If you’ve ever wished Halloween came more than once a year, allow me to introduce your new favorite holiday: Summerween. It’s all the spooky fun of October 31st—but with more sunshine, popsicles, and pool floats.
Whether you’re throwing a Summerween bash or showing up in your spookiest flip-flops, this guide has everything you need: themed food and drink ideas, party games, festive decor inspo, and yes—even pun-packed Summerween invitation wording.
Not sure what Summerween is or how it started? Wondering if it’s too early to plan? (Spoiler: it’s not!) Don’t worry—this guide has got you covered. From creepy carved watermelons to ghostly ice cream parties, here’s your ultimate guide to celebrating Halloween in the heat of summer.
Remember, it’s never too early to start planning your Summerween party, unless, of course, we’re in the middle of Halloween itself – or Valloween!
QUICK Pro Tip 1: Use this Printable Summerween Bucket List to celebrate spooky summer!
🎃☀️ Pro Tip 2: Grab my Printable Summerween Party Checklist on Etsy to make sure your spooky summer soirée goes off without a hitch!
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What is Summerween?
Summerween is a celebration that combines the playful spookiness of Halloween with the lighthearted vibes of a backyard, summer party. Originating from the animated series Gravity Falls, where the town’s residents couldn’t wait until October to enjoy Halloween festivities, Summerween is now celebrated by Halloween lovers around the world between June and August.
When is Summerween?
Summerween is not celebrated on a specific date, rather, it can be celebrated anytime during the summer between June and August. Unlike Halloween, Summerween isn’t an official holiday (yet!!), so you have a lot of flexibility for when you decide to celebrate Summerween.
If you want to stay true to the origins of Summerween, celebrate this Halloween-inspired holiday on June 22nd, just like the fictional folks in Gravity Falls.
Summerween Party Ideas
Costume Pool Party
Encourage guests to arrive in summer-friendly costumes suitable for poolside fun. Think “beach vampire” or “sunbathing zombie.” If you have a pool, decorate the area with inflatable jack-o’-lanterns and eerie lighting to set the mood. Don’t forget to add a floating Halloween cooler for the pool.
Spooky Barbecue
Serve grilled “monster” burgers (you’ve probably seen these on Pinterest or Instagram) with themed toppings, alongside “witch’s brew” beverages or Halloween mocktails. Use decorations like cobwebs, carved watermelons resembling creepy faces, and ghost tealight holders for your Halloween-summer tablescape.
Summerween Outdoor Movie Night
Set up a projector to screen family-friendly horror films as the sun sets. Provide blankets, set-up some citronella candles for the bugs, and a concession stand with Halloween popcorn balls and other handheld Halloween party foods.
Summerween Ice Scream Party
Turn your Summerween celebration into a chilling delight with Halloween-themed ice cream and popsicle molds shaped like skulls, ghosts, and pumpkins. Serve up ice cream cones that look like chocolate witch hats, mix up ghost milkshakes with whipped cream, and pour vampire vanilla and strawberry floats with swirls of red syrup for a fang-tastic finish. Everyone will love these spooky, sweet treats on a warm Summerween evening!
Summerween Picnic
Want a low-key spooky summer bash? Invite friends to a Summerween picnic! Use a spooky picnic blanket with a Halloween theme, make a Halloween charcuterie board (or a vegetarian Hallloween cheese board!), and bring summer-friendly snacks like Halloween pasta salad or Halloween fruit tray.
Summerween Party Foods
No party is complete without delicious and spooky-themed food. Here are some ideas to make your Summerween menu both eerie and delicious:
Jack O’Melons (AKA a Watermelon Jack o’Lantern)
The easiest, most festive Summerween party food to make is the watermelon Jack o’lantern. Carve a juicy watermelon into a spooky jack o’lantern face—or do the same with a pineapple! These fruity jack o’lanterns are not only fun to make, they’re also the unofficial mascot of Summerween.
Check out videos online for tips on how to carve your own Jack O’Melon or haunted pineapple.
Summerween Cheeseburgers & Veggie Burgers
Fire up the grill and add a twist of fright to your burgers. Simply cut jack o’lantern faces into slices of cheddar cheese and melt them onto burgers or veggie patties.
Halloween Fruit Plate
With all that ripe summer fruit, why not go for a festive fruit platter? Arrange oranges, strawberries, blueberries, and melon into pumpkin or ghost shapes for a refreshing, colorful addition to your spooky spread.
Summerween Popsicles
Freeze your favorite juice or smoothie blends in Halloween-themed popsicle molds or make frozen treats like these candy corn popsicles.
Mummy Dogs
Wrap hot dogs in crescent roll dough and bake them until golden brown, leaving small gaps for “eyes” made of mustard or ketchup.
Candy Apple Slices
Instead of whole caramel apples, serve sliced apples dipped in caramel and rolled in crushed nuts, sprinkles, or chocolate chips.
Graveyard Nachos
Arrange blue corn tortilla chips with layers of black beans, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. Top with tombstone-shaped tortilla cutouts for a spooky twist. Graveyard Nachos are a must for your Summerween food spread!
Ghostly Fruit Kabobs
Skewer bananas with chocolate chip eyes, melon balls, and dark grapes for a healthy yet festive treat.
Halloween Cupcakes for Summerween
There are so many delicious Halloween cupcake recipes to try. And these little handheld desserts are perfect to snack on during a Summerween movie or by the pool.
Make your Summerween snack table super cute with this printable Summerween Snack Table Sign!
Summerween Invitation Wording Ideas
Getting ready to send out your Summerween invitations? Use these playful (and spooky) wording ideas:
- “Join us for a night where summer fun meets Halloween haunt—it’s Summerween!”
- “Don your spookiest swimwear and celebrate Summerween with us!”
- “We’re combining sun rays with spooky ways—come join the Summerween celebration!”
- “Let’s make this summer a little scarier—you’re invited to our Summerween bash!”
- “Beach balls and broomsticks await at our Summerween soirée!”
- “Halfway to Halloween, but all the way to fun—join us for Summerween!”
- “Trick-or-treating under the summer sun—come celebrate Summerween with us!”
- “Who says Halloween is just for fall? Join us for a Summerween ball!”
Summerween Cocktails & Mocktails
Summerween mimosa
Turn strawberry mimosas into Vampire Mimosas! They’re naturally sweet and have a creepy “bloody” look! And *spoiler alert*, they’re perfect for Summerween. For a tropical twist, serve pineapple mimosas in sugar-rimmed glasses with a gummy worm garnish.
Serve your mimosas in Halloween champagne glasses for bonus party points!
Summerween punch
Is there any drink more crowd-friendly than punch? Whip up a Summerween Punch with citrus juice, ginger ale and pineapple juice. It’s a delicious, lower-sugar alternative to traditional punch.
Spooky Halloween milkshakes
And don’t forget dessert drinks! Blend up spooky Halloween milkshakes—think cookies and cream with chocolate drizzle “spiderwebs,” or strawberry “bloody” shakes topped with whipped cream ghosts.
Pro Tip: If you want to make your Summerween party more sustainable, skip the single-use plastic cups and draw those triangle Jack o’lantern faces and ghostly eyes on your glasses with washable pens for wine glasses. These pens also allow you to draw tons of different pumpkin faces on your glasses, so everyone has something unique.
Summerween Activities & Games
Add a Halloween in summer twist to any classic backyard game with these ideas:
Three-Legged Race: Wrap participants’ legs in “mummy” bandages or gauze for a spookier take on this traditional game.
Sack Race: Use Halloween-printed pillowcases or burlap sacks with ghost or monster faces.
Tug-of-War: Divide teams into “Ghouls vs. Goblins” or “Witches vs. Werewolves” for a fun, themed competition.
Capture the Flag: Turn it into “Capture the Cauldron” or “Steal the Spell Book,” with props and costumes to match.
Freeze Dance (Monster Edition): Play Halloween tunes and have everyone freeze like zombies, mummies, or witches when the music stops.
Witch’s Hat Ring Toss: A Halloween twist on a carnival classic! Set up a few witch hats on the lawn or a table, and let guests take turns tossing glow-in-the-dark rings or rope hoops. You can even DIY the hats using cones and black craft paper, or purchase inflatable witch hats.
Tips
- Don’t want to spend all of that Summerween fun in one afternoon? Consider hosting two parties. Throw a Summerween movie night with snacks one night, and a Summerween BBQ or pool party on a weekend.
- Use Halloween cookie cutters to cut fruit like melons, pineapples, and cantaloupes into ghosts, pumpkins, and bats.
- Place flameless candles inside the Halloween pineapples and watermelons for a twinkling tablescape.
FAQ
When did Summerween become a thing?
Summerween started in the early-to-mid 2010s, thanks to Halloween lovers who wanted spooky fun year-round and pop-culture moments (hello, Gravity Falls!). It’s basically Halloween’s playful summer cousin—ghost stories and sunshine all in one!
What is a Summerween party?
A Summerween party is what happens when Halloween crashes your summertime bash, bringing spooky vibes and sunny skies together for one frightfully festive celebration. Think carved watermelons instead of pumpkins, poolside potion cocktails (Halloween inspired summer cocktails), costumes paired with flip-flops, and a playlist that blends Halloween classics with beachy beats. It’s spooky season, but make it summer!