May 16, 2025
Memorial Day is just a few weeks away and with it, the unofficial start of summer. If you’re planning to mark the occasion with an event at home with friends and family, now is the perfect time to clean up the grill and prepare your backyard, patio, terrace or deck for the long weekend.
Last summer seems like a distant dream, given all the extreme weather and cold snaps we’ve endured in between, so it’s a good bet you’ll need to set some time aside to inventory your supplies, do a few runs to the store to replace anything that hasn’t lasted the winter, and stock up on snacks, apps and drinks.
Before you make your shopping list to stock up your outdoor TV lift cabinet with bar ready for an epic three-day weekend, here are a few items that we consider non-negotiable at any Memorial Day BBQ!
We’re going to go out on a limb and say the things that make a BBQ aren’t the hamburgers or hot dogs (although of course – we need those too!) but the sides. Coleslaw, corn-on-the-cob smothered in melted butter, cornbread, a decent potato salad, grilled peppers and onions – the side dishes are really the main event as far as we’re concerned.
That said, you want to enjoy your Memorial Day so don’t get too ambitious. Keep your menu manageable and choose just a few tried-and-tested favorites you know everyone will wolf down. If you want to serve more, ask your guests to make their own signature side or snack and bring it along with them. As long as you don’t have to single handedly serve up a banquet, the more the merrier!
Keep it simple and avoid a MasterChef style panic when there’s just a few minutes to go before it’s time to serve up. Stick to the classics like hamburgers, steaks, hot dogs and ribs for the main. Don’t forget to add a few vegetarian options to your list too. Grab some burrito size tortillas and shredded cheese and you can easily make quesadillas for the non-meat eaters, or throw a few potatoes on the grill for baked potatoes.
Hopefully, the weather will play ball and Memorial Day weekend will be full of glorious sunshine. If that’s the case, you’ll need plenty of ice to keep your drinks chilled and refreshing. Our bestselling Outdoor Stunner TV lift cabinet with integrated bar includes an integrated refrigerator and stainless steel drop ice bin with lid so you can serve up cold drinks or make slushies for the kids.
Kicking off the summer season demands a great soundtrack. Creating your own play list that matches the mood you want to set is well worth the extra time and effort but if you really don’t have time for that, save a few options from Apple Music or Spotify to your favorites list so you can just hit play. Don’t forget that you might want to switch things up, with more upbeat music for daytime and more chilled vibes when sun sets.
If you plan to make a day of it, your guests will need somewhere to take a load off. Outdoor cushions and bean bags are relatively inexpensive and can be used again and again all summer. They’re a great investment if you love to host. Likewise, bench seating is affordable, practical and suits a crowd. If your Memorial Day event is more of a formal affair, you can also rent seating and other essentials such as glassware from a catering company or events firm for the weekend.
Summer means bugs. To keep them at bay, dot citronella candles around your backyard or patio as the sun goes down. Not only will they stop your guests being eaten alive, they also provide ambient mood lighting to set the mood.
