Game Day Party Ideas for Adults

Game day party ideas perfect for hosting a super bowl party or football party at home. Gather friends and family to watch the big game with these food recipes, party decoration ideas, cocktails, and game day snacks.

Game Day Party Ideas

Who’s ready for the big game? Today I’m showing you how to put an entire party together with cool football theme decorations and easy football food ideas.

All around the country, parties are popular for the super bowl. They’re usually very “interactive” meaning guests bring food or drinks to share.

As a hostess I like to set the scene with a few base items like easy appetizers, munchies, and a signature drink like sangria.

Here are some tips and recipes for the best game day party at home. 

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Football Party Decorations

Decorations and food presentation help set the scene for a football party. You’ll love these party decorating ideas for adults.

• Use black and white stripes as the table base, to match the referees’ uniform. This way your party will coordinate with whatever team is playing in the game. Choose a tablecloth or a paper table runner for easy cleanup.
• Yellow napkins are reminiscent of penalty flags.
• Serve sweet treats on the sidelines by decorating a separate table and stocking it with hand held cookies and bars.
• Use pennants, and football paraphernalia to decorate with. Display a vintage style football in a silver “winner’s trophy cup.” Or make your own diy pennant banner.
• Draw “game plays” on small chalk boards and lean them against the wall or place them on an easel.
• Use black slate trays, or paint a wood board with chalkboard paint, and write football themed phrases.
• Wrap mini party sandwiches in parchment paper and serve them overflowing from small metal baskets.

PARTY TIP: Guests will bring their own favorite recipes to share so make sure you have room on the table to spare.

Football Party Food

Nothing says “football food” like dips, cheese, chicken, and chips. Here are some classic game day party recipes to try.

Make your own snack mix of popcorn, pretzels, and tortilla chips, and pre-fill striped snack boxes. The individual boxes are easy to take along for snacking in front of the tv.

A veggie tray is always a welcome addition. Our football party snack board is full of ideas. Here are some more tried and true recipes for a party.

• Ham & swiss mini sandwich appetizers
• Easy Baked Artichoke Dip with chicken
• Smoked sausage appetizers in easy bbq sauce
• Chicken Jalapeno Poppers wrapped in bacon
• Smoked Sausage Appetizer bites
• Jalapeno poppers with blue cheese
• Brown Butter-Honey Chicken wings
• Pimento cheese spread

Game Day Party Desserts

These sweet treats are perfect for guests to pick up and enjoy while they’re watching the game.

• Chocolate chip oatmeal bars
• Saltine Cracker Toffee
• Chocolate Marshmallow Nut bars
• Sweet & Salty Mix
• Best Glazed Lemon Bars 

Big Batch Party Drinks

Make a pitcher drink like sangria, ahead of time and let guests help themselves. Use copper mule cups to serve it in, and keep drinks ice cold.

• Prep this classic red wine sangria ahead of time for easy party planning.
• Mix up this delicious spiced sangria made with red wine.
• White peach sangria is a crowd pleaser!
• This whiskey sour punch is out of this world delicious!

PARTY TIP: For a family-friendly punch option, just use white grape or apple juice instead of the chardonnay.

Super Bowl Party Activities

You don’t need much in the way of activities because watching the game IS the activity. However, here are a few fun ideas that can actually enhance the experience!

• Set up a football theme beer tasting table or beer & food bar.
• Sign up for the football squares with this free printable board.
• Play football Bingo with these vintage style cards.
• Play a game of beer pong.