9 Ways to Throw a Perfect Pool Party to Close out Summer

When you throw a party, the last thing you want to do is have a dud. Here are nine simple tricks to have a blast while keeping things simple, safe, and responsible.

Pool party tip 1: Choose to have cannabis

When looking to have a party, you may consider whether or not you want to have cannabis available and, if so, what form, be it in the form of edibles, flowers, pre-rolled cigarettes, disposables, and more. Knowing if a dispensary near me [is] open helps to choose to have it simple, cost-effective, and with delivery, safe.

Pool party tip 2: Alcohol is great, too

When thinking about what types of alcohol to bring to the party, consider getting a variety of different types, e.g.:

• beer
• wine
• “shot” alcohol such as vodka and rum
• mixers

And while you’re at it, don’t forget things such as various types of carbonated beverages, fruit juices, water, and ice for those who don’t want to consume alcohol.

Pool party tip 3: bring the tunes

What’s a party without music? For the best party, you might consider hiring a DJ to run the party’s music. If you don’t want the expense, dig out your CDs or DVDs and procure your own list, go on YouTube to find your favorite tunes, or load up Pandora or Spotify. Another way to bring music to a party is to hire a band or have everyone bring musical instruments they know how to play and set up an impromptu performance.

Pool party tip 4: don’t forget the food

There are a variety of ways of getting food. Maybe everyone can bring their favorite dish as a potluck of sorts. Conversely, you may wish to delegate cooking to one person who provides the food, and everyone there pays a fee. A barbecue of hotdogs and burgers with all the fixings works well for this theme. If you plan on lots of people showing up, it may be simpler to have someone run to the store or restaurant for a tray of fried chicken, beef and au jus and rolls, mostaccioli, some slaw, potato salad, and some platters of cheese cubes, fresh fruit, and cupcakes. Feel like something fancier? Grab some carnitas, tortillas, salsa, guac, maybe some refried beans or rice, and celebrate things Mexican. Or grab a party tray of egg rolls, fried rice, and beef and broccoli for a Chinese-themed party.

Best party tip 5: location is important

For the best parties, rent out a hotel ballroom, go to the beach, park, or another such venue. Why? People are more likely to behave themselves knowing they’re in public. And even if not, the hosts will likely have less to clean up. One of the biggest reasons to consider a hotel is that you don’t have to worry about people needing to go home. Just make sure to rent out a few rooms in advance for such an eventuality.

Pool party tip 6: include games to liven things up

One of the things that people remember about parties is the games. And since we’re adults, consuming alcohol and weed, we should have adult games. Consider the following games:

• Scavenger hunt
• Charades
• 20 Questions
• I’m thinking of
• Spin the bottle
• Two Truths & A Lie
• Continue the tale
• What’s Your Story?
• Telephone game
• Name That Tune!
• Cornhole
• Would You Rather
• Volleyball
• Categories/ Scategories
• Water balloon dodgeball
• Pool games*
• (homemade) Twister
• Cards against humanity
• Movie game
• Giant Jenga
• Freeze Dance
• Pin The Tail
• Beer Pong+
• What doesn’t belong?
• Name the celebrity
• Adult board games
• 3-legged race

If some of these games don’t sound all that familiar, don’t hesitate to google them to get a description of the rules and what you’ll need to play them. Or make up your own game.

* Note: it’s best to do pool games “before” consuming weed or alcohol to eliminate the chance of accidents.

+ Allow the people playing beer pong to pass their beer to someone else if they don’t wish to consume it.

Pool party tip 7: don’t forget to have disposables on hand

Instead of constantly washing dishes your guests use, use disposable plates, plasticware, paper napkins, and plastic cups to save on cleanup. Have garbage cans available so the guests can throw them out when finished eating. Don’t forget to change the can liners frequently to avoid overflowing.

Pool party tip 8: Consider a theme

Some themes you might consider having are:

• A decade, for instance, the 60s, 70s, or 80s
• Wedding, bachelor, or bachelorette party
• Costume party
• Baby shower
• Graduation party
• Movie theme or book party

Pool party tip #9 always have designated drivers

Not everyone at a party needs to be consuming cannabis or alcohol. At least a few people should be the designated drivers of the group to ensure everyone gets home safely. Even if cannabis is legal where you live, driving under the influence certainly is not.

Note on party safety

Just because you’re partying doesn’t mean that you can neglect safety. Please consume alcohol and weed responsibly. Don’t consume the substances together. If you do, you may experience some combination of nausea, vomiting, sweating, dizziness, anxiety, and distress. If you’re concerned about your ability to get home safely, call a cab or take public transportation. If you see someone impaired, take away their keys and ensure they can arrive home safely.