PREPARE FOR A GREAT SUPER BOWL PARTY AT YOUR POOL

It seems like everyone is looking for a way to elevate the tailgate. Can you think of a better way to up the stakes than by hosting your Super Bowl party in your own backyard swimming pool?

Are you considering hosting a poolgate party where your guests will come for the ballgame on the big screen and barbecue, but they’ll stay to enjoy some time lounging in your swimming pool for post-game discussion?

What Do You Need to Consider to Host the Ultimate Super Bowl Party for Your Guests?  

A poolgate party features some additional health and safety over traditional tailgate parties, so you have two areas upon which you need to focus to make each event fun, memorable and safe for all your guests.

You will need to focus on traditional preparations that include game selection, music, menu and the means of showing the big game while pool-specific preparations include a good cleaning, chemical testing, pool repairs and adequate lighting.

Take a look at a more intensive breakdown of all that you need to consider before your poolgate party guests begin to arrive.

Poolgate Party Preparations 

As unique and exciting as a poolgate party is for your guests, you still have to do a lot to offer everyone a fun, comfortable and memorable day or evening. As finish football season, there is no time like right now to start planning out your own special poolside and in-pool tailgate party while the weather is still warm enough.

Here are a few tips to create the right atmosphere and offer the right amenities for your guests:

Prepare a Theme, Invitations and Decorations. As soon as you choose the theme of your party—perhaps surrounding the two teams set to play—you can start preparing your invitations and decorations to reflect that theme. For the invitations, feature the colors and mascots for both teams, and ask your guests to RSVP, naming their game day favorite to win. As for decorations, buy plastic helmets for each team to place around the pool area. In the helmets, place candies, chips and other snacks for guests to grab between trips to the pool and other areas.

Choose the Date and Time of the big game. Super Bowl will be on February 2^nd, with a kick off time of 5:30 CST. You can plan snacks and games before the game or during half-time, depending on how late you will be hosting. Set up a television screen inside the house and one near the pool or backyard deck area.

Serve Great Food. If you love cooking, you can prepare dips, cold salads, chili, pizza, finger sandwiches and a whole range of great foods for hungry swimmers and football fans. Set up a grill so you can barbecue hot dogs, ribs and burgers to go with chips, sodas, beer and fruit juices.

Turn Up the Music. While you don’t need to play music throughout the event, or loudly, some light tunes in the background can help keep the party lively during commercials and other lulls.

Poolgate Cleaning and Safety Preparations  

Now that you know the official party preparations to make sure your guests enjoy themselves, it is even more important to think about all the factors of pool safety and cleaning.

Tuck a Pool Safety Guide into Each Guest’s Invitation. The best way to make sure your guests understand and agree to your directions for pool safety standards. You may even leave a space for them to sign to agree that they have read and understood your safety rules. If guests plan to bring children, this step is particularly important. Regardless, when guests know what is expected of them in advance, it is easier to gain their cooperation on the day of the party.

On the day of the party, place at least one large sign in the doorway that leads to the pool area that reinforces the safety rules about which you have already informed them. Another reminder option is to hand out a flier featuring your “swimming pool rules.”

Determine All Safety Concerns and Share Your Rules. Safety truly is your primary concern, over snacks, screens and the game itself. Although it is unlikely that everyone will go swimming, the chances are strong that many will take a dip, and that they will have various levels of swimming ability. They may not have even spent much time around swimming pools to know the general rules and why they are so important.

Since your family regularly practices safety tips, and everyone likely knows how to swim, you may need to brush up some key swimming pool rules for your own peace of mind. Pool Safely offers an array of safety tips to refresh your memory and add to your guests’ rules, such as the following:

• Never leave a child unattended in or near the water.
• Make sure children know how to swim or that they wear flotation devices and are accompanied by an adult at all times.
• Ensure that your swimming pool’s drainage area has the correct drain cover and that everyone knows to stay away from the drain.
• Be certain that someone is in attendance who knows how—and is certified—to perform child and adult CPR.
• Do not allow diving into the swimming pool.
• Hire a one-day lifeguard, depending on the size of the party to help keep everyone safe. Otherwise, designate a different non-drinking adult to keep watch over the water, rotating duties every 30 minutes to an hour to stay fresh and attentive.

Perform Swimming Pool Preparation Duties. Since we are well into the winter, you may need to do some pool cleanup and repairs to make sure everything is in good shape for guests.

Here are a few cleaning and general preparation tips to perform before everyone arrives at your swimming pool:

• Check the pool chemistry to make sure there is adequate chlorine. If you are unsure of the chlorine levels you need, your pool cleaning service team will be happy to check your levels and make sure they are perfect for your party.
• See if the skimmer is full and needs to be emptied of debris and contaminants that, if not caught in the skimmer, can become saturated and float to the bottom of the pool.
• Clean pool filters to ensure maximum flow rates and avoid backwashing for crystal clear water.
• Inspect the structure of the swimming pool to make sure the ladders are all safe and secure. It is also vital to ensure that there are no cracks or leaks in the pool itself.

You’re Now Ready to Host the Ultimate Poolside Super Bowl Party!  

With these tips, we hope you feel confident about throwing the ultimate poolgate party, but we are always here to help you make it to the endzone with success and safety. Contact us to let us know if you need a pool inspection, chemical testing or additional party ideas.