Thanks to our marvellous myriad array of marquee hire clients, we’ve seen just about every variety of summer celebration imaginable, from classic garden parties to innovative and imaginative events of almost every variety. This puts us in a remarkably good position to offer a few summer event ideas based on our own experiences!

The classic garden party

Nothing evokes the perfect British summer quite as brightly as a good, old-fashioned garden party.

Above all it’s the catering that’s the making of any garden party, and there are a few well-established routes you can follow. Opt for afternoon tea with crustless cucumber sandwiches and strawberries with cream if you favour a vintage feel, or alternatively, fire up the barbecue and lay on a spread for 21st Century appetites! You’ll also need to set up some seasonal games – cricket and rounders serve ideally to cater for the tastes and abilities of young and old alike, or if you’re working with a smaller area, quoits or croquet provide an experience that’s not only quintessentially English and great fun, but low maintenance too.

The mini-festival

For the fun-loving party host, summer provides a perfect opportunity to throw a mini-festival of your own making in your garden. Get hold of a few deckchairs, blankets and bundles of hay, and there you’ll have your perfect festival seating. Ask some musical friends or book a function band to play in a covered stage area – our marquees are ideal for the purpose – and there you have your perfect summer mini-festival set-up! If you’re concerned about noise complaints, simply stick to acoustic performances.

Summer cinema

For the most part, us Brits have been starved of the outdoor cinematic experiences that are common place in other nations around the world – perhaps drive-ins were always doomed to fail in our tepid climate! Nevertheless, pop-up outdoor cinemas are currently enjoying a spike in popularity, and you can take inspiration from the trend to create a fab film experience at your own party. All you’ll need is some slouchy seating – a mix of bean bags and chairs works well – along with a projector and screen, laptop, popcorn and the film of your choice, and the cinematic idyll is complete! Negate the risk of a washout by at least partially covering the seating area (be sure to shelter any electrical equipment).