How to Host an Autumn Apple Party

Apple: The Fruit That Welcomes Autumn

Apples are such a ubiquitous fruit. They’re harvested in the fall, which is when kids go back to school and, per tradition, bring an apple for their teacher. Apple is often the first word kids hear for ‘a’ when learning the alphabet. It’s colloquially referenced as the forbidden fruit in the Judeo-Christian creation story of Adam and Eve. It’s also included in the adage, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away.’ There’s a reason we don’t say ‘an onion a day’ even though onions are healthy, too. It’s because – if it isn’t already obvious – people love some apples! And that makes an apple party a great way to celebrate this popular fruit that signifies the start of autumn. Let’s dig into some fun ideas to plan this festive event.

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How to Throw an Apple Party

1. Set the Scene with Apple Party Decorations

Giant apple statue on top of a stall in colorful downtown New Year fairground — Photo by Elina Fairytale

If you have the space and ability to host outside, that is always preferable so long as the weather holds up! Autumn days can either be hot and sunny (when you’re in the American south), mild and comfortably breezy, or cold and wet (when it’s hurricane week in the American south). So have a plan B to move the party indoors if needed, but otherwise, check out the patio party post for outdoor hosting details like securing adequate seating options, shade as needed, and food setup.

The easiest and most obvious way you can decorate for an apple party is with apples! Buy up to a bushel and line your mantel, create an apple centerpiece on your table, and gather apples in baskets to display anywhere in your space.

Aside from displaying apples themselves, there are a couple directions you can take with decorating. One is to embrace a rustic farm vibe. Apples either grow naturally in the wild or in orchards on farms, so a classic approach is to go with a natural decorating theme. Here you would embrace textures like wood, burlap, fabric in muted colours, woven baskets, straw/hay, and any dried foliage from nature. You’ll see plenty of decorations that fit this style in the list below.

Close-up photo of a green woven basket filled with freshly picked apples — Photos by Sharefaith and Tijana Drndarski

Two slices of green apple and two cinnamon sticks are photographed in mid-air while falling down toward two clear glass mugs filled with a light-coloured tea or tisane which already have an apple slice and cinnamon stick immersed inside, showing through the glass — Photos by Sharefaith and Tijana Drndarski

Another direction you can take with your decorating is to go with a more playful ‘back-to-school’ vibe. Here, your decorations can be more paper-dominant, with brighter colours like candy apple red, or even sparkly.

Here’s a healthy list with ample apple decorations and serveware options:

2. Prepare Apple Dishes and Beverages

Close-up photo of caramel apples covered in chopped pecans - delightful treat to serve at an apple party — Photo by Henry Becerra

Honestly, the primary reason for an apple party is the food. There are so many delicious apple pastries and other mouthwatering baked goods to which anyone with an appetite will flock. You’ll find a list of recipes below with a few tasty appetizers to share, but the vast majority of recipes are for apple treats. Whether you provide all refreshments or whether you invite guests to bring an apple dish to share, understand that the menu will be the main attraction of this party!

Top-down photo of an apple pie with one slice removed, with a couple of apples on the table nearby as well as a butter knife and butter dish. Apple pie is a classic dish to serve at an apple party — Photo by Patrick Fore

One such delicious autumn apple staple is apple cider donuts (baked apple cider donuts are not that complicated and are well worth the effort, trust me!). Another is caramel apples: a festive treat that also evoke a fun carnival vibe. They’re the perfect bipolar combination of very healthy and kill-your-teeth unhealthy. For those of us who love culinary opposites in one bite – opposite textures, opposite temperatures, opposite moisture-levels, sweet and salty – this is a delight!

Apple cider is the classic autumn beverage that everyone can enjoy in order to keep warm while welcoming the onset of chillier weather. Depending on the weather and your region, you could serve it cold or keep it warm in a crockpot (or offer both versions).

Three carved out apples with the tops sliced off sit in a shallow black bowl. Two are filled with a mixture of nuts and dried cranberries, a delicious snack to serve at an apple party! — Photo by Tim Douglas

Try out any of these recipes here:

3. Set an Apple Ambience with Fun Music

Close-up photo of a perfect red apple — Photo by Pixabay

While there isn’t designated music for apples (or for fruit in general), Fiona Apple songs are naturally a fun and fitting music choice for an apple party! Her music suits a somewhat relaxed party vibe that’s perfect for hanging out with friends. Her first album, Tidal, includes a song titled Pale September – which is also an appropriate selection for an autumn apple theme.

If your apple décor leans more toward farmhouse style, play country hoedown music to fit the theme! Or, if you know any musicians, live music – like guitar or fiddle – is the best way to enjoy tunes at a party. There is no one-size-fits-all – how you create your party playlist depends on your taste. Just make sure you put some thought into it.

4. Add Evocative Scents

Pie with a woven crust on top next to a couple of Red Delicious — Photos by Stephanie Monfette and Leighann Blackwood

Pie with woven crust on top next to a couple of green Granny Smiths — Photos by Stephanie Monfette and Leighann Blackwood

We covered the visuals, the flavors, and some music ideas for an apple party. Now, consider the scents! One of my first jobs during high school was sorting apples at a family-owned fruit farm, and my memories of that place evoke a strong and pleasant apple scent. To likewise envelope your guests in an apple aroma or the smell of a sweet apple treat, burn any of these delicious apple-scented candles:

Candy apple candle
Apple cider candle or this apple cider wood wick candle
Apple harvest candle or this apple harvest candle
Apple spice candle
MacIntosh apple candle or this MacIntosh apple candle
Apple bourbon candle or this apple maple bourbon candle

Top-down photo of apple pie with woven crust over top, next to two red apples — Photo by Kavya P K

5. Plan Apple-Themed Games

Games aren’t required to make a great party, but they can help mix things up! The popular party game Apples to Apples is a classic option. It may not actually have anything to do with apples, but it’s easy for anyone to learn and always a lot of fun! There are also digital apple-themed games that you can download and print off for apple trivia and other fun mental exercises.

If you love old-school traditions, you can always have guests bob for apples! This may not be the most sanitary pastime if anyone’s worried about germs, but after enough spiked cider no one will care. Get a large bucket tub, fill it with water and apples, and let everyone go to town. It’s advisable to do this one outside.

6. Establish Guest Participation

A young woman wearing a red and white chequered gingham dress holds an apple next to some woven baskets with dried foliage decor — Photo by Leohoho

Guest participation is optional and involves how you’d like your guests to participate or contribute to your party. If you’d like to make it a potluck and invite everyone to bring an apple dish to share, that will save you a lot of time and effort (and money) when it comes to food acquisition and preparation. Just make sure you specify this when you initially invite guests, and have at least a few good dishes of your own to share.

Another playful way to invite guests to participate is to have them wear either green, red, or yellow. Then, during the party, it can be fun to observe how many ‘red apples’ showed up compared to green and yellow.

Of course, always choose your guests mindfully and with their interests in mind. Prioritize friends who you know would enjoy tasty apple dishes (and the general playfulness of an apple-themed party). But don’t shy away from others who may not care as much for apples. You never know, they may come to love one of the dishes!

Checklist of Items You Need

A wooden basket in the grass holds several red apples, with other apples scattered nearby in the grass — Photo by Sarah Pflug

These are the things you need for this party:

Apple party decorations
Apple foods and drinks
Party playlist/music
Apple-scented candles
Apple-inspired games

Preparation Checklist for Your Autumn Apple Party

Apple pie covered in dried apple slices over the top, next to three red apples — Photo by Sarah Pflug

1. First, confirm that people can come on any chosen date:

Choose party date/time, and preferably alternative date(s) as well
Choose guest list and establish minimum number of guests you’d like (to make it worth your effort)
Six weeks out, confirm guests’ interest in the party and availability on chosen party date(s)
If your preferred minimum number of guests confirm interest and availability, have them secure calendar date for your awesome apple party!

2. Then, proceed with the fun planning:

Schedule time on your calendar for each step of party prep as listed below (securing and/or making food/drinks, etc.)
Create invitations with all the details and send them out 4 weeks before the party
Order any party supplies and decorations 3 weeks out (so they arrive in time to prepare and set up)
Shop for any party supplies/decorations you don’t order online, as well as non-perishable food/drinks
In your planned time slots, acquire perishable food/drinks early enough in advance to prepare in time
In your planned time slots, set up decorations
In your planned time slots, prepare food/drinks (depending on how long things keep)

3. Day of Party (in your amply planned time slot):

Prepare any foods/drinks that are too fresh to do any earlier
Set up any quick/easy last-minute supplies and decorations (if not up already)
Prepare ambience (music, candles)
Get dressed in your favourite party outfit. If your décor is farmhouse-style, dress in a rustic chic scheme. If it leans more toward shiny waxy school décor, wear something in candy apple red or a playful apple-print tie or dress
Once everything’s ready, take some time for any preferred self-care to get in a good head space if you aren’t already. You want to be a relaxed, energized, and happy host – both for yourself and for your guests, who will pick up on your contagiously good vibe and automatically be happier as well!

Every part of the party planning process is meant to be enjoyable – from planning the menu to putting up decorations. The way to be a good host is to put thought and care into your apple party preparation while also keeping a flexible approach that allows grace for unexpected surprises. At the end of the day, the goal is for you and your guests to have a good time – even if that looks different than you envisioned. So enjoy the process and party on!