Patriotic Pool Party -

Looking for Independence Day party inspiration? I’ve got you covered! The 4th of July is a big deal in my family. My grandpa’s birthday was the 4th of July and I spent many years at his cabin at Lake Tahoe celebrating with great fanfare. Now I spend every other year either eating Blueberry Hill Surprise at the lake house or eating Blueberry Hill Surprise by the pool. Here are some of my favorite recipes and party ideas for your Independence Day festivities.

The Table

I set up a 6″ portable table by the pool and styled it with a fabulous (and inexpensive!) firework tablecloth I found on Amazon. I decorated the table white nautical lanterns, American flags, custom made signs, one huge red, white, and blue floral arrangement, and tons of festive food.

P.S. I normally do dinner party tablescapes rather than buffet tables like this. Comment and let me know if you want to see more party tables like this on The Rose Table!

The Flowers

I’m so proud of this arrangement! I styled blue hydrangeas, white roses, and (vastly underrated) red carnations to make the loveliest red white and blue bouquet.

The Signs

My talented friend Anamieke, owner of Enchanted Farmhouse, made this custom “Party like it’s 1776” sign for me and it was the star of my table! It’s now available in her Etsy store here. (If you’re a big Rose Table fan, you’ll recognize lots of my Disney Dinners decor on her shop page!) She also made three adorable firework blocks, which I’ve been loving in my living room all summer.

The Drink

My Star Spangled Punch is sure to delight the whole family! An easy mix of cranberry juice and lemonade, this refreshing punch can easily be spiked with gin or vodka or left plain for the whole family to enjoy it. Serve with adorable watermelon stars and blueberries. Get the recipe here.

The Food

Looking for an easy 4th of July Menu? You found it! This felt so easy to me because this is pretty much what my family eats every year on the fourth! Make the potato salad and pie ahead of time then all you have left is the five-minute fruit wands and sliders.

Patriotic Pool Party Menu:
All-American Sliders
Chips, Assorted Fruit
Buzz’s Potato Salad
Firework Fruit Wands
Blueberry Hill Surprise

All-American Sliders

I’m such a purist when it comes to burgers. All I want is super high quality beef (shoutout to my friends at Ashcraft Beef!), sea salt, King’s Hawaiian Rolls, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and cheese. My secret? Despite being a grill-aholic, I prefer to do sliders in the house. Get the recipe here.

Buzz’s Potato Salad

Finally my mom’s potato salad makes its Rose Table debut! She perfected this over the years and I think it’s quite different from most potato salads. The yogurt-dill dressing is so light and refreshing. She uses bacon, green onions, hard-boiled eggs, and pickles for the perfect potato salad. Get the recipe here.

Firework Fruit Wands

These are too adorable! Cut watermelons into stars using cookie cutters, then thread onto bamboo skewers with blueberries for the cutest 4th of July side dish. To be extra festive, arrange in a firework display. Get the recipe here.

Blueberry Hill Surprise

Last but certainly not least, I served my famous Blueberry Hill Surprise, which is so good it’s on the cover of my cookbook. What’s the “surprise” you ask? I use a German kuchen pastry instead of pie crust for this recipe so it might look like pie but it tastes more like a giant sugar cookie. It’s one of my signature desserts! Get the recipe here. I picked these gorgeous blueberries at Blase Family Farm. Read all about it here.

Another top dessert pick? My Red, White and Blue Cake!

I hope this inspired you for your own 4th of July festivities. If you make any of these recipes, don’t forget to tag @therosetable on Instagram! Want more inspo? Watch the episode: