Memorial Day Rooftop Picnic

Memorial Day celebrations usually involve parades, flag ceremonies, and other formal public recognitions to honor the brave men and women of the American Armed Forces who’ve died protecting the land we live, preserving peace, protecting the defenseless, and defending the liberty. However, the COVID-19 pandemic social distancing requirement is causing American cities to cancel the favorite traditions and find new ways to honor their fallen heroes, but that doesn't mean you can't have a good time (while practicing social distancing, of course). It's important to have a safe space in today's world, to go outside and find a safe place to have a picnic with the family and stay safe at the same time. Smarty had a Party have a fantastic idea for you to Celebrate Memorial Day safe and with style.

I hope no one's afraid of heights, because, for this idea, we're taking the party to the next level… the roof. That's right - the idea is hosting a rooftop picnic. Just like any picnic, you'll need the basics: the food, the drinks, and some entertainment materials (like music or a good book). But for this picnic, we're making things a little more festive. Okay... a lot more festive. In honor of Memorial Day, we decided to stick with the red, white, and blue color scheme, down to every detail on the menu. We kept the menu simple, but the sky is the limit for what else you can add.

Here's what we chose:

Tea sandwiches using white bread, filled with cream cheese and tomatoes.
Blue chips and salsa
White chocolate covered strawberries dipped in blue sugar sprinkles
Blueberries
Champagne

Directions:

After purchasing all ingredients and preparing lunch, we headed up to the roof. Luckily, Smarty had a Party has all the best picnic gear. :) We laid out a White Polyester Tablecloth as our blanket and piled everything on.

The tea sandwiches will be a huge hit, and you should line them up on Smarty's White Oval Eco-Friendly Bagasse Platters, each with a pretty frilly toothpick stuck in the center.

For our chips and dip, we used a really convenient White Rectangular 6-Section Eco-Friendly Bagasse Serving Tray. We packed the sections with blue chips all the way around, but with the built-in separations, you can easily vary between different chip flavors.

The chocolate-covered strawberries will really pop against the white wave plates. It is all about presentation, you know. :)

Then place blueberries along the edges and down the middle of a second wave plate. Chop up the remaining strawberries and use the pieces to fill in the spaces between the blueberry rows.

Confession: My favorite part was the champagne. We even got a little fancy by putting the champagne in an ice-filled bucket and using classy champagne glasses.

To bring it all together, we used the most beautiful cocktail napkins, which were, you guessed it... red, white, and blue.

Other awesome food ideas could be:

A fruit bowl filled with watermelon and blueberries. (Use a star cookie cutter on the watermelon for a patriotic feel.)
A red, white, and blue layered cake (Food coloring does the trick.)
Red or blue Kool-Aid
Red or blue Jello shots
Red, white, and blue popsicles
Strawberries and whipped cream
Cookies or cupcakes decorated with colored icing

Beyond serving as a relaxing spot to lounge around and eat, the roof is ideal for spreading patriotic vibes and enjoying a safe Memorial Day! So find yourself a rooftop, sit back, and celebrate Memorial Day as you watch the sky light up!