Progressive Parties:

What is a progressive party?

A progressive party is one that starts at one person’s house and progresses to other homes for other courses. The one I went to this summer was a petite one – we had appetizers at one house and walked to another for our main course. As a rule of thumb, these work best with no more than four stops; otherwise, you’re spending more time traveling than you are eating! Some ways to break up the night: appetizers, soup and/or salad, main course, dessert.

Make it interesting.

While these types of parties are great for celebrations, there’s no reason not to get together with your neighbors once a month for one. To keep it interesting, think of different themes for the food like “fiesta night” or “under the Tuscan sun.” You can also look for inspiration from Iron Chef by choosing one ingredient everyone needs to use in their courses (a spice works well for this!).

Stay Organized.

Remember to keep the party moving, being mindful of how much time you spend at each home. Keeping each stop to 45 minutes allows for enough time to relax, but also ensures the evening doesn’t become a five-hour affair.