How to Throw the Best Western Party

how to throw a western party

Throw a good old-fashioned western theme party for your favorite cowpoke with this helpful guide. Our posse of creative minds has whipped together everything you need, from invitations, decorations, party favors, and more. All of your guests will be amazed at how a handful of printable cards and labels can transform a backyard barbecue into an old west cookout.

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Western party invitations

Round up your friends and family with these beautifully designed invitations. Based on the classic design of a wanted poster, these invites are a great way to get your guests into an old west mood before they mosey over to your home. Our free Avery Design and Print Online software also makes it a dream to customize this template with your own text and images.

Print this design on Avery 8315 note cards for inkjet printers or 5315 note cards for laser printers.

After customizing your design, you can also choose “Let Us Print for You” to order custom-printed note cards.

Utensils fit for diggin’ in

When hosting a themed party, it’s important to reinforce the theme whenever you can. Decorations like wanted posters, bandanas, cacti, and cowhide napkins add up to present a unified western theme. Although your centerpieces and food will draw most of the attention, don’t forget that the devil is in the details.

You can use labels to enhance your decorations, making them feel much more distinct. For example, round labels and wraparound labels can help turn paper bags into table settings that stand out and catch people’s attention. Another benefit is that labels are easily customizable, so each one can be personalized with cute phrases or your guests’ names.

Print these customized utensil labels 1-1/2″-inch round labels sold by the sheet (94506) and print on either laser or inkjet printers.

Print bandana accents on 7-17/20″ x 1-3/4″ wraparound labels sold by the package (22838), or by the sheet (94232).

Chow time tent cards for food

Ribs, fried chicken, pulled pork, and all of the other savory old-fashioned home cooking of the West will be the draw for many of your guests. Although your food will be bold enough to speak for itself, the right signage and décor can make your feast even more mouthwatering. These customizable tent cards are a great way to direct your guests’ eyes as everyone sorts through all of the dishes available.

To add an extra dash of intrigue to your bounty, try using tent cards in different ways. You can use them on the table or glue a toothpick between the two sides to stick them directly into a plate of stick-to-your-ribs grub.

Print our western bandana design on 2″ x 3-1/2″ Avery 5302 tent cards using a laser or inkjet printer. Or, simply choose “Let Us Print for You” to order custom-printed tent cards after you finish designing.

Condiment & barbecue sauce labels

It wouldn’t be a barbecue without barbecue sauce. Store all of the various flavors in squeeze bottles to make it easier on your guests and yourself. Clear squeeze bottles make it simple to see when bottles need to be refilled and are easier to keep track of than multiple smaller bottles. Also, it’s fun to see which flavor ends up being more popular at the end of the day!

Print this design on 2″ x 3-1/3″ oval labels sold by the package (22820) or by the sheet (94506).

You can also choose “Let Us Print for You” to order custom-printed oval labels after you finish designing.

Western party ideas for snacks

Give your guests something to remember with these cowboy party favors. You can give out prizes like lollipops as rewards for games or as snacks for each guest. Gifts like bandanas and sheriff badges are also a quick way to give everyone a fast costume for the occasion that matches your party’s color scheme.

Before your guests ride off into the sunset, make sure everybody walks away with a tasty snack and a sweet thank you note. Printable tags are a great way to wrap up bags of snacks and leave behind thoughtful messages. Other great old west snacks include dried fruit slices, beef jerky, and caramel apples.

Print this design on 8218 round scalloped labels for inkjet printers. Or, order the same labels by the sheet (94516), which work with both laser and inkjet printers.

You can also choose “Let Us Print for You” to order custom-printed scalloped labels after you finish designing.

Print this design on Avery 22802 tags using a laser or inkjet printer.

Alternatively, choose “Let Us Print for You” after finishing your design to order custom-printed tags.

For more tag ideas, check out our article about making personalized gift tags.

Looking for more ways to rustle up a rootin’ tootin’ party? Follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page for more awesome DIY party ideas.

Author: Ryan Han

If you have a question about an Avery product, there’s a good chance Ryan will know the answer. Originally hired in 2014, Ryan worked for years answering calls, responding to chats and collecting review data before he was given the opportunity to be a copywriter. With almost a decade’s worth of Avery knowledge, he now writes copy for product pages, articles, emails and wherever else a little punching up is needed. With a BA in Creative Writing from California State University, Long Beach, Ryan loves any chance he can get to tap into his more poetic side. Whether it’s a motivational quote on a planner cover or waxing lyrical about the near-mystical reflective properties of a new holographic label, Ryan has been a steadfast fan of Avery Products and Avery people. In his free time, Ryan loves to try out new skills and hobbies. He drew a webcomic for a few years, can build a computer, placed eighth once in a Tetris tournament and is trying to learn Spanish so that he can have conversations with his girlfriend’s madre.