How to host a Wimbledon party

Hosting a sports-themed party can be an exciting and memorable way to celebrate major events like the Wimbledon tennis tournament. And this year is a bumper year of sporting events, including Euro 2024, and the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Each event has its own unique charm and provides ample opportunities for creative party planning. In this guide, we will explore how to host a Wimbledon-themed party, as well as a football-themed party, and an Olympic-themed celebration. We'll cover everything from what to serve, how to decorate, games to play, and even how to clean up afterwards with the best carpet cleaning products.

Food and drink for a Wimbledon party

Wimbledon is one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world, and hosting a Wimbledon party can be a fantastic way to enjoy the event with friends and family. Whether you want to host indoors or outdoors, our ideas have you covered – in fact our guide on how to host the perfect garden party has even more ideas if you’re going al-fresco for the event.

A Wimbledon-themed party wouldn't be complete without the traditional strawberries and cream or recreating the classic Wimbledon picnic. These treats are a must-have, so here’s what we’d suggest picking up for a Wimbledon-themed party:

Pimm's cup: A refreshing British cocktail that's perfect for summer. Serve it in large jugs with plenty of fresh fruit and mint. Or for a non-alcoholic drink, make up some barley water – an old favourite at the championship.
Finger sandwiches: Cucumber, smoked salmon, and egg mayonnaise sandwiches cut into dainty finger-sized portions
Scones with clotted cream and jam: Another British classic that's perfect for a tennis party
Quiches and savoury tarts: Easy to make and perfect for a Wimbledon picnic setup
Wimbledon-themed cupcakes: Decorate cupcakes with tennis balls, rackets, or the iconic Wimbledon logo using fondant or icing.

Fun and games at your Wimbledon party

Transform your space into a mini Wimbledon with these decorating tips:

Tennis ball garland: Create garlands using real or pretend tennis balls. You can hang them across your garden or living room to add to the atmosphere.
Green and purple colour scheme: Use Wimbledon’s signature colours for tablecloths, napkins, and balloons.
Tennis court tablecloth: Use a green tablecloth with white tape to mimic the lines of a tennis court
Scoreboard signs: Create pretend scoreboards with guests' names and funny scores.

Keep the Wimbledon party ideas going with this tennis-themed party fun:

Tennis match viewing: Set up a large screen to watch live matches. Provide comfortable seating and ensure everyone has a good view.
Mini tennis court: If you have the space, set up a mini tennis court in your garden. Use lightweight rackets and foam balls for some friendly competition.
Tennis trivia: Create a trivia quiz based on Wimbledon's history and famous matches. Offer prizes for the winners.
Best dressed competition: Encourage guests to dress in their best tennis whites, and offer a prize for the best outfit.

Euro 24-themed party: it's coming home!

Euro 2024 is set to be a major event, whatever team wins. So, a soccer-themed party can bring the excitement right into your home. Here’s how to create the perfect football fiesta.

Food and Drink
Embrace European flavours and football favourites:

Football favourites: Meat pies, pork pies, mugs of Bovril – it’s time for an old-school footie snack!
Beer and cider: Offer a selection of European beers and ciders. Set up a tasting station with options from different countries.
Snack stadium: Arrange crisps, dips, and finger foods in the shape of flags, or select them by country
Celebrate the host nation: Go German with traditional bratwurst sausages, cheese and other delicacies like pretzels or sauerkraut.
Championship cupcakes: Decorate cupcakes with football-themed toppers and team colours.

Decorations
Show your support with vibrant accessories:

Team flags and banners: Decorate with flags and banners of the teams participating in Euro 2024.
Football tablecloth: Like the Wimbledon theme, use a green tablecloth to represent a football field and add white lines with tape for the markings.
Fan gear: Provide guests with face paint, hats, and scarves in their favourite national team’s colours.
Goal post decorations: Create goal posts with PVC pipes or use inflatable ones as part of the decor.

Paris 2024 Olympics Party
This Summer, the Olympics will bring together the best athletes from around the world in the capital of France. To put some ooh-la-la into your party, create a vibrant and multicultural celebration.

Food and drink

Celebrate the global aspect of the Olympics with a variety of international dishes:

French cuisine: Honour the host nation with dishes like croissants, crepes, baguettes, and cheese platters.
International food stations: Pile plates high with snacks representing different countries. Include sushi, tacos, pasta, and more.
Olympic rings fruit platter: Arrange fruits in the colours of the Olympic rings – blue, yellow, black, green, and red.
Medal cookies: Bake cookies and decorate them with bronze, silver and gold icing or sprinkles to look like medals.
World cocktails: Offer a variety of cocktails from around the world, such as mojitos, sangria, and sake.

Decorations

Create an atmosphere that captures the excitement of the Olympics:

Flag or rings bunting: Decorate with bunting featuring the flags of participating countries or with the Olympic rings
Podium photo: Create a podium for guests to take photos on, complete with medals and props.
Sports equipment decor: Use items like tennis rackets, basketballs, and swimming goggles as part of your decor.

Games and activities

Bring the Olympic spirit to life with these activities:

1. Olympic viewing: Have a large screen set up to watch the events. Keep an eye on key events so guests know when to tune in.

2. Mini Olympics: Host your own mini Olympics with games like sack races, three-legged races, and relay races.

3. Olympic trivia: Test guests' knowledge with trivia questions about the history of the Olympics and notable athletes.

Medal ceremony: Hold a medal ceremony for the winners of your mini games. Use toy medals or create your own.

Tapi's top tips for a winning party:

Flooring champions: If you’re hosting a Wimbledon party in your garden, consider using durable, easy-to-clean flooring, like rugs for your guests to sit on. These are perfect for handling spills and are easy to maintain. If you’re indoors, then your flooring will need to be kept clean and dry. We’ve plenty of helpful ideas here and we’d recommend laminate or vinyl.
Reusable tableware: Use biodegradable plates, cups, and cutlery to make cleaning up easier and eco-friendly or Wimbledon picnic-style melamine that can be washed up quickly.
Recycling stations: Set up clearly-marked recycling bins for bottles, cans, and food waste to make sorting easier.

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Get into the party spirit with Tapi

Our carpet stain removal guide has everything you need to know if a dreaded spill does happen – in fact, our care guides have you covered for cleaning just about every type of flooring! Hopefully, these Wimbledon party ideas will help set up your soiree to be a smash hit.

Post author

Claire Murphy Copywriter Former lifestyle journalist, keen amateur upcycler, full of value for money ideas

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