It feels like the summer just started, but all of the sudden it’s August! Our summer bucket list is near complete, the days are still hot but are getting shorter, and cooler weather is top of mind. Though I no longer plan my life around back-to-school now that my daughters are grown and out of the house, I still feel a need to finish the summer on a strong note. 

This year, we haven’t had the chance to have friends over as much as I had hoped, but I’m making hosting a top priority as summer comes to a close. Plans are coming together for a “goodbye to summer” lunch, which will be easy and casual. I’m imagining our deck filled with tables of food and our bar stocked with all sorts of refreshing beverages. 

To fully celebrate the season, why not plan your party menu based on what the farmers have at the market? You know it will be a delicious gathering. Here’s what I’d suggest picking up. 

The markets are brimming with the freshest summer fruits and vegetables. Grab tomatoes and use them to whip up a tomato pie with pimento cheese filling, serve some tuna salad with caper aioli and set out my mom’s summer vegetable salad. For dessert, you can’t go wrong with summertime lemon pie and a platter full of our chewy boozy cherry chocolate chip cookies. This menu is an easy, make ahead kind of party. My plan is to make the desserts the day before so the house is not hot from the oven and wake up early the day of the party to make the main dishes.

For drinks, I am going to keep it easy, too. I love to make batch cocktails and this party is no exception.  Pitchers will be overflowing with chilled bourbon sangria stuffed with fruit. The bar will be filled with everything my guests will need to create their festive drinks—think Boozy Cherries, sliced oranges, stir sticks, cocktail picks, festive straws, and linen cocktail napkins. (You can shop my entire list of summer party essentials here!). If someone is craving a less sweet, refreshing cocktail, my Kentucky Mule station set up brimming with bowls of limes and iced cold cans of ginger beer. Another idea is to create a limoncello bar. Fill an oversized ice bucket filled with bottles of premade limoncello, fresh sliced lemons, and mint for garnish. Summery and delicious! 

As far as the tablescape, my go to is sticking with a green and white color palette. I love to adorn my summer tables with wicker placemats, glass hurricanes filled with white pillar candles, white dishes, and vintage milk glass vases filled with herbs and fern clippings from the yard. Pattern napkins complement the design, and bamboo handled flatware makes for a perfect final touch. 

So what are you waiting for? Take a page out of my book and set a date to host your nearest and dearest before this magical season ends.