Hosting the perfect Australia Day barbeque
Australia Day is upon us, so how do you plan the perfect barbeque for the occasion
Australia Day is right around the corner and the humble barbeque is at centre stage when it comes to the entertaining aspect of the day. Across the nation there are official Australia Day barbeques planned along with official activities to commemorate the day and its historical significance. So say you have put your hand up to host your local Australia Day barbeque, inviting friends and family over to spend the afternoon. Seems like a great idea at the time, but now you have to organise and host it. So...where to start?
Things to consider for an Australia Day barbeque:
- Guests
- Setting
- Invitations
- Food/Drink
- Activities
Any function or event will usually have its other factors determined by one main thing: guests and how many. Deciding on how many guest you will be inviting will help you choose the setting, how much food to organise, drinks and alcohol, activities and style of the barbeque. If you are opting for a small group then the backyard barbeque would be ideal, however, if the number of guests has spiralled well past your property’s capabilities then perhaps the local park area would be more suited. The majority of local parks will have barbeques and similar facilities, but due to the nature of the day you may want to get in early to save one for your own party.
AS a side note, the time of the party is also crucial in an Australia summer with an afternoon event ideal for those planning to have all guests outside.
By nature barbeques are casual affairs so it is not expected of a host to make the event to formal or go to an elaborate amount of trouble, yet for it to be a success it would be wise to consider if there are to be any decoration and official invitations. Obviously being Australia Day the theme is easy, but maybe choosing between a colour scheme of red, blue and white or green and gold and getting all serving items, table clothes and invitations to match this. It should be noted that invitations may not be required for those that are hosting an Australia Day barbeque at their own place with a small group, a simple text message or phone call would suffice. However be sure to get a list of who is coming so you are prepared with the appropriate amount of food and drink.
So now getting to the food, arguably the most important part of any barbeque. First decision will be whether to play host to the max and provide all food and drink or whether to allocate dishes to guests. Both options are entirely acceptable, with barbeque potlucks often being the most common option when it comes to Australia Day barbeques. If you do choose to go down this route, be sure to allocate specific items to guests so you don’t end up with ten potato salads and no coleslaw. When it comes to potlucks, it is up to the host to decide whether they will bring the meat for the barbeque or if the guests are to provide their own. This can always be a smart option with the many different dietary requirements many people have but if you do decide to provide all foods, make certain that you have staples that cater for vegetarians such as grilled vegetables or veggie burgers. Also it is advisable to provide some sort of kids option if many children are coming.
The other major issue for any person opting to host an Australia Day barbeque is alcohol. Will you provide or is it BYO? Be sure to stipulate this on the invitations so all guests are clear before they arrive.
Finally you should decide whether or not you want to provide any activities or games for your guests to enjoy. If you have a pool then the activities are easy and already set up but for those in parks or without pools there are many games that are popular on Australia Day such as outdoor games like cricket to Australia Day quizzes.
Hosting an Australia Day barbeque can be a terrific way to celebrate the national occasion, and with proper planning it can be a total success for you and your guests.
