The Ultimate At-Home Festival Party Ideas Guide for Budgets Big and Small!
Create your own at-home music festival in just a few simple steps…
A festival is the ultimate summertime celebration; partying in the blazing sunshine with all your mates, listening to your favourite artists without a care in the world…
… well… apart from the huge crowds, extortionate prices and the questionable toilets!
Yes, we’re all guilty of painting these idyllic pictures of festival-going in our heads, when in reality they’re far more taxing than we imagine!
Well, with your own at-home festival party, you can remove all the bad parts of the festivalling experience and celebrate in style.
Whether it’s a birthday, hen weekend, or just an excuse for a party, it’s a memorable choice you’ll be talking about for the rest of your lives.
And from inexpensive ideas to bigger-budget additions, we’ve compiled the ultimate guide to throwing your own festival party at home.
Get inspired below!
Festival Party Ideas
- Invites
- Décor
- Lighting
- Food
- Drinks
- Entertainment
- Outfits
The Invites
Invitations
The first part of the festival process is the tickets (invites)!
Now, if you’re on a tight budget, this could be as simple as sending out a text announcement to all your guests or even creating that WhatsApp chat entitled Homechella (or whatever you’re calling it), where the excitement can really build!
Give rumours about headline acts and special guests to get the chat popping off!
Tickets, Wristbands & VIP Passes
Depending on how creative you’re feeling, you could mock-up festival tickets, entry wristbands and even lanyards with VIP passes to instigate the festival vibes.
If you’re wanting it done professionally, you could get a company to make them for you, or you can use festival ticket templates online and print some off yourselves!
The Décor
You can create a fantastic festival atmosphere cheaply and easily as well as going all out with all the bells and whistles!
It’s amazing what you can do with some bunting, mirrors, throws and blankets. You can transform the most ordinary of gardens into a real boho haven.
Seating
If you’re keeping things relatively low-key, blankets on the grass is a good option (even just sitting on the ground itself is very festival) or why not get everyone to bring a camping chair along for a more authentic feel.
If you’re looking for something a bit more rustic and chic, get hold of some hay bales and cover them in patterned throws
Tents & Teepees
Depending on the size of your garden, you may even be going full-festival mode and having a campout!
Get people to bring their tents and set them up out the way or, if your budget allows, erect a festival-style teepee which you can all gather under.
Party On Top Tip: Mosquito nets can be used to create makeshift teepees and, with a bit of flair and style, can really look the part!
Bunting & Mirrors
You can purchase vibrant and colourful or quaint and rustic bunting pretty cheaply online and it’s a brilliant, low-cost way of really giving off that festival feel.
Plus, if you have it all on one side, you can angle mirrors on the other side to reflect it, making it all-encompassing.
The Lighting
When the sun starts to dip down and the party starts to crank up, you’ll need some lighting so you can keep the good times rolling on into the night!
Outdoor fairy lights, lanterns and tea lights are all solid options, and if you’re pushing the boat out or going for a Polynesian-vibe, tiki torches are a suitably stylish addition.
The Food
At festivals you’ll find every type of cuisine under the sun, so you can get really creative with this bit.
From a classic BBQ to a full-blown hog roast, the world is your oyster… “Hmm… oysters. Not a bad shout, actually!”
Classic BBQ
- Burgers (Veggie and Non-Veggie Options)
- Sausages
- Chicken Wings
- Sauces
- Salads
- Corn on the Cob
All the big hitters!
Hog Roast
If you’re not clued up on how to do this yourself (and who is?), you can hire people in to rustle you up a succulent hog roast if you’re really looking to take your festival to the next level.
Curries
Make a selection of curries, get all the extras in (poppadoms, naans etc.) and let people dive in.
Perfect for sharing and cheaply done if you’re feeding a fair few.
Our Suggestions
- Beef Madras
- Chicken Tikka Massala
- Veg Korma
Something for everyone!
Fajitas & Burritos
Another one where you can make a couple of big batches and people can pick and choose their fillings.
Party On Top Tip – Rather than using your actual plates, add to the festival-feel with some patterned paper plates.
The minor details all contribute to the overall ambience.
The Drinks
As well as ice-cold beers and ciders (yes, not hot tinnies that have warmed up in your tent), why not serve a selection of cocktails which you’d struggle to get hold of at you usual festival!
Yes, this isn’t about replicating the festival experience, it’s about elevating it to new heady heights, and cocktails are certainly a way to do that!
Check out our favourite summer creations below!
Mojito (or Blighty if you prefer gin!) ?
- 50ml Rum (Or Gin)
- Soda Water (As much as you like)
- Mint Leaves
- 1 Juiced Lime
- Garnish: Sprig of Mint
Pornstar Martini ?
- 50ml Vanilla Vodka
- 25ml Passoa
- Lime Juice
- Sugar Syrup
- Shot of prosecco
Tequila Sunrise ?
- 50ml Tequila
- 100ml Orange Juice
- Splash of Grenadine
- Garnish: Slice of Orange or Maraschino Cherry
Party On Budget-Saving Tip: – Why not just do a big bowl of Pimm’s!
The Entertainment
The big draw of festivals is seeing your favourite artists hit the stage and perform!
Now, unless you’re a millionaire, we’re guessing you’re probably not going to able to get Ed Sheeran to come a do a solo performance in your backyard.
So you’re gunna want to get creative!
Speakers
These are the minimum requirement if you’re throwing your own festival party!
People will be turning up expecting to throw so shapes to some certified bangers!
Check out our very own ‘Party On Festival Playlists’ on Spotify
Silent Disco
A trend which has sky-rocketed in recent years, the silent disco has taken off all across the nation because it’s not only brilliant but downright hilarious!
If you have the budget, you can hire the equipment from a professional vendor, or, you could all stick your headphones in and dance to your own tunes!
There’s no excuse not to do this one!
Hire an Act
We’re not talking about Kanye or Beyonce here, but you could hire an acoustic performer to come and perform an intimate gig for you and your mates to really cap off a fantastic day of festival fun.
Outfits
The best part about hosting a mini-festival is getting to put all the gear on!
From glitter and flower crowns to ponchos and wellies, you need to get everyone looking the part to get you in the mood for an all-day party!
Festival Themed Party Outfit Ideas
- Glitter
- Bodypaint
- Flower Crowns (which you can make yourselves)
- Wellies
- Ponchos
- Hawaiian Flower Leis
- Colourful Beads
Disclaimer: The links on this page may send you to a third party website where Groupia may receive a commission on purchases.
