5 tips for a fun and festive picnic this summer

We want to acknowledge it's been a tough few years on many of us and connection IRL hasn't always been possible, so with the season of socialising on our doorstep and picnic weather (sometimes) with us, it’s time to gather your friends together for some yummy food, delicious drinks and good old fashioned fun!

Just because you’re eating on the ground shouldn’t mean you can’t eat in style! Here are some tips to make help you have a fun time, with minimal effort! Pack your Esky (filled with ETCH of course!), invite your friends and enjoy connecting with nature and each other...

1. Planning the perfect picnic location

Look for somewhere scenic with plenty of natural shade (or byo your beach umbrella). If you are heading to the beach, make sure you pack large picnic rugs or blankets to ensure you don’t get sand in your sandwiches! (We love these fun picnic mats by fellow Mornington Peninsula business Kollab)

Don’t forget to make a plan B if the weather turns bad. If it's raining on the day plan a location to set up indoors!

2. Ask your friends to bring a dish to share 

Give guidance on what you’d like included in your picnic soiree. Rather than “can you bring something along to share” - be specific, asking your friends to bring a salad, plate of nibbles, fresh seafood a sweet slice etc.

You could also coordinate it further by having a theme ie: build your own salad buffet and allocate who brings what.

Younger kids can easily be catered for by making some fruit skewers or cute sandwich cut outs.

Don’t forget to include some delicious alcohol free drinks and pack an esky with ice to keep them cool!

3. Insert Family Fun activities

Depending on the age and stage of the picnic attendees, make sure you have some fun activities planned.

If kids are included, you could plan a nature treasure hunt. If there is an area suitable, bring giant colourful chalk for kids (and adults)  to get creative, ball games and fisbee are also a great idea…and don’t forget the big kids can play too!

4. Invite (Secret) Santa to the party

The premise behind the Secret Santa Picnic is simple; place names in a hat, each person then chooses one name from the hat but doesn’t tell anyone which name was picked. He/she is responsible for bringing along a gift for the person selected.

Decide who will be buying for whom a couple weeks before the picnic (and set a price limit) then join together for a gift giving, food eating ceremony!

You can either keep Santa anonymous, or have fun guessing who your secret Santa is.

5. Get your garnish on

While picnics in the great outdoors is the perfect place to pop a stubby holder around your drinks and sip away the afternoon, it can be fun to dial up the fanciness during the festive season. Grab yourself some pretty non-breakable “glassware” pour in your chilled ETCH and top with a pretty garnish, like fresh herbs, dehydrated citrus, edible flowers or berries. (Pack these in mason jars or Tupperware containers for easy picnic transportation)

Happy picnicking!