All the Summer Holidays & Event Ideas for Each

There’s alot to prepare for with summer around the corner. We’ve compiled a list of all the summer holidays, both big and small and paired with ideas for how your restaurant can capitalize on the excitement with a themed event for each of them. All of these won’t fit every brand, but we bet it will help get the gears turning on ideas to create your summer event schedule. 

1. Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)
   • Theme: Patriotic BBQ Night
   • Ideas: Serve classic American BBQ dishes, decorate with red, white, and blue, and play classic American music.
2. Flag Day (June 14)
   • Theme: Stars and Stripes Dinner
   • Ideas: Create a menu with red, white, and blue dishes, offer themed cocktails, and host a flag trivia contest.
3. Father’s Day (Third Sunday in June)
   • Theme: Craft Beer Tasting
   • Ideas: Host a craft beer tasting in honor of dads on Father’s Day
4. Summer Solstice (June 20-22)
   • Theme: Midsummer Feast
   • Ideas: Highlight seasonal ingredients in a special menu, decorate with flowers and greenery, and feature live folk music.
5. Independence Day (July 4)
   • Theme: All-American Cookout
   • Ideas: Serve traditional American dishes like burgers, hot dogs, and apple pie, and offer fireworks viewing if possible.
6. Bastille Day (July 14)
   • Theme: French Bistro Night
   • Ideas: Offer a French-inspired menu with dishes like coq au vin and croissants, decorate with French flags, and play French music.
7. National Ice Cream Day (Third Sunday in July)
   • Theme: Ice Cream Social
   • Ideas: Create a special ice cream menu with sundaes, milkshakes, and ice cream floats, and offer build-your-own ice cream stations.
8. International Beer Day (First Friday in August)
   • Theme: Beer Tasting Event
   • Ideas: Partner with local breweries for a beer tasting flight, pair beers with appetizers, and offer beer-related trivia games.
9. National Watermelon Day (August 3)
   • Theme: Watermelon Festival
   • Ideas: Feature watermelon-themed dishes and drinks, decorate with watermelon colors, and host a watermelon eating contest.
10. National Oyster Day (August 5)
    • Theme: Oyster Night
    • Ideas: Serve a variety of oyster dishes, offer oyster shucking demonstrations, and pair with champagne or white wine.
11. Left-Handers Day (August 13)
    • Theme: Left-Handed Celebration
    • Ideas: Offer discounts to left-handed guests, create a left-handed trivia contest, and highlight left-handed chefs or staff.
12. International Rum Day (August 16)
    • Theme: Caribbean Night
    • Ideas: Serve rum-based cocktails and Caribbean-inspired dishes, decorate with tropical themes, and feature steel drum music.
13. Labor Day (First Monday in September)
    • Theme: End-of-Summer BBQ
    • Ideas: Host a BBQ with a variety of grilled meats and vegetables, offer lawn games, and have live music.
14. National Cheeseburger Day (September 18)
    • Theme: Gourmet Burger Night
    • Ideas: Create a menu with unique and gourmet cheeseburgers, offer a build-your-own burger option, and pair with craft beers.