Labor Day may be called the unofficial end of summer, but “unofficial” leaves plenty of room for interpretation. There is still time for one more afternoon by the pool, one more dinner straight from the grill and one more evening outside that lasts considerably longer than planned.
The best Labor Day gatherings do not require elaborate themes or a table covered in red, white and blue. A few well-chosen additions can make the final long weekend of summer feel like an occasion without turning the host into an event planner. From California wines and an already-arranged charcuterie board to poolside indulgences, ice cream and lighting for after sunset, these seven picks make a persuasive case for refusing to say goodbye to summer just yet.
Give the Last Toast of Summer an American Spin
A long-weekend cookout deserves more than whatever bottle happens to be hiding behind the condiments in the refrigerator.
The WSJ Wine USA 250 Twelve Bottle Collection brings together six limited-edition California wines created in recognition of America’s 250th anniversary. The assortment includes two bottles each of Constitution Chardonnay, White House Sauvignon Blanc, Proclamation Pinot Noir, American Eagle Zinfandel, Capitol Cabernet Sauvignon and Washington Heritage Red.
For Labor Day, there is no need to open the entire collection. Constitution Chardonnay is an easy starting point for chicken, pork, salmon, roasted vegetables and charcuterie, while American Eagle Zinfandel is the bottle to bring out when burgers and barbecued meats hit the table. Its dried cherry, black currant, fig and clove profile has enough richness to stand up to smoke from the grill. Save the fuller Capitol Cabernet Sauvignon for dinner and suddenly a backyard barbecue has a surprisingly respectable wine progression.
Let the Pool Have Its Own Bar
If there is one weekend when unnecessary pool accessories become entirely necessary, Labor Day may be it.
The FUNBOY Floating Cabana Bar is a nearly six-foot floating drink station with a green cabana-striped sunshade, two ice basins and four cup holders. In other words, it solves the highly specific summer problem of having to leave the pool every time someone wants another cold drink.
Fill it with canned sparkling water, sodas and other chilled drinks, then let guests take care of themselves. Apart from being fun, it changes the rhythm of a pool gathering. People stop migrating back and forth to the kitchen and settle in—which is precisely what a final summer weekend should encourage.
Put Out the Board Before Anyone Asks When Dinner Is Ready
The smartest entertaining food often requires the least intervention once guests arrive.
The Boarderie USA Large Cheese & Charcuterie Board arrives fully arranged on a reusable acacia wood board and is designed to serve approximately 10 to 14 people. Its substantial assortment incorporates artisan cheeses, charcuterie, dried fruits, nuts, olives, spreads, chocolates and crackers, with patriotic cheese details giving it just enough Americana for the weekend without turning the table into a flag display.
More importantly, it buys the host time. Put the board out when everyone arrives and there is no immediate pressure to finish dinner. Guests can graze, pour a glass of wine and behave as though the meal was always intended to happen at a leisurely pace.
That is one of the better luxuries in entertaining: not appearing rushed.
Give Everything Coming Off the Grill a Proper Landing Place
There is a recurring moment at backyard barbecues when a beautifully grilled steak comes off the heat and someone frantically searches for a plate large enough to hold it.
The Epicurean BBQ Board is designed for exactly that point in the evening. Its generous surface works for grilled meats, vegetables and other larger preparations, while the grooved perimeter helps contain juices rather than allowing them to wander across the counter. It is also dishwasher safe, which becomes considerably more appealing after the guests leave.
Use it for slicing steak, arranging grilled chicken or serving a pile of late-summer vegetables family-style. It is practical enough for food preparation but polished enough to travel directly to the table.
Keep Cold Drinks Where the Party Actually Is
A cooler rarely earns a starring role in an entertaining story, but anyone who has hosted a backyard party understands its importance.
The Titan by Arctic Zone 60 Can Wheeled Cooler holds up to 60 cans and combines an insulated cooler with a detachable wheeled cart. Both the cooler and cart collapse for storage, making it considerably less cumbersome once summer entertaining season winds down. The brand says its insulation can keep ice for up to three days.
For Labor Day, load it once with water, sparkling drinks and whatever else needs to remain cold, then roll it toward the pool, patio or lawn. Guests get easier access, and the kitchen refrigerator does not spend the afternoon opening every 90 seconds.
Sometimes the most luxurious thing at a party is simply not having to get up.
Serve Ice Cream Without Standing There Scooping It
Labor Day dessert should still taste unmistakably like summer.
eCreamery Personalized Ice Cream Pints provide an easy way to make something as familiar as ice cream feel a little more celebratory. Collections can be assembled from a variety of flavors and personalized with custom titles, artwork or photos, then shipped frozen.
For a party, individual pints also eliminate the inevitable line forming around one increasingly soft carton of ice cream. Set the pints in an ice-filled tub shortly before dessert, put spoons and toppings nearby and let everyone choose.
Fresh berries, chocolate pieces, toasted nuts and a few good sauces are enough if you want to dress things up. Or hand everyone a spoon and consider dessert handled.
It is still summer. Formality can wait.
Light the Patio Like an Outdoor Room
Labor Day carries one subtle reminder that fall is approaching: darkness starts arriving earlier than it did at the beginning of summer.
The Dazuma Reeds Outdoor LED Floor Lamp offers a more polished alternative to purely functional outdoor lighting. Its sculptural design and warm LED glow make it suited to patios, poolside seating areas and outdoor conversation spaces where lighting is expected to contribute to the atmosphere as well as provide visibility.
Position one beside an outdoor sofa, near a dining terrace or along a poolside seating area before sunset, then let the light become part of the setting as evening settles in. Candles and string lights can handle some of the ambiance, while a substantial outdoor floor lamp adds another layer of illumination and helps the space feel more like an extension of the home.
The gathering should end because everyone is ready to go home, not because nobody can see anymore.
One More Weekend Outside
Labor Day does not need a complicated menu or an elaborate decorating scheme to feel special. A cold glass within reach, something good on the grill, food guests can share, dessert that still belongs to summer and enough light to keep everyone outside are more than enough.
The larger idea is simply to make the weekend last.
Summer will eventually surrender to earlier sunsets, cooler nights and everything pumpkin-spiced waiting patiently around the corner. There is no particular reason to help it along.
For one more weekend, keep the pool open, light the grill, pour something cold and stay outside a little later than you intended.
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