Here is your Magical Midsummer Night's Dream Party checklist for a magical, memorable and delicious get-together with friends and family this summer - including recipes to try and what to cook for the perfect party.
Midsummer marks the summer solstice, the official start of summer. Typically falling on June 21, it is also the longest day of the year. Playwright William Shakespeare wrote his play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" between 1590 and 1596. The play has overlapping story lines revolving around characters that are engaged in love triangles. It also features Oberon and Titania, the fairy king and queen and a series of enchantments that are performed at night in the forest. Using these elements as inspiration, anyone can throw a party with magical overtones.
The Checklist
✔️ Set the scene
The bulk of the story takes place in a forest. If possible, host a party in a wooded area or garden and wrap surrounding trees with lights. For an inside party, hang fake vines from the ceiling and pin them to the walls.
Add DIY creative touches by taking glass vases and filling them with dirt. Root flowers or vines in the dirt.
Scatter either real or fake flowers across tabletops.
Purchase fake butterflies from the local craft store, dab their wings with glitter glue and pin them to pieces of tulle before hanging the tulle from the ceiling.
Invite your guests to participate in a forest scavenger hunt where individuals or groups have to collect such items as acorns, leaves and flowers.
The play occurs during the night. Host the party outside under a canopy decorated with fairy lights and glowing globes.
Use a fog machine to create a sense of mystery and mischief.
Whether inside or outside, fill crystal bowls with water and floating candles in the shape of flowers.
Paint Styrofoam balls with silver paint and hang them from the ceiling as moons. An alternative is to hang miniature disco balls.
Put small mirrors on tabletops and scatter silver across the glass to create the illusion of pools of water drenched in moonshine.
✔️ Dress the part
Throw "A Midsummer Night's Dream" costume party. Encourage guests to come barefoot as if they were forest nymphs.
Men can dress up like Puck by wearing green pants and shirts sewn with paper leaves.
To be Titania, women can wear bodices and skirts made from draping layers of chiffon.
Costume extras can be fairy wings and flower crowns.
Encourage your guests to paint their faces with glitter and carry wands.
✔️ Find the perfect menu
The right menu will make your party really memorable.
A fabulous menu would showcase seasonal fruits and vegetables with bright, light summery notes. Think do-ahead desserts, crowd-pleasing pastas, appetizers to satisfy your guests before dinner and cocktails that will last all night long. Explore these menu ideas - you can even learn any of these menus from a professional Chef from your home kitchen so you can flawlessly assemble your memory-making meal.
Party Inspiration and Ideas
Fēst, pronounced 'feast', is a collective of Chefs, Pastry Chefs and Sommeliers who teach guided, interactive and completely customizable classes to cooking-curious people of all skill levels around the world.