23 Outdoor Graduation Party Ideas For A Super Memorable Party

If you’re going to be having a backyard graduation party, you absolutely need to hang some string lights!

They add such a nice ambiance to the yard, plus they’ll help people see if your party goes into the evening.

Wrap them around a tree or hang them from your porch posts.

If the weather is looking iffy on the day of your grad party, you should probably look into getting a tent!

Not only will tents provide shelter in case of inclement weather, but they’re also really easy to decorate.

You can hang string lights, flowers, banners, etc. from the tent structure.

I absolutely love the idea of putting signs out in your front yard for an outdoor graduation party.

It’ll make it so much easier for your guests to find the right house AND it just looks really cute!

How adorable is this centerpiece idea for a graduation party?

Just fill a mason jar with flowers and tie a cute grad year tag around it.

Looking for more centerpiece options? We have a full list of the best Graduation Party Centerpiece Ideas here.

A photo booth is a must-have for any grad party.

DIY it by setting up a backdrop (get backdrop ideas here), adding some fun props, and setting up a phone or iPad to take pictures.

This is such a practical outdoor party idea!

Keep your guests comfortable by providing a bug spray and sunscreen station.

This is super easy to DIY. Just hang a bucket on a garden hook and fill it with bug spray and sunscreen.

Every graduation party needs a display table filled with memorabilia from your years in school!

This is a spot to showcase sports and academic accomplishment, photos of friends and family, and other special moments in the graduate’s life.

How cute is this photo walkway for an outdoor graduation party?

Display a photo from each year of the graduate’s life for guests to see as they walk up to the party.

If you’re looking for a way to make a really big impact on a budget, add some giant balloons to your outdoor graduation party decor!

I love how chic and festive these oversized balloons look.

Just make sure you get them filled with helium or attach them to poles if you want this same look.

If you have a wall or garage facing your backyard graduation party, you can hang some cute balloons that spell out “congrads”.

Such an adorable play on words!

This would be the perfect backdrop for graduation party photos with guests!

If you want to wow your guests right when they arrive, set up a balloon arch in the entryway to your backyard!

I love balloon arches for graduation parties because they’re super cheap but make a big impact. Plus, you can get them in your graduate’s school colors!

One of the best outdoor party games is bag toss (or corn hole).

Everyone knows how to play it and it’s super easy to set up.

I absolutely love this colorful bag toss game from Pinterest.

You could easily DIY it with a plain bag toss set and some paint!

One of my all-time favorite outdoor graduation party games is ladder toss.

It’s portable, super easy to set up, and fun for all ages.

Just make sure you stake the ladders into the ground or put sand bags over them! They’re super easy to tip over if you don’t.

Giant Jenga is another classic yard game that people love to play at graduation parties.

Be aware that the pieces are really heavy. So make sure that you don’t have small children running around while you’re playing.

You’ve probably heard of beer pong, but have you heard of yard pong?

This giant version of the famous party game will be super fun for everyone at the party.

I absolutely loved Connect 4 as a kid, and this giant version is perfect for backyard parties!

Plus I love how chic the black and white pieces look.

If you’re going for vintage vibes at your grad party, make sure you set out a game of croquet!

It’s actually super fun, and up to 8 people can play at once.

This inflatable serving bar is a genius idea for your outdoor graduation party.

Fill it up with a variety of drinks or bowls of food and you’re good to go.

Just make sure you fill it with lots of ice if it’s going to be a hot day!

If you’re planning on having a bonfire, s’mores are an obvious must-have.

But did you know that you can make s’mores even without a fire?

There are a ton of s’mores making kits on Amazon that even come with s’mores sticks.

If you’re having a daytime party, a mimosa bar would be so fun for your adult guests.

Set out champagne, different fruit juices, and some bowls of berries so people can customize their mimosas.

And make sure you have some cute disposable champagne flutes to serve them in!

Most outdoor graduation parties happen in the summer months.

Keep your guests cool by serving chilled snacks like fresh fruit and veggies.

Tiered serving trays can help you save some space on your food table when serving items like these.

How cute is this outdoor drink station for a grad party?

Not only does it look cute, but it’s also super functional without taking up much space.

Just bring a bar cart outside and stock it with whatever drinks you’re going to serve.

The easiest way to feed a crowd is to do a self-serve taco bar. It’s cheap, easy to prepare, and a total crowd pleaser.

Make sure to have a ton of different filling options, including something for the vegetarians!

Also, how cute is it that they served chips out of a sombrero brim? Love that idea.