4th Of July Pool Party Ideas

Every year we host a 4th of July Pool Party. We all go to our local 4th of July Parade in the morning and then friends and family gather at our house for a 4th of July picnic and pool fun.

Decorate your pool gate with a simple Fourth of July flag like this one. Place flags in planters and hang red, white and blue paper lanterns from the umbrella ribs.

4th of July Pool Floats

Have a couple of red, white and blue swim rings floating in the pool for decorations and for games and fun.

---

Some links in the following sections are eBay or Amazon affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through them I receive a small commission. There is no extra cost to you. Find more details on this page.

---

These are nice and large - 36" and made of durable vinyl. 

Get a set of 5 so that there are plenty of floats for your guests.

These themed swim rings are hard to find - but you can get them at Amazon year round here:

Swimline 36" Patriotic American Flag Swim Rings/Floats (5 Pack)

4th of July Beach Balls

Red, white and blue flag beach balls float in the pool as pool party decorations and later for fun pool games. 

Choose from a variety of sizes and styles at Amazon here....

4th of July Beach Balls

Fourth of July Parties

It's easy to set a 4th of July theme with some simple red, white and blue plates and napkins and a couple of flags.

Every family brings a salad or a dessert which makes it easier for everyone. Some years we have grilled hamburgers and brats and other years we have served cold sandwiches.

Start with a blue or red checkered umbrella tablecloth for your food and party tables. I have several of the red ones and use them all summer long.

It comes in round or oblong shaped.  It is next to impossible to find round umbrella tablecloths in the store - so here it is right on Amazon:

LAMINET Zippered Patio Umbrella Tablecloths Assorted Sizes

The Red, White and Blue Table

I found these cute red, white and blue buckets at the dollar section at Target.

Use them to hold your utensils and napkins.  Tie a red ribbon around the buckets or adorn with red beads.  

Serve your food on 4th of July paper goods to set the stage for a special Independence Day celebration.

Keep Cold Foods Cold

Keeping food cold is a challenge for any 4th of July party. We often have guests coming over a several hour period.  I wore myself out putting food in the fridge, taking it out, putting it in the fridge - well, you get the idea.

Now I put the salads in acrylic salad bowls on Ice which helps to keep the salads cold and safe.  They are pricier than other acrylic bowls but have been well  worth it.  They look great, the top keeps any bugs out and the ice keeps the food cold.  Use chipped ice rather than ice cubes for a better fit.  Get yours at Amazon here:

Prodyne Iced Salad with Dome Lid

We love this inflatable cooler (with a drain) - fill it up with ice and then put your drinks, bowls of salad, or trays of fruits on top of the ice to keep foods cold. 

2 PCS Inflatable Serving/Salad Bar Tray or Food Drink Cooler - with drain plug

A rolling beverage cart/cooler allows you to place your party cooler anywhere you want.  No lifting or carrying or if the sun gets too hot, just roll it to a shadier spot. Let your guests serve themselves to a cold drink whenever they want.

80 Quart Rolling Beverage Cooler Cart on Wheels, Shelf and Bottle Opener/

We stick to the traditional grilled bratwursts and hamburgers for our 4th of July BBQ.

4th of July Pool Party Decorations and Games

Swimline 36" Patriotic American Flag Swim Rings/Floats (5 Pack)

Who wouldn't enjoy relaxing on this giant flag pool lounge float on a hot afternoon?  It's extra large at just over 4 feet in length.  The design has vivid red, white and blue colors with a glossy look.  Quick valves make it easy to inflate and deflate.

American Flag Lounger Inflatable Giant Pool Float

Fourth of July Desserts

Use bright red strawberries and blueberries to make 4th of July desserts.  Simply top a store bought angel food cake with whipped cream, strawberries and blueberries. 

Fourth of July Dessert Trifle

This fresh berry trifle is a big hit - not just for the Fourth of July. With 6 blueberry bushes around our pool, we have plenty of fresh blueberries. I love this trifle, because there is no cooking involved :)

This easy trifle was made by layering:

Angel Food Cake pieces

Cool Whip

Strawberries

Blueberries

Angel Food Cake

Cool Whip

Strawberries

Blueberries

Let it sit for at least an hour. I make it the night before. It is so light and refreshing and looks so patriotic.

Cold 4th of July Dessert Cups

Fourth of July desserts look quite festive in these red, white and blue cupcake liners. These baking cups were purchased from Tuesday Morning last year. I found this cold dessert recipe in a magazine. Make the dessert ahead of time and freeze it. Serve the treats in a cupcake stand for a creative display.

Ingredients

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese

1 Cup of Cold Milk

1 Small Pkg of White Chocolate Pudding

2 Cups of thawed Cool Whip

2 Cups of cut up strawberries

Beat cream cheese until creamy. Gradually beat in milk. Add dry pudding mix and beat 2 more minutes. Stir in Cool Whip and strawberries. Spoon the filling into the cupcake liners (place the liners in a muffin pan for a better shape - you can remove them after they become solid). 

Remove them from the freezer just before serving as they soften really quickly in hot weather. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, blueberries or strawberries. 

Fourth of July Dessert Parfaits

We use these acrylic water glasses for more than just serving water. See how beautiful this Fourth of July dessert looks in them?

We simply layered 

Cool Whip, 

blueberries, and 

strawberries. 

Then repeat the layers. 

Keep them cold in the fridge until it's time to serve dessert.

Top with a fresh whole strawberry

For something so simple, this cold dessert looks really great and tastes good too. Of course I love any dessert that has Cool Whip.

Top store bought or home made cupcakes with fresh berries or red or blue sprinkles and add a U.S. flag. 

Shape your fresh blueberries, cut up watermelon and squares of cheese into an American flag. 

Gather your friends and family for a fun 4th of July pool party with red, white and blue floats and flags for all day pool fun.

Go from 4th of July Pool Party to Pool Party Themes

Go from 4th of July Pool Party to Pool Fun for Everyone Home