Summerween Party Ideas for Teens: A Fresh Summer Twist on Halloween
Luci McQuitty HindmarshAre you looking for a fresh, on-trend party theme for your teen this summer? Summerween might be exactly what you need!
This fun summer version of Halloween has been gaining serious popularity, making it perfect for birthday celebrations or just a novel way to do something extra special during school summer break.
In this guide, I'll walk you through everything you need to know about Summerween, from its quirky origins to practical tips for throwing a vibey party that your teen and their friends will love.
We'll cover spooky-yet-delish food ideas, summer-appropriate decoration inspo, spookily good movie ideas, and games that capture the Halloween spirit with a sunny twist.
Whether you're planning weeks ahead or pulling together a last-minute celebration, these Summerween ideas will help you create the perfect balance of spooky and summery vibes.
Let's dive into how you can turn an ordinary summer day into an extraordinary Summerween celebration!
But first... what even is Summerween?!
What is Summerween? Understanding the Trend
Origin Story: Gravity Falls
Summerween originated from the popular animated series "Gravity Falls," created by Alex Hirsch for Disney Channel. In the show, the fictional town of Gravity Falls celebrates "Summerween" on June 22 (the 22nd day of summer).
During this special day, residents celebrate just like Halloween - with costumes, trick-or-treating, and spooky decorations - but with a summer twist.
Since the show gained a cult following, particularly among teens, Summerween has leapt from fiction into real-life celebrations. It's become especially popular with teens who love the idea of enjoying Halloween vibes without waiting until October.
Why Teens Love It
Summerween combines the creativity of Halloween (costumes, spooky elements) with the relaxed outdoor opportunities of summer (pool parties, backyard activities).
For teens who love all things spooky year-round, it's a dream come true. For others, it's simply a novel party theme that stands out from typical summer gatherings.
Look, I found a Gravity Falls Summerween Sticker Book! It'd make a great activity for teens who love slipping back to kiddo ways for a nostalgic minute.
So When Is Summerween?!!
While fans of Gravity Falls know that the show places Summerween on June 22nd (the 22nd day of summer), there's no hard rule about when to celebrate in real life.
Many people choose dates around mid-June to early July, with "Halloween in July" becoming increasingly popular.
Essentially, you can host it whenever works best for your teen's schedule during the summer break.
Some people even plan it around a full moon for extra atmosphere, while others coordinate with summer birthdays or end-of-school celebrations/graduation parties.
What Time To Start The Party?
Since most Summerween celebrations take advantage of the outdoors, timing is important, not least if you want to make the most of dusk and darkness.
So here's some thoughts on when to get the party started:
- Start in late afternoon (around 4-5pm) to catch both daylight for swimming/outdoor activities and darkness for spookier elements
- Schedule the spookiest activities for sunset and after
- Consider a sleepover option to extend the fun
Creating Summerween Vibes
The beauty of Summerween is the contrast between sunny summer vibes and spooky Halloween elements. Here's how to nail the decor:
- String lights in orange and neon pink across the garden
- LED lanterns in Halloween colours
- Beach towels with skeleton or monster prints
- Inflatable pool toys with a spooky twist (think skeleton flamingos)
- Watermelon carved like jack-o'-lanterns
- Fake spiderwebs draped over garden furniture
- Plastic skeletons wearing sunglasses and swimwear
- Tropical flowers arranged in skull vases
- Black and orange balloons with summer-themed Halloween phrases
- Bowls of seashells painted with glow-in-the-dark monster faces
- Beach buckets repurposed as LED candle holders
- Fake tombstones with humorous summer-themed epitaphs
Spooky Summerween Food & Drink
Chilling Treats
-
Eyeball Popsicles
-
Ghost S'mores -Traditional s'mores with the marshmallow shaped like a ghost
-
Watermelon Brain: Watermelon carved to look like a brain
-
Monster Ice Cream Sandwiches: Colourful ice cream between chocolate cookies or waffles with candy eyes
Savoury Bites
-
Mummy Hot Dogs: Hot dogs wrapped in thin strips of pastry, grilled instead of baked
-
Spider Burgers: Cheeseburgers with black olive "spiders" on top
-
Witches Fingers: from pizza dough
-
Graveyard Dip: complete with tombstones
-
Devilled Egg Eyeballs: Classic devilled eggs decorated to look like bloodshot eyes
Refreshing Drinks
-
Toxic Waste mocktail: with gummy worms
- Vampire Blood Strawberry Floats: with strawberry sauce
Summerween Fun & Games
Get ready to take your teen's Summerween celebration to the next level with these spooky summer games and activities that perfectly blend Halloween thrills with warm-weather fun!
Zombie Tag: Water Gun Edition
Transform the classic game of tag into a spine-tingling Summerween activity by adding water guns and zombie-inspired rules:
- Designate one person as the "original zombie" who carries a water gun filled with slightly coloured water (blue food colouring works well)
- When the zombie "infects" someone by spraying them, they become a zombie too and get their own water gun
- The last surviving human wins and becomes the original zombie in the next round
- Create a "safe zone" where players can rest for 30 seconds before returning to the game
- For extra fun, play after dark with glow sticks to identify zombies
Mummy Wrap Water Challenge
This hilarious twist on the classic mummy wrap game adds a refreshing summer element:
- Divide teens into teams of 3-4 players
- Each team selects one person to be the "mummy"
- Teams race to wrap their mummy in toilet paper from head to toe
- Here's the twist: other teams can use water spray bottles to try and dissolve the toilet paper as teams work
- The first team to completely wrap their mummy without the paper falling apart wins
- Take photos of the soggy mummies for hilarious keepsakes
Glow-in-the-Dark Volleyball
As the sun sets and your Summerween party transitions to evening, kick off this eerie sporting event:
- Set up a volleyball net in the garden (or use a badminton net)
- Use a light-up LED volleyball or attach glow sticks to a regular volleyball
- Mark court boundaries with glow sticks or glow-in-the-dark tape
- For extra spookiness, have players wear glow necklaces or bracelets
- Play regular volleyball rules or simplify for casual play
- Consider playing "Ghost Volleyball" where players must be silent while playing
Spooky Party Games
We've got a set of printable Halloween Party Games for Teens in the shop that work equally well for Summerween as they do in October.
There are eight games in the bundle:
- Candy Corn Dice Game
- Phobia Match Game
- Selfie Scavenger Hunt
- What's Your Halloween Name?
- Word Search
- Word Scramble
- What's On Your Phone?
- Superstition True Or False Game
Water Balloon Eyeball Toss
This creepy twist on a water balloon toss is perfect for hot summer days:
- Fill clear water balloons with slightly coloured water (red, green, or blue)
- Use a permanent marker to draw pupils and bloodshot lines on each balloon
- Teens pair up and stand facing each other, tossing the "eyeball" back and forth
- After each successful catch, players take one step backwards
- If an eyeball "pops," that team is out
- The last team with an intact eyeball wins
- For extra difficulty, have teens wear oven mitts while catching
DIY Summer Horror Movie
Let teens unleash their creativity by filming their own Summerween-themed short film:
- Provide a box of props (fake cobwebs, plastic spiders, torches, summer items like beach towels)
- Offer several plot starters in sealed envelopes for groups to choose from
- Set a time limit of 30-45 minutes for filming and 15 minutes for basic editing
- Establish boundaries for where they can film in your home/garden
- Provide simple costume elements like sunglasses, hats, and scarves
- End the night with a "Summerween Film Festival" where everyone watches the creations
- Award silly prizes like "Best Scream" or "Most Creative Monster"
Summerween Costume Contest
Host a costume competition with summer-appropriate categories that won't leave teens overheating:
- Encourage lightweight costumes that work in hot weather
- Create categories like "Best Beach Monster," "Scariest Summer Outfit," "Most Creative Sunscreen Zombie"
- Set up a photo booth area with summery and spooky props
- Have everyone vote anonymously for winners in each category
- Award small prizes like sunglasses or summer-themed horror books
- Consider a "group costume" category for friend groups who coordinate
- End with a costume parade where everyone shows off their outfits
Fortune Telling Station
Create a mystical corner where teens can glimpse into their "spooky summer future":
- Set up a table with a dark tablecloth and battery-operated candles
- Provide simplified tarot cards with summer fortunes written on them
- Create a DIY crystal ball using a clear glass bowl filled with water and glow sticks
- Write summer fortunes on slips of paper for teens to draw
- Include a bowl of water where teens drop coloured wax to read patterns
- Create "Summerween Fortune Cookies" with spooky predictions inside
- Provide instruction sheets so teens can read fortunes for each other
Escape Room Challenge
Transform part of your garden into an outdoor escape room with a summer camp horror theme:
- Rope off a section of your garden and create a backstory (abandoned camp counsellor's quarters, etc.)
- Hide 5-6 clues that must be solved in sequence to "escape"
- Include water elements like clues hidden in paddling pools
- Use combination locks on boxes containing next clues
- Create a time limit (30 minutes works well)
- Provide a walkie-talkie for hints if teams get stuck
- Consider creating two identical escape rooms for team competitions
Spooky Tie-Dye Workshop
Let teens create wearable Summerween souvenirs with this creative craft activity:
- Provide white t-shirts or tote bags for each guest
- Set up dye stations with Halloween colours (orange, black, purple, green)
- Show simple techniques for creating spider web patterns or ghost designs
- Use rubber bands to create skull or pumpkin patterns
- Set up a clothesline with pegs for drying
- Have permanent markers available for adding details once dry
- Send teens home with their creation in a sealed plastic bag with care instructions
Perfect Movies for a Summerween Party
Whether you turn your Summerween party into a movie night or simply want to have a movie or two running in the background to add to the atmosphere, here's a few ideas for spooky movies and TV shows that bring the Summeween vibes.
Horror with Summer Vibes
- Jaws (PG-13): The original summer horror movie
- The Shallows (PG-13): Shark thriller with beautiful beach scenery
- Piranha (R - edited version for teens): Campy horror that doesn't take itself too seriously
- Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (PG-13): Spooky anthology perfect for teens
Teen-Friendly Supernatural
- Gravity Falls (TV-Y7): The show that started it all! Marathon key episodes
- The Lost Boys (PG-13): Classic vampire movie set in a beach town
- Hocus Pocus (PG): Halloween classic that's light enough for summer viewing
- Beetlejuice (PG): Ghostly comedy that works year-round
- Jennifer's Body (PG-13): Teen horror with a summer setting
Lighter Spooky Options
- Ghostbusters (PG-13): Classic supernatural comedy
- The Addams Family Values (PG-13): Features a memorable summer camp sequence
- Warm Bodies (PG-13): Zombie romance with a lighter touch
- Goosebumps (PG): Adventure based on the popular book series
- The Witches (PG): Roald Dahl adaptation with the right balance of spooky and fun
Ready to Host the Coolest Summerween Party Ever?
There you have it - everything you need to throw an amazing Summerween celebration that your teen and their friends will be talking about long after summer ends! With the perfect mix of spooky and summery elements, your party is sure to be a hit.
Don't forget to grab the Halloween Teen Bundle...
Before you go, you might also like...
