This summer, no adventure is too big or small. Take that trip you’ve been meaning to take for years. Learn how to make the perfect chocolate cake. Take surfing lessons. Binge watch a new show on Netflix. Get tickets to a music festival. Can’t make it to the real deal? No need to worry. If you can’t make it to the music festival in person, invite some friends and have one at home by recreating the energy and atmosphere of your favorite festival right in your own backyard!
This summer is all about defining your own adventure, so find something that makes you happy. Watch the video below to learn how to host a backyard music festival at home, brought to you by Evite and Francis Coppola Diamond Collection cans.
Decorations: Set the scene for your backyard music festival with the outdoor decor. Coordinate the decor with the colors of a late-night summer sunset – dark oranges, burnt umbers, navy blues. Keep it casual by placing plenty of blankets, rugs, and pillows on the grass so guests can sit, sip wine, listen to music and enjoy each other’s company. If you’re worried about any moisture from the grass soaking through, place a plastic table cover under the blankets and rugs.
Run outdoor string lights and lanterns through the trees so they twinkle in the twilight as the sun sets. For the finishing touch, purchase fresh flowers in the same colors as the sunset and place them around the music and food and drink station for a pop of color.
Music: Since the music is the main act, set up a special table that can serve as your “stage.” Plug your phone into some speakers, turn up the tunes then dance the night away. If you can’t make it to your favorite music festival in person, we recommend downloading the TuneIn app because you can stream festivals and concerts like Outside Lands, the Newport Folk Festival and the Newport Jazz Festival straight from your phone. They’ve partnered with Francis Ford Coppola Winery this summer to launch streaming stations for music festivals all across the country so it’ll feel like you’re there in person, even if you’re not.
Plus, Francis Ford Coppola Winery and TuneIn are also partnering with artists from all three festivals to bring you exclusive content like podcasts so you can follow them on their cross-country tours this summer and all of the adventures they undertake.
- Listen to Outside Lands radio here
- Listen to Newport Folk Festival here
- Listen to Newport Jazz Festival here
Games: Keep guests entertained all afternoon with fun outdoor activities, like bocce ball, cornhole or a ring toss. They’re a fun and easy way to keep guests active and engaged in between eating and while listening to music.
Food and Drinks: Set up a separate table just for the food and drinks so guests can serve themselves buffet-style. For the entree, make sure you have multiple options to choose from and always have at least one vegetarian option available.
Since this is a backyard music festival, your food should also be festival inspired: food that’s fun and playful — and can be eaten with your fingers! Use this as an opportunity to eat adventurously by cooking up something you may not ordinarily make. We served fried chicken sandwiches (which pairs perfectly with Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Chardonnay Can), Grilled Shrimp Skewers (paired with Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Pinot Grigio Can) and Elote (paired with Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Sauvignon Blanc Can). Alongside the entrees, we also set out easy-to-eat snacks like popcorn, chips and watermelon slices on sticks.
To make your party feel extra authentic, serve the food as it would be served at an actual festival. Skip the formal serveware and keep it as natural and organic as possible. Serve the fried chicken sandwiches on brown wax paper-lined paper food trays or compostable plates. Use brown paper bags to serve the chips, and place the shrimp on wooden skewers.
Chilled drinks are a must – it is a music festival after all. For the drinks, we recommend Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Cans (they come in Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc) — they’re the perfect choice for a backyard music festival because they’re elegant but portable and you won’t need to worry about glasses breaking.
Pro-tip: Place them in old-fashioned metal ice buckets to keep them cool all afternoon long.
Start inviting your friends and planning your next backyard music festival with the free Evite invitation below.
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