Holidays & Entertaining Entertaining Throw a Patriotic Party By Sarah Martens Sarah Martens Instagram Sarah Martens is the Senior Editor overseeing food at Better Homes & Gardens digital. She has been with the BHG brand for over 8 years. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on June 22, 2015 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Summer's here, and it's time to celebrate! Serve up a color palette of red, white, and blue for a patriotic party that's perfect for any summer day. The star of this snazzy affair? A delicious (and easy!) Bloody Mary bar. Cheers! 01 of 11 Salute to Summer! Get the FREE Party Kit! BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS JULY ISSUE-FRESH GATHERINGS Bust out your red, white, and blue decor for a patriotic party that dazzles. The star attraction? A build-your-own Bloody Mary bar with all the fixin's. 02 of 11 Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar Get the FREE party kit! When it comes to a good Bloody Mary, the toppings are key. For maximum garnishing, set your bar with tall, stand-up veggies like celery, asparagus, and pickles. Serve spearable toppers like olives, peppers, and okra in low glasses. And don't forget sturdy skewers! 03 of 11 Our Perfect Bloody Mary View Recipe Our best Bloody Mary starts with plain tomato juice and gets jazzed up with lime, horseradish, and hot pepper sauce. Top the concoction with a mix of celery salt and ground black pepper. 04 of 11 DIY Dip-Dyed Folding Fans Get complete instructions here! Stay cool with festive dip-dyed fans. Create your own color palette of bright reds and cool-hue blues. 05 of 11 Chip, Chip, Hooray! Carry the red, white, and blue color scheme to the table. Arrange colorful chips on a white platter with your favorite dip! We love our classic French onion dip. 06 of 11 Snazzy Shrimp Cocktail Fireworks-style skewers add a little razzle-dazzle to a bowl of jumbo cooked shrimp. Find them at party stores or online. Serve the dish with our four-ingredient cocktail sauce and plenty of lemon wedges. 07 of 11 Personal Party Cups Set out cups of colorful chips, candies, or veggies, and let your guests grab and go. Add a festive touch with red tags and blue bakers twine. 08 of 11 Get Outside! Set up your party table outdoors for maximum flow. Plus, the alfresco affair gives guests the chance to enjoy the sweet summer sunshine! 09 of 11 Star-Spangled Table Set the table with mix-and-match plates in one color scheme. Here, we stuck with blue and white in a variety of patterns and hues. Use denim fabric as a simple table cover. 10 of 11 Brilliant Blooms No need for freshly cut flowers! Pot bunches of red blooms and bring them to the table for a stunning centerpiece that lasts all summer. 11 of 11 Patriotic Pup Get Fido into the festivities! Create the look by wrapping patriotic fabric loosely around his collar and tying just like a bow tie. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit