The Super Bowl is one of the most watched television events of the year, and there’s no better way to celebrate than at home with family! While the parties may not be the same this Super Bowl Sunday, there are still ways to make your Super Bowl Watch Party just as fun with your family! As an award-winning event producer, who spent over a decade working in the NFL planning various events, I’m often asked about sharing some easy tips that can help my friends plan their tailgate party like a pro, even amidst a pandemic.
First, be sure to check out my original article about how to host the Ultimate Watch Party for a laundry list of things that apply to ANY watch party. As for hosting your own Super Bowl party, here are a few fun, simple things that I like to do as I get ready to watch the greatest game on turf!
The Invite:
Despite the fact that the party has now become a family affair (much smaller guest list) in 2021, cute invitations are still a fun option for them. You could print out a large flyer PDF and post it in the house or on the refrigerator to start the fun.
See ideas for invites linked here!
This year, the focus is on the family or a small guest list with social distancing. So it is important to consider the regulations or CDB guidelines in your area before throwing a Super Bowl Bash. Don’t feel comfortable having everyone over? Zooming with friends can make your Super Bowl Party just as fun!
Décor:
Just because your party is smaller this year does not mean you have to skimp on decorations. Just like last year, both teams playing in the Super Bowl this year have a primary color of RED, so bring on the red décor once again!
I like using these simple mason jars for decorations throughout the food table to bring in the football theme. I’ll also use my dishes like these as décor.
If you need extra serving plates, make sure to check out places like Dollar Tree or Family Dollar. They usually have some great plates that are extremely affordable. I always check out the dishware aisle to find glasses and dishes before parties, especially if you plan to paint or decorate them.
What to Serve: Food & Drinks
Fun snacks and cocktails are a Super Bowl must but remember to consider options that
are better for safe handling for guests this year. Large grazing platters are out, so opt for individual serving plates instead. Some of my favorite party snacks are bowls of homemade chili and individual charcuterie boards. These treats will be a hit!
I always love making my favorite chili recipe for the game. Here’s the recipe:
Turkey & Sweet Potato Chili (BEST Crock-Pot recipe Here)
- Cornbread
- Toppings:
- Cheddar Cheese
- Sour Cream
* Substitute 0% Fage Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a lighter calorie count
- Avocado
- Onions
Individual Charcuterie Boards
-small plates
-2-3 cheeses
-apples
-grapes or blackberries
-2 types of meat
-2 crackers
Other Snacks:
- 7-layer bean dip and chips in a cup
- Individually wrapped burgers (Think In-N-Out Style)
- Fill a small cup with ranch dressing and then put veggies in for easy dipping
If you would rather have your party catered this year, remember to support small and local businesses. Martin’s and Edley’s are perfect options if you love some Nashville BBQ!
Desserts:
I love the fun Game Day Popcorn served in football paper bags! Here’s the easy recipe:
Game Day Popcorn
- Popcorn
- Candy – M&Ms (green and brown only)
- Melted white chocolate
Spread out the popcorn on wax paper, then add in the M&Ms and drizzle the white chocolate over the popcorn and candy. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes until the chocolate is hard and put it in a bowl! It’s the perfect sweet and salty treat to add to a snack table.
More crowd pleasers are rice crispy treats or custom cookies from a local bakery! They double as décor and taste delicious! Sugar Drop is my go-to in the Nashville area for custom cookies, treats, etc., but if you don’t have a bakery around you, some bakeries will ship to you!
Drinks:
Make sure to have a stocked bar. For the Super Bowl, I always have a cooler stocked full of ice, assorted beers, sodas, and waters. I also love having a Signature Cocktail, for any gathering, to serve my guests. Plus, I always make sure to have non-alcoholic drink options too, after all, it is on a Sunday night.
You can make the signature drink in advance, so you’re not serving as bartender the whole night. My Signature Cocktail for this year’s Super Bowl is “Touchdown Punch” but a “Tangerine Qauran-Tini” is just as festive and delicious!
Signature Cocktail: “Touchdown Punch”
· 1 L Sprite
· 2 c. seltzer
· 1 (750-ml) bottle Prosecco
· 1 c. vodka
· ¼ c. blue Curacao
· 1 lemon, thinly sliced
· 3 c. ice Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a punch bowl. Stir to combine and serve into glasses.
Here is a long list of other cocktail options - https://www.delish.com/entertaining/g25781215/super-bowl-drinks/
Games within the Game:
The big game is on, but are you watching the football, the commercials, or the pregame and halftime entertainment? In order to keep the game fun throughout, it is great to have games of your own planned!
I like having two games for the party – one for the commercials and one for the actual game. We’ll do Bingo and Square. This will keep everyone entertained through the night no matter what is happening with the game. The winner will get a nice bottle of wine and a gift card to Academy Sports! Another fun game is to have an ongoing tally of everyone’s favorite commercials so that at the end of the game everyone can see which commercial topped the charts! This could be fun to do on your Zoom Watch Party as well with friends.
Check out our Pinterest for more food and décor ideas.
Don’t forget to start your party early enough to watch Eric Church and Jazmine Sullivan sing the National Anthem! H.E.R. will also be singing “America the Beautiful” before the game. And you can’t miss some people’s most important part of the Super Bowl—the halftime performance by The Weekend!
Enjoy the game and stay safe!!
Thank you to Sommer Grace Weldon for her assistance with this blog.
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