Everything You Need for an Amazing Bubbly Picnic
A bubbly picnic is the perfect way to host a low key, socially distant bubbly party that is fun for everyone!
Bubbly Picnic Ideas
The first thing to think about when planning the perfect bubbly picnic that could very well turn into a bubbly party is where do you want to have it.
At the time of this blog post, we are all still social distancing, so a bubbly picnic is the perfect way to have a get together and not put anyone at risk.
Of course, if you are picking a public place, make sure alcohol is allowed if you’re bringing the bubbly! And you can certainly set up the cutest setting in your own backyard. We found a several local spots that are perfect for a bubbly picnic.
One was literally a pop up outdoor venue with live music. They had food and drinks “inside” the grounds, but also an area outside where you could set up your own picnic area.
Another was a winery that had events every Friday and Saturday night already with live music. So take a look around locally and see what you can find for the perfect venue for your bubbly picnic.
August Hill Winery, Wine on the Hill
We found a winery that has regular Friday and Saturday events perfect for this exact thing, called Wine on the Hill. For us, it was about a 90 minute drive, so we coupled it with a bubbly tasting at their tasting room beforehand, then headed over to the vineyard to create our perfect bubbly picnic complete with live music, the setting sun and, of course, new favorite bottles of bubbly.
(By the way, full review of August Hill Winery coming soon! Spoiler Alert: add it to your list of must visit wineries.)
Bubbly Picnic Essentials
Of course, do you research so you know what type of ground you’re working with. Since we knew it was a hill, we were prepared with picnic blankets and chairs. And it’s a good thing too because we used them both throughout the evening to relax.
Next up on the essential list is of course Wet Ones, depending on the time of day, sun screen and/or bug spray. Even if you don’t think you’ll need this stuff, you’ll be happy you have it when the time comes.
And finally, my never leave home without it when you’ll be outside enjoying sweet things, Bounce dryer sheets. I know this may sound weird and I don’t know if it’s an old wives’ tale or not, but it seems to work. Bounce dryer sheets will keep the bees away. When we used to go apple picking, we’d each keep them hanging out of our pockets. Summer parties, they became the center piece. So trust me on this one and just pack them!
And of course, don’t forget the plates, napkins and utensils, including a spoon to keep your bubbly bubbly.
Bubbly Picnic Food
What pairs well with bubbly? Well, you know my answer, everything! But, when thinking of a picnic, we packed things that would be easy to eat and bring out the best in the bubbly.
Cheese
Seriously, I could eat cheese all day, everyday. And there are a few that the experts say pair the best with bubbly, so that’s what I grabbed.
- Brie
- Cheddar
- Goat
- Machego
- Parmesan crisps
Crackers
Now, if you have cheese, of course you need crackers. I grabbed a variety of crackers, breadsticks to dive into our cheese with.
Naked Snacks
There are several nuts that pair really well with bubbly, but I decided to do something different and bring along several bags of Naked Snacks.
- Hearty Tamari
- Sriracha Cashews
- Southwest Chicks
These were so good with bubbly. Each of them had a little kick to them (not much at all because I don’t eat spicy foods and I have a supply of Hearty Tamari at all times). It was different than your typical nut selection and definitely enjoyed by everyone.
Now currently in the US, you can only buy them online, but trust me and do it! You’ll probably need a case of Hearty Tamari. If you’re lucky enough to live in Canada, you can find them at Whole Foods and Safeway.
Sweet Tooth
And we couldn’t forget the sweets to top off the evening. I have been known to do an entire treat board, but this time I just brought along some simple sweets.
- Champagne Dreams Gourmet Gummies
- Dark Chocolate Crisps
Bubbly
And what bubbly picnic would be complete without bubbly? Since we were at a winery, we intentionally did the tasting before and then picked our top 3 to buy chilled and bring to the Wine on the Hill. It was perfectly chilled and went straight into our cooler and we were set.
Now if you’re not at a winery for your bubbly picnic, grab your favorite bottles. There were 3 of us and we were there for 3+ hours and finished off 2 bottles. We certainly had a 3rd one chilled and ready to go if we needed it, so be sure to calculate correctly because you’d hate to run out of the star of the picnic.
Other Bubbly Picnic Needs
Now of course, you need a cute way to tote that bubbly to your picnic spot and how cute is our Bubbly Side of Life wine tote? We bought this on Etsy and absolutely love it!
And while you have blankets to spread out your food, we also wanted levels as well. So we picked up this handy picnic tray which was small enough to put right into a bag and not have to lug around this giant table.
Last but not least, don’t forget about what you’re going to pour your bubbly into! We had fun customized Bubbly Side of Life tumblers (yes, these are the ones that “won” our experiment) to keep our bubbly chilled especially since it was blazing hot the day we chose.
Bubbly Picnic For the Kids
The best part about an open space bubbly picnic with live music is you can definitely include the kids and keep them entertained. Just add a few more kid friendly items (that also pair well with bubbly) and you are set.
- Goldfish crackers
- Fruit snacks
- String cheese
- Potato chips
- Sparkling grape juice or apple juice
And why not pack some bubbles? I mean does it get more fun that running around outside to the beat of the music with a bubble wand?
Where to Shop
If you’re planning the perfect bubbly picnic for the upcoming labor day weekend and one of the last weekends of summer (well, if you’re in the Midwest, anyway), the good news is you don’t need much to pull off this picnic. I only had to buy a few things to create this event .
I shopped for the plates and cute napkins at the dollar section of Target. The tumblers and tray I bought at Amazon and linked them up for you in our Bubbly Picnic shop on Amazon.
Tag Us
We want to see your set-ups for your bubbly picnic, so don’t forget to tag us @bubblysideoflife on Instagram.
Note: This post contains affiliate links to products that we know and love. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products.
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