Host a Fall Barn Dance or Western Bash

Round up students for a Western Hoe Down Dance! You’ll find everything you need to turn your location into the Wild West with our line of decorations and theme kits.

Check out Western Homecoming kits! They come loaded with the decorations you need to create your night on the range!

Complete your authentic Hoe Down with our fun and festive dance tips below!

Decorations

• Create a great Western entrance by using a rustic split-rail fence for students to walk through. Be sure to separate some hay and have it lying loose on the ground for them to walk on!
• Place large straw bales around the room with cowboy hats placed on them for accent pieces.
• Attach a large desert evening mural to the wall to give the feel of the Wild West.
• Find some old rodeo pictures of horses bucking up. Enlarge the images greatly so that you can trace them onto black paper. Cut out the images like silhouettes and place them on your walls in groups of two or three.
• Outline the walkway or room with corrugated split rail fences.
• Create Wanted Posters of some of your students and give them crazy Outlaw names like Rob Few or Outlaw Jessie Wails.
• Rope off sections with “lasso” ropes.
• Don’t forget to hang signs on the bathroom doors that read “Cowboys” and “Cowgirls”!
• There’s a variety of cactus decorations that would really add to the Western atmosphere! Even just one or two would make a great backdrop for some country Western tintypes (old fashioned picture takin’, partner!).

Tableware

• Start by covering the tables with red and white checkered gingham. These easy to use table covers set the Western mood. Complete the setting with gingham plates and cups/stadium cups or select plain red or plain white tableware.
• Tie helium inflated cow patterned balloons with red, white or black curling ribbon. Anchor the balloons to the table by tying them to mini straw bales or weighted cowboy hats. (Make sure the balloons float above eye level so students can talk across the table.)
• Select a tissue centerpiece such as the western boot centerpiece. It is affordable and easy to assemble.
• Another option is to pile cowboy hats (about 3) in the center of the table and surround them with mini straw bales.
• If you select a fresh flower option for your centerpiece, sprinkle Wild West confetti, cactus confetti or chili pepper confetti around the flowers.
• Place a small glass boot mug in front of each place with a place card leaning against it. Create a Western name for each student, e.g. Wild Bill, Rodeo Jack, Ropin’ Samantha – be creative!
• Use bandannas as napkins. Tie each up with a ribbon and place a Sheriff’s badge on each one.
• For a down home touch on your western tables, use a paint pen (available at craft and art supply stores) to draw black cow markings randomly on the handles of plain white cutlery. Tie the plastic flatware together with jute, twine, or red grosgrain ribbon.

Entertainment

• Hire a caller to teach everyone how to square dance. It’s a great time to kick up your heels!

Food Ideas

• Hotdogs, baked beans, chips, big bowls of chili, cornbread, and salad.

Favors
• Give students frames imprinted with special party details or glue mini cowboy hats onto an inexpensive acrylic frame. Either use a Polaroid™ camera to send a picture home with students, or have theme available at the school at a later date.
• A small boot candle can serve as a place card “holder” and a take home favor.
• Western boot mugs and glass boot mugs are an excellent way to serve beverages during the party and a great take-home favor.
• Accent your Western decorations with personalized napkins. We offer a large selection of dinner, luncheon, and beverage napkins in an impressive palette of 20 colors. We also offer a wide range of ink colors, as well as a metallic foil, holographic foil, prismatic foil or a traditional ink imprint.
• Napkins can be laid out on a buffet table, or can be displayed at each place setting. Place napkins in the center of each place setting at an angle, or unfold them and place them in glasses for a tall dramatic look. The napkins can also be tied (and bundled with plastic cutlery) with a multitude of items to match your theme. Try curling ribbon, gossamer streamers, ric-rac or ribbon.