can also play Water Balloon Dodgeball. Split the guests into two teams at opposite sides of the pool. Hand each team a bucket filled with water balloons and let the dodgeball commence! The final player who isn’t hit wins!
And for food, you can’t go wrong with griddle burger and hot dogs. Ask the host if you can take along your Blackstone! Just put it in the car trunk and then set it up in their backyard. All you need to do is unfold those legs, light the propane, and throw down the ingredients. In no time you’ll have delicious eats for the whole crowd!
What is a Pool Party?
A pool party is an ice-chilled, summer getaway right in the backyard. The MVP (most valuable player) is certainly the pool. It’s the main attraction - everyone wants to take a swim, or at least a dip in the refreshing, crystal-clear water. The pool is what makes the party, but you can’t have a party with just one key player. You need drinks, food, and games. Stuff to get your stomach and mind entertained.What is a Pool Party Cookout?
All the awesomeness of a pool party gets even better with freshly-cooked meals. Fire up the griddle right beside the pool to make hot and cold meet. Guests relaxing in the water can easily grab a hot dog or a burger. Nothing like a delicious meal after tiring yourself in the pool. So, keep the food simple yet delicious. Easy to cook, and quick to serve. Pool party cookouts are all about the fun - no stress.
How to Host a Pool Party
A Pool Party is a great summer gig, but you need to make sure you’ll cover all bases, so everyone has fun safely without the compromise. And you don’t want to go full-blown Hollywood patio pool parties either. Keep it casual with your loved ones and friends - nothing too fancy.Stuff to do before the party
Now, before you cook up delicious meals and relax by the pool, get these things sorted!Invite the right number of guests
Think about one thing first before inviting guests: what’s the size of the pool? It’s dangerous to have an overcrowded pool. An overcrowded pool is prone for accidents, injuries, and it’s not sanitary. For example, an Olympic size pool (80 x 20 feet) fits 65 people according to the Indiana State Department of Health standards. This is a guideline that makes sure everyone has enough space to swim comfortably. Now, 65 people swimming at once is a lot. And if you have a pool smaller than Olympic size, it’s best to limit up to 10 guests at a time. It’s easier to supervise - in case of kids - and everyone is comfortable.
When and how to bring people to your place
First, check the weather forecast. It would be a total bummer if you bought all the food and drinks and it rains. Check a week before, and if the forecast is of bright sunny skies, the coast is clear! Of course, weather forecasts aren’t completely right. But they give you a pointer. So, it’s safe by then to invite your friends and loved ones.PRO TIP: Invite your friends on Facebook by creating an Event. Set the date and time. In the description tell guests that you will confirm the pool cookout three days early. That means you can recheck the weather forecast, and host the event later in case it may rain.Ask for guests to come over at 3 P.M. The sun isn’t too strong, and you’ll even catch the sunset later for an awesome view. Oh and remind them to bring swimming gear, towels, flip-flops, and sunblock!
Pool Safety
To make things easy for everybody, here’s our Blackstone Pool Safety Checklist:- Is the edge of the pool non-slip?
- Is there a pool ladder?
- In case it’s an above-ground pool, are there safety rails?
- Are there toys or objects near the edge of the pool?
- Is the pool clean?
- Are there adults to supervise kids at all times?
- Are people under the influence of alcohol away from the pool?
- Is everyone walking, not running?
- Is everyone using sunblock?
- Is there enough water for people to drink?
- Is there shade (parasol, trees, etc) for people to avoid heat stress?
Essential items you need
When it comes to pool party cookouts, you need to make sure guests have everything they need. People always forget towels, flip-flops, and sunblock. You also need a lot of water. On hot days, people drink fast, and you don’t want to risk anyone getting dehydrated. Get a cooler and stash it. Oh, and why not add your fave drinks in too? And now that you’ve got the drinks sorted, you also need food. Buy ingredients like meat patties, buns, tacos/tortillas and hot dogs. Griddle them up to guests for a delicious meal after an intense swim in the pool. Also, think about the entertainment. Here are some tips:
- Fire up music with a wireless speaker and a streaming service on your cell phone. Play surf rock tunes, like The Beach Boys and The Ventures
- Prep up a water balloon dodgeball match! Get some toys like beach balls, swim noodles, and diving rings
- Have some floats for people to chill out on the water
Have enough food and drinks
You need enough food to go around for the whole party. And a lot of folks go for seconds, so keep that in mind too - it would be awful for a kid to go home without a burger or hot dog! Stay safe and buy in bulk. If you want to cook up burgers, make at least a couple for each guest. That means a party with 10 people needs 20 burgers. Not too tricky, especially on a 36” Griddle that fits 28 burgers - all at once! And when it comes to drinks, each person needs at least 2L (67 oz) of water a day, so fill up a cooler with a bottle for each guest.
What to do during the Pool Party Cookout
Now that you’ve got everything prepared, here’s how you’ll celebrate:Welcome the guests and offer them summer supplies
Make everyone feel at home with a proper entrance to the pool party, greeting them right at your doorstep. And keep your summer supplies (towel, sunblock, etc) on a table for everyone to feel comfortable in case they forgot to bring their own.Serve up drinks
Drinks are the easiest thing to get ready, right off the bat. All you need to do is put them in a cooler and keep it in the shade. Don’t forget to fill it up with a lot of ice. And besides water, you can prepare some beverages for people to chill out. Why not these: Non-alcoholic
- Agua Fresca
- Iced Tea
- Fruit Punch
- Lemonade
- Pina Colada
- Margarita
- Mojito
- Tequila
Griddle up Food
A Pool Party isn’t complete without delicious food. Imagine swimming in the sun, getting a tan, and refreshing yourself. Everything’s good, but soon you’ll feel pretty hungry. That’s when you get the griddle in action. Fire up close to the pool and watch the guests climb out of the water for a delicious burger, some hot dogs or even fajitas. Keep the meals simple. Here are the best recipes to heat up those pool lovers: Hot Dogs
Burgers
Sliders
Wraps
Enjoy some Pool Games
Get the pool energized with some games. Especially for the kids - you’ll keep everyone entertained and a chance to mingle. The easiest of course is Marco Polo - someone is “it” and has to close their eyes. The goal is to tag someone else, by finding out their location shouting “marco” - the players need to respond “polo”! Who can win Marco Polo the fastest? Another classic is Sharks and Minnows. One player is the shark, and on the other side of the pool are the minnows. The goal is for the minnows to cross the pool without being tagged by the shark. Each tagged minnow becomes a shark, so the game gets tricky for the remaining fishes! The player that survives the longest is the winner! You can also play Water Balloon Dodgeball. Split the guests into two teams at opposite sides of the pool. Hand each team a bucket filled with water balloons and let the dodgeball commence! The final player who isn’t hit wins!
What if I’m not a host? My friend invited me to his pool party!
Ask them to read this guide, and play your part by giving some pointers. Read up the Blackstone Pool Safety Checklist to make sure the party will be safe. And remind your friend to get extra towels, sunblock, and flip-flops for guests - at least one guest will forget theirs! Make sure each guest has 2L of water at their disposal - if someone gets dehydrated they’ll also need to cool down under a shade. That means your friend needs a parasol, tree or a cool room available. And for food, you can’t go wrong with griddle burger and hot dogs. Ask the host if you can take along your Blackstone! Just put it in the car trunk and then set it up in their backyard. All you need to do is unfold those legs, light the propane, and throw down the ingredients. In no time you’ll have delicious eats for the whole crowd!
