Updated on: Feb 10, 2024
Chatting around a grill while cooking up some deliciously mouth-watering hot dogs whose fragrance wafts throughout the air is a perfect way to bond with your friends and family in a comfortable setting! Throwing a hot dog theme party can be an incredibly fun event, and you can adapt it to whatever your occasion is, whether it be a birthday party or a casual cookout. And the best part? When you host a hot dog party, you already know what the main course will be! Below you can find our creative list of ideas for hot dog party venues, decorations, games, and menu items.
Hot Dog Theme Party Décor
1. Central Park search Hot Dog Stand
Rent or construct your very own hot dog stand just like the stands set up all over big cities. It will serve as a great decoration as people line up to get their hot dogs.
2. Picnic Tables
Set up picnic tables for all the guests to eat at instead of traditional tables. It would give the party a more casual feel and will make the space look like a park.
3. Red and White Checked Tablecloth
Cover the tables with red and white checkered tablecloths to get the very traditional picnic blanket look. It will really dress up the area.
4. Oval Plastic Baskets
Purchase the colorful, woven plastic baskets that many hot dog places use to serve their franks!
5. Triangle Banner Flags
To act as streamers, purchase the colorful triangle banners and hang them around the area. These will make the whole party festive.
6. Sunflower Centerpieces
Nothing says summer BBQ like sunflowers blooming nearby. Make a centerpiece for the tables to replicate that reverent summer glow.
7. Daisy Centerpieces
Place daisies in a clear vase and give it a touch of color by putting lemon slices in the water.
8. Bandana Napkins
Fold the silverware in bandanas for a unique table setting.
Hot Dog Favors
9. Mason Jars
Using mason jars for beverages will give your table setting a more sleek, modern, and aesthetic finish. You could even personalize these by attaching the guests' names along with a small note so that they can take these jars home as party favors.
10. search Hot Dog Candies
Fill clear cellophane bags with hot dog-shaped gummies! You can seal the bags with some ribbon and curl the ends to make an adorable snack for guests to bring home.
11. search Hot Dog Stickers
If you’re looking to keep up with trends, stickers are the way to go! People collect them to decorate their water bottles, laptops, and mirrors. These stickers are easy to make because all you need is a regular printer and sticker paper to add your hot dog design!
The Menu
12. Condiments Bar
Don't forget the hot dog condiment snack bar! Create a table with a wide assortment of toppings for the hot dogs. Make every additional ingredient you can think of available to your guests including ketchup, mustard, relish, sauerkraut, and so much more!!!
13. Corn Dogs
To take a different twist on hot dogs, serve corndogs instead. You can even choose to serve mini corn dogs as an appetizer.
14. Pretzel Dogs
Another menu appetizer option would be mini hot dogs wrapped up in pretzel breading. Who doesn't love a good pretzel dog, just make sure you don't forget the good dipping sauces.
15. Jumbo Hot Dogs
Offer foot-long hot dogs as a fun way to kick up the party. This will be something different your guests will always remember. You might want to even slip in a spicy sausage for those who are brave enough.
16. Bacon-Wrapped search Hot Dog
For extra delicious hot dogs, wrap them in bacon and give them a little extra flavor while cooking. Leave the bacon wrap on the hot dog when you serve it to your guests.
17. Crescent Roll Hot Dogs
Wrap hot dogs in crescent rolls and cook them until crispy to get a flaky wrap instead of a bun.
18. search Hot Dog Macaroni
Take a classic and add your own special ingredient. Put some cut-up hot dogs into macaroni-and-cheese to make a great side dish for the party menu.
19. Banana, Peanut Butter, and Jelly Dogs
This twist on the classic hot dog will make the perfect dessert. All you need is a regular hot dog bun to spread peanut butter on, a banana to place inside the bun (as if it were a hot dog), and some jelly on top (as if it were ketchup). You can even set up all of the ingredients and have guests make their own!
Fun Games for Your Hot Dog Theme Party
20. Hot Dog Eating Contest
Set up a long table and choose the contestants for the BBQ contest. Challenge your guests to eat as many hot dogs as they can in a set amount of time. This will be a fun source of entertainment for the guests to watch and a great memory for the participants. Everyone loves eating challenges!
21. search Hot Dog Bob
Lather up a hot dog with ketchup and hang it from a string. Have your guests try and eat the hot dog without using their hands. The game may be a little messy, but it's sure to get some laughs.
22. H-O-R-S-E Basketball Game
For a more active theme game, set up a hoop and have your party guests play H-O-R-S-E. If you're unfamiliar, one player takes a shot from wherever they want on the court. If they make it, everyone else has to make it from the same place. If you don't make it from the same spot, you get an H. The first one to spell out "HORSE" loses.
23. search Hot Dog Cook-Off
Divide into teams and have each group make a "signature hot dog" by adding their own condiments and presentation style. Have a panel of judges decide the winner. BBQ activities are a great source of entertainment.
24. Create Your Own search Hot Dog
Set up a hot dog station to add your own wide assortment of condiments to your hot dog. Yo
u can include some interesting theme choices, like purple ketchup and a wide variety of vegetables and toppings.
Party Supplies
25. The Essentials
For any party you throw, plates, plasticware, cups, and napkins are a must; however, especially with a hotdog party since the focus of your party is food!
26. Food Umbrella
Because food is the theme of your party, you will want to make sure it is preserved. If your backyard is swarming with pesky mosquitos, consider investing in a food umbrella to protect your hot dogs and keep bugs away!
27. search Hot Dog Paper Trays
What better way to embrace the hot dog theme than to use classic red and white cardboard trays? Your guests will feel as if they just ordered from a hot dog stand!
Hot Dog Theme Party Invitations
28. Add a Border
If you want your invitations to have more art on them, you can add a border of hot dogs! What better way to get your friends excited about hot dogs than surrounding your invite with them?
29. A Funny Invite
Since everyone wants their invitations to impress, try and include a hot dog pun like “Let’s relish the good times!” or “Suns out, hot dog buns out!”. With a well thought out invitation, you are sure to have a packed party!
30. Get Creative
Once you plan out your decor, you can add images of what you envision your party will look like to your invite. If you're going with a Central Park theme, include a hot dog stand. If you're going with the picnic table, include an image of a picnic!
Hot Dog Theme Party: Conclusion
You can channel the theme around ideas like hot dog carts in Central Park, outdoor grilled Franks, BBQ picnic parties. There are many ways to give variety to your menu by taking a different twist on the hot dogs or serving foods that compliment them. Moreover, there are many fun games, and your party would be the perfect opportunity to incorporate them into your hot dog theme party.
Making sure the activities center around hot dogs will be the most challenging way to stay on the theme, but succeeding will make the BBQ party an instant success. Finally, there is always something that can be done to dress up the party, and our list of ideas will ensure that you do so in the most memorable way possible!
Written by Jessica McNellis and Aditi Parikh; Contributors: June Park, Christopher Yanchoris and Jack Leduc