Three Tips For Planning An Authentic Irish Themed Get Together

March isn't the only time of the year to host an Irish themed soiree. The summer presents an excellent opportunity to turn a traditional backyard get together into an enjoyable and memorable ceilidh, or Irish, party. If you have a love for traditional Irish music and culture, here are just a handful of tips to help you plan an awesome event.

Hire A Caterer

What's the point of having an Irish themed event if you are going to eat traditional American favorites like hotdogs and hamburgers? If you're going to commit to a theme – it's best to be all in. Hire a caterer with experience preparing Irish dishes for your event. Some outdoor friendly dishes to include on the menu are soda bread boxty.

Adding authenticity isn't the only benefit a professional caterer can offer. When you consider the extra expenses associated with purchasing specialty food items and party serving supplies, having the event catered may actually save you money.

Update Your Playlist

It's great to have popular songs on your party playlist, but don't forget that you are hosting an Irish themed event so you need to have some traditional Irish folk songs in the rotation. If your party guests aren't well versed on Irish music, a great way to engage everyone is to hire a dance instructor. The dance instructor can teach everyone a few Irish step dancing or river dancing moves to accompany the music.

Everyone will undoubtedly love the unique opportunity to not only hear a different style of music, but also learn some new moves, which will make your party even more memorable.  

Integrate Customs

Consider integrating some Irish customs into your party to add another unique element. For example, storytelling and group toasts are commonly practiced traditions at many social gatherings. If you don't want to hire a professional seanchai, or traditional storyteller, there are a number of resources online that can help you prepare.

Traditional toasts are just a way to bring everyone together and commemorate a special event. There are also resources online to help you prepare a toast. Following this tip will make your theme more authentic, but it also presents an excellent opportunity to introduce your guests to a culture they may not know a lot about.

Make sure you are taking the time to plan every detail of your Irish themed party. With a little effort you can quickly transform an ordinary backyard party from bland to grand.