Graduation Party
Celebrate the graduate with an easy open house for a big crowd
Plan a graduation party or open house for family, friends and classmates. Get a buffet menu that feeds forty without a caterer, a timeline that works around ceremony dates, advice on space and shade outdoors, and ideas that put the graduate's story front and centre.
Countdown
The graduation timeline
Tick things off as you go — it’s a checklist.
8 weeks before
4 weeks before
2 weeks before
1 week before
Day before
Day of
Day after
Menu ideas
What to serve
- Charred chicken skewersSkewered the day before; cooks in batches without a pause.
- Veggie burger patties, griddledFrozen patties, griddled in relays alongside the meat station.
- Mini beef slidersGriddle in batches, dressed at the pass, never sits assembled long.
- Crudités with two dipsCold, plant-only, and the one board children reliably eat.
- Loaded potato salad, big bowlOne bowl, dressed ahead, sits at ambient without complaint.
- Watermelon and feta, big platterCuts ahead, dresses at the last minute so it doesn't weep.
- Lemon bars, catering trayBakes flat, cuts cold, travels well to an outdoor table.
- Gluten-free brownie trayOne tin, one bake, cuts into small squares for a long table.
- Fresh lemonade, big batch, no alcoholSqueezes ahead, sits in a cooler jug, tops up with ice as needed.
- Iced tea, big urnBrews ahead and lives in a cooler, no ice dilution problem.
Décor ideas
- · School colours on tablecloths, balloons and napkins.
- · A photo timeline from first day of school to graduation.
- · The graduate's cap, gown, awards and memorabilia on display.
- · A 'where are they headed' sign with college or next steps.
- · Bunting and string lights across the garden.
- · A card box shaped like a mortarboard.
Things to do
- · An advice station where guests write notes for the graduate.
- · A photo backdrop with a frame prop and the year.
- · Lawn games: cornhole, giant Jenga, frisbee.
- · A slideshow of photos running indoors.
- · A short toast from a parent, teacher or friend.
Drinks
- · Fresh lemonade in a big dispenser.
- · Iced tea, sweetened and unsweetened.
- · Water stations with cups in several spots.
- · Beer and wine for adults, served separately from the kids' drinks.
- · A fruit punch with sparkling water.
Music · Upbeat and nostalgic, mixing the graduate's favourites with crowd-pleasers.
- · The graduate's favourite songs from the school years.
- · Summer pop and throwbacks for a mixed-age crowd.
- · A few classic graduation songs around the toast.
Questions hosts ask
How much food for a graduation open house?
Guests come and go, so not everyone eats a full meal. Plan on about two thirds of your invited list eating, and for them about 230 g (8 oz) of main and 125 g (4.4 oz) of each side. Refill in batches rather than putting everything out at once.
How many people will come to an open house?
Open houses rarely get firm replies. As a rule of thumb, many hosts see between half and three quarters of those invited, though it depends on how many other parties fall on the same weekend.
How long can food sit out at an outdoor party?
The USDA advises no more than two hours for perishable food, or one hour if it is above 90°F. Keep cold dishes over ice and hot dishes hot, and swap platters regularly.
How much ice do I need?
Plan roughly 1 to 1.5 lb of ice per guest for drinks, more on a hot day or if you are also chilling bottles and food.