Make this Labor Day celebration special with these awesome party food recipes, party decor ideas, and cocktail recipes to send off summer in style. I may have mentioned to you all a time or two how much I love to plan for parties, and Labor Day is no different. Getting friends and family together for celebrations and holidays is one of my favorite things to do.

That’s why I decided to compile my favorite summer cocktails, patriotic decor, and party ideas suitable for Labor Day in this post.

Quick & Easy DIY Ideas to Make Your Labor Day Celebration Special

I know kids are happy to entertain themselves most of the time, but sometimes they can use a little guidance to stay entertained and out of trouble so I included a couple of kids crafts on here as well. If you want some other ideas for keeping kids amused, check out our 23 Outdoor Activities for Kids post for additional activities.

DIY Labor Day Recipes and Decor Ideas

1. Frozen Water Balloons to Keep Drinks Cool and Colorful

via DIY Joy

Keep your drinks cold during your Labor Day celebration in colorful style with these frozen water balloons! These will keep your drinks ice cold for hours without all the mess of ice cubes being strewn around the bottles and cans you have. Match the colors of your balloons to your party decor or mix it up with a rainbow of colors.

2.  Mason Jar Fairy Lights

via DIY Joy

Make these mason jar lights in a glow in the dark color arrangement that coordinates with your other party decor so you can keep the party going late into the evening! You can also hand over mason jars and glow in the dark paint to the kids to make this fun and easy craft idea that will keep them entertained for hours.

3. Crock Pot Jalapeno Popper Dip

via Everyday Reading

This easy crock pot recipe makes a cheesy, slightly spicy addition to any party food spread. I personally prefer my jalepeno popper dip with a bag of Frito’s to go along with it. The bowl is always completely scraped every time I cook this dip making it the best easy slow cooker recipe for a crowd.

4. 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

via Tablespoon

5. Retro Labor Day Free Printables for Party Decor

via Catch My Party

I love a good throwback to anything vintage, so these free printables with retro flair are right up my alley. Not to mention, they’re adorable and make the perfect little additions to your Labor Day party decor.

6. Gummy Candy Skewers

via HWTM

This is a great edible craft for kids to make that requires very little prep and few supplies. Just grab a couple of wooden skewers and an assortment of gummy candies so they can make their own candy kebabs! I personally prefer the gummies that are dusted with sugar or sour sugar on the outside so that the candies don’t stick together as easily.

7. Lemonade and Watermelon Themed Tablescape

via Sweet as Candy

Decorating for Labor Day may seem a little tricky, but this mismatched summer party decor is the perfect hot weather fair well. Use yellow and white striped placemats or tablerunners topped with a variety of blue and yellow plates and add a watermelon cut out to the straws inside your mason jar glasses to give a rustic, summery look to your party decor!

8. Easy Patriotic Party Decor on a Budget

via Hometalk

If you want to celebrate Labor Day with patriotic decor that doesn’t scream 4th of July too much, use red, white, and blue streamers and a couple of strands of string lights to create a beautiful and festive DIY lighting piece. We just used leftover streamers from our 4th of July celebration and some outdoor string lights we had laying around so there was no additional cost for this decor, which I love!

9. Easy Mason Jar and Berry Branch Centerpieces

via Creature Comforts

This is party decor at it’s laziest and best, folks! Snap a couple of branches with brightly colored berries on them from your yard, or go grab some from your local flower or grocery store to add to blue tinted mason jars for a DIY centerpiece. If berries aren’t in season in your neck of the woods, most craft stores offer fake versions of these berries that look real, so you can just substitute those!

10. Patriotic Drink Station

via Jenny Cookes

I love this idea for keeping drink stations organized. Use a drink cart or just a small shelf if you don’t have a cart that can hold your beverages and all the additions you want to add to your punches or cocktail mixes. Make punches or large batches of cocktails in a red, white, and blue assortment (or if you’re not going the patriotic route, make drinks in colors that fit your theme) to match your decor.