How to Keep Outdoor Entertaining Going Throughout Autumn

We've reached the 'ber' months! As the days get colder and the evenings get darker quicker, you might be wondering how to keep entertaining going throughout autumn, particularly after enjoying getting together with friends or family for summer BBQs and garden parties while the weather was warmer. While it might be tempting to pack up and move indoors until spring, autumn can actually be one of the best times to enjoy your garden, especially when you have an outdoor space designed to keep you warm and comfortable!

A Scandinavian-inspired cabin gives you somewhere to barbecue, dine, and spend quality time together with whoever you wish to host throughout the colder months. With a central BBQ grill to provide a fire, circular bench seating and shelter from the elements, you'll enjoy entertaining outdoors long after summer has ended. (Plus, imagine the space you'll have for Halloween parties!) Read on to find out all the ways you can continue to enjoy time spent outside with our autumn outdoor entertaining ideas...

1. Enjoy Barbecues Throughout Autumn

Barbecues don't have to be exclusive to the June-August period! Forget having to wait for summer to eventually roll back around. An Arctic Cabins BBQ hut is designed for year-round barbecuing, making it easy to continue enjoying outdoor cooking and outdoor living well into autumn and winter. 

The central BBQ grill and in-the-round bench seating create a natural space for everyone to gather around the fire, whether you're cooking dinner for the family or hosting friends with barbecue snacks. For some, an autumnal barbecue might involve the same burgers, salads and picky bits that it does in the summer, and for others it might look like roasting seasonal harvest vegetables like parsnips, pumpkin or sweet potatoes, or grilling corn on the cob! Opting for autumnal barbecue foods can be a fun way to embrace the season, support farmers, and make autumn outdoor entertaining feel like the main event. 

2. Bring Everyone Together Around the Fire

One of the best features of an Arctic Cabins BBQ Cabin for outdoor entertainment is the seating. The built-in, in-the-round bench seating means your nearest and dearest can all sit together around the central barbecue. There's no need to pull out your camping chairs from the shed or drag your dining room chairs out into the garden to make enough space, (with someone inevitably having to awkwardly stand!) as the proper space is already there to be used whenever you need it.

Whether you're hosting evenings with friends or family get-togethers, everyone has a place to sit and enjoy good conversation around the fire. Plus, as the evenings draw in, there's something very appealing about sitting around the fire with good food and good company, rather than being stuck indoors in the house. 

With that being said, you don't even need the fire lit for an Arctic Cabin to feel warm, cosy and inviting for some socialisation time in the garden. The slow-grown Scandinavian redwood timber provides great natural insulation properties, and our sustainable authentic reindeer skins add another layer of warmth atop the bench cushions for comfort on cooler evenings. Your cabin will come with our Finnish accessories pack too, with plenty of outdoor entertaining essentials such as a set of Kuksa mugs for enjoying drinks together! Did someone say pumpkin spice?

3. Create Your Own Outdoor Bar

If you prefer outdoor entertaining with a drink in hand (as do we!), an Arctic Bar can add a whole new dimension to your garden. You get your own dedicated outdoor bar area, providing somewhere to enjoy drinks with friends and family without having to head into town when the weather makes the trip feel less inviting. You might find it’s surprisingly easy to convince friends to come round for a drink in your garden bar instead!

With a cosy space to sit and chat and a bar stocked with your favourite beverages, you can keep the party going throughout autumn. One of our favourite tips for entertaining outside is to serve cosy autumnal drinks, such as hot apple cider, hot chocolate or mulled juice with cinnamon sticks and orange slices. These autumnal warmers add a bit of seasonal fun to family gatherings, as well as a warm touch to autumn parties with friends. 

4. Host an Autumn Get-Together

Autumn is the perfect excuse to make your outdoor entertaining more seasonal, and to get friends and family together for an outdoor BBQ or a garden party. With the right setup, you can enjoy spending time outside even as the days get shorter and the weather starts to change.

It's time to swap out your summer party decor, so remove the bright colours, flower garlands and flamingos and decorate your space for your cosy autumnal get-togethers. 

Add Some Autumn Decorations

Here are a few autumn decoration ideas for your outdoor area:

• Pumpkins and gourds
• Lanterns
• Autumn leaves and dried flowers
• A wreath
• Leaf and berry garlands
• Rattan harvest baskets
• Scarecrows 

5. Host a Halloween Party

Probably the most obvious way to keep outdoor entertainment going throughout autumn is to host a Halloween event in your garden! From planning spooky surprises for the kids and their mates to hosting all of your friends for a proper knees up, it's a great excuse to get people together.

Each year, we see that Halloween is a staple in the hosting calendar for many of our Arctic Cabins owners. They enjoy transforming their BBQ huts and garden bars with fun and spooky decorations, getting their barbecues going and inviting their loved ones over for Halloween-themed food, drinks and games. 

Looking for Halloween party food ideas? Take a look at our guide to Frightfully Good Halloween Party Food Ideas for creepy and creative Halloween food and drink ideas.

6. Host a Bonfire Night Gathering

Bonfire Night is another great opportunity for outdoor entertaining during autumn and winter. Rather than spending the evening wrapped up (yet still shivering) on the patio waiting for the fireworks, having an Arctic Cabin or Arctic Bar becomes the centre of the celebrations! What better place to enjoy a fire than circled around one inside a cabin. 

You'll be able to get the barbecue fired up and prepare warming food for everyone to enjoy before the fireworks begin. Hot dogs, burgers and jacket potatoes are easy options for feeding a group, and they'll keep everyone cosy as the temperature drops. If you're after a sweet treat, toast some marshmallows on the fire too. 

An Arctic Cabin also gives you somewhere sheltered to retreat to before and after the fireworks, so you can make an evening of it rather than simply heading outside for a few minutes to watch the display, or trying to watch the fireworks from your upstairs window. 

Let's make the most of your garden all year round

Outdoor hosting doesn't have to end just because summer does. With an Arctic Cabin or Arctic Bar, you can continue enjoying your garden for outdoor dining, drinks and seasonal gatherings throughout autumn and into the colder months too. 

Get in touch with our team or request a free brochure to explore the full range of garden buildings and start planning your ideal outdoor entertainment space.