One Hour Parties Blog

Tabletop Touchdown!

2010-02-02T11:38:00.000-08:00

The Super Bowl is right around the corner. Score big points with your party guests with this festive table-centric Super Bowl party!

Fun Décor: Cover your table in green “Astroturf” tablecloth. Paint white lines to indicate a football field and flank the table with two large toy goal posts. From each goal post string a DIY “Beer Garden Garland” made from empty beer cans!

Fun Party Beverage: Bring the tailgate feel inside with our "Potluck Punch!" It’s easy, simply clean and fill a cooler with ice and your favorite mixer (fruit punch, margarita mix, or something in your team’s colors) and garnished with fruit slices. Have guests bring their favorite spirit to add to the mixer and serve it directly from the spigot on the side! Great interactive party starter and can be made without the alcohol too.

Fun Party Food: Make our “Scrimmage Sandwich” using a football shaped cake pan (any cake store or kid’s birthday store) bake your favorite bread in it the night before. Cut the cooled bread in half (lengthwise is it retains its football shape) and top it with a variety of sandwich meats, cheeses, spreads and veggies for the ultimate, gigantic sub.

Fun Snack Food: “Quarterback Crunch.” Display our no-bake snack in plastic football themed trays and bowls across your party table. Crunch munch includes pretzels, cheese crackers, Chex cereal, with and garnished with candies in team colors.

Fun Dessert Centerpiece: “Touchdown Twinkie Kabobs.” Cut Twinkie pieces, fruit chunks, marshmallows and mini candy bars and assemble (alternating each item) on wooden skewers. For display, poke skewers into a colorful Nerf football. Instant centerpiece and dessert all in one!

Fun Party Dessert: Perfect for a half-time huddle, have your guests make “Super Bowl Sundaes!” Using a football cookie cutter, cut football shape from a pan of store-bought brownies. Drop a football brownie into the bottom of each bowl and let your party guests pile on the ice cream, sauce, candy toppings (in team colors of course), whipped cream and cherries. At One Hour Parties we call this a “Sweet-tivity” since it’s a sweet and activity all in one.

Fun Place Settings: Football plates are a must, and disposable cups in your team’s colors. For a fun twist, adhere a sports trading card or your own color copy of your favorite team members on the outside of each cup. Each time that player is announced (touchdown, penalty, great catch) that party guest gets to celebrate!

Founders make live TV appearances for the holidays

2009-11-17T16:08:00.000-08:00

Watch the founders of One Hour Parties, Christopher and Leanne, during their three city live TV media tour while they demonstrate party ideas for the holidays.

Or, join them for a no obligation Meet and Treat to learn more about the One Hour Parties franchise program in the following cities:

NEW YORK
Fox Network
Fox and Friends
Sunday, December 6th at 8:50 am.
Click here to learn more about our Meet and Treat in New York

CHICAGO
WGN-TV
Thursday, December 10th at 11:45 am.
Click here to learn more about our Meet and Treat in Chicago

SAN FRANCISCO
View From The Bay / KGO-TV
Friday, December 11th at 3:00 pm.
Click here to learn more about our Meet and Treat in San Francisco

Space is limited. Arrange to attend no later than December 1st, 2009.

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Entrepreneur Magazine has named One Hour Parties a "Hot New Franchise" in their September 2009 Issue.
Link to our Press Room

Our franchisees love planning parties, making people happy and having the freedom to operate their own business.
Link to Franchise Info

Need more info about our franchise? Contact:leanne@onehourparties.com
Phone: 866-522-0332

www.onehourparties.com

Tips for a Simple Remebrance Party: Veterans Day 2009

2009-11-11T13:11:00.000-08:00

On this special day it's imporant to celebrate America with your family and spend a few quiet moments paying tribute to all our service members, past and present.

Here are a few ways to incorporate a simple "Remebrance Party" into your day:

- Pull out any of your red, white and blue decorations from the 4th of July and create a focal point on your dining table.

- Frame pictures of veterans from your own family and place a lit votive next to each one.

- Use red, white and blue frosting or flag picks to decorate cupcakes and cookies with your kids. A project like this gives you time to discuss the meaning of the holiday and it's importance in our history.

- Ask a war veteran in your family or group of friends who can come over in uniform and share stories.

- Check with your local community center to see if there are any special parades or community events your family can attend.

Life Of The Party at 2009 Northwest Event Show

2009-10-01T11:56:00.001-07:00

One Hour Parties was a huge hit at the Northwest Event Show at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center in Seattle on Tuesday!

The show is a spectacular one-day event designed for meeting planners and corporate event specialists to connect with venues, caterers, attractions, entertainers, decorators and more.

Wendy Trieger, our fabulous franchisee in Seattle, was definitely the life of the party in a booth that featured One Hour Parties' quick, creative and affordable celebrations and prominently featured our ice cream and holiday party offerings. She was deluged with requests for our services from new prospects and even had an opportunity to connect with past customers and colleagues.

Congratulations to Wendy who coordinated the marvelous undertaking and networked up a storm!

Curve Features One Hour Parties San Diego

2009-09-24T11:37:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Shelley Anderson, our fabulous franchisee in San Diego! She is featured in the October issue of Curve.

The article is titled "Women in Charge" and discusses cutting-edge lesbian business owners and how they find success through passion for their vocations.

Read Shelley's story and all the inspiring women included in the article, it's on your newstands now and also online at http://www.curvemag.com/Curve-Magazine/October-2009/

Sweet Charity

2009-09-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

Working at One Hour Parties brings me joy every day. I am proud to work in the "feel good" industry of parties and events.

As a bonus I have a six year old son who thinks that I work for the coolest company in the world. By association my son has become a qualified mini-party planner in his own right.

He starts pondering his birthday theme many months in advance, he brainstorms goody bag ideas, party locations and dessert.

All this hubub aside, I know that when it really comes down to it, he mostly cherishes being King for the Day and relishes his placement in the center of attention. My son is lucky.

But a child should not need luck to be the center of attention on their birthday. It occurs to us at One Hour Parties that many kids in the United States don't have nearly the attention they deserve on their birthday.

Recently we learned about some wonderful programs that help kids in need feel appreciated on their birthday by providing them with birthday cakes. We love this idea, the cake is the starting point for birthday bliss. To see your name in frosting, to count the candles, to hear the Happy Birthday song. This simple tradition is where a feeling of pride blooms in the hearts of our kids.

For this reason One Hour Parties has decided to begin a charitable program to donate personalized birthday cakes to kids in need. We are in the early stages of this program and will keep you all posted through this blog regarding our next steps.

If you have ideas or thoughts regarding this program please do let us know!

Game Plan for Tailgating

2009-09-10T16:26:00.000-07:00

It’s back – one of the most anticipated seasons of the year – football season!

No matter what team you are rooting for, it’s always important to have a sure-fire game plan when you’re hosting your own parking lot party.

Here’s a list of tailgating tips to ensure your party makes a touchdown every time:

- Let your guests know the theme of your party is “Pre-Game Potluck.” This is a great way to have friends contribute to your festivities so you have a variety of food options and you don’t spend all day at the grill.

- As the host, arrive early enough on game day so you can park in your team’s designated lot or in the surrounding neighborhood.

- Set up your corner of the lot with folding tables, beach or lawn chairs, disposable linens and balloons or banner in your team’s colors. This makes your party easy to spot as guests look for parking.

- Bring a boom box, radio or mini TV to add some party music or to help your guests catch all the pre-game action.

- Prepare for the elements: pack extra blankets for your guests if it’s chilly or sunscreen and extra sunglasses if it’s a scorcher.

- Designate one table for your football food, set up another table with fan favors: face paints, team tumblers, temporary tattoos, poster board and markers to make signs.

- Pack disposable plates, napkins, cups and utensils in your team’s colors.

- Remember that a child’s plastic football helmet may double as a festive bowl for chips or popcorn!

- Bring bags of ice in a rolling cooler and tie a bottle opening to it’s handle.

- Beer is a staple, but make sure you include bottles of water or lemonade for other beverage options.

- Make some boozy "Potluck Punch!" It’s easy, simply clean and fill a small cooler with ice and your favorite mixer (fruit punch, margarita mix, or something in your team’s colors). Have guests bring a bottle of booze to add to the mixer and serve it directly from the spigot on the side.

- Pack disposable garbage bags for trash and recycling.

- Be a good neighbor. The fans parked next to you should be invited to join your festivities as well!

If you’re feeling more like a fan than a host, let One Hour Parties help you out. We can devise a plan for decorations and even deliver food and beverages worth rooting for! Check out our signature Punch Buckets and Team Party for easy fun and all our great appetizer and buffets for game time grub.

Halloween Parties - Not Just For Kids!

2009-09-03T13:55:00.000-07:00

It's true, kids get to do all the fun stuff. Especially at Halloween. Why is it we allow them to bask in the glory of this "spooktacular season" with the costumes, candy, trick or treating and parties? Oh the parties...

As adults, and keepers of the kids, we should take a stand and start demanding our own Halloween hooplas. Where do we do this? When do we do this? How do we do this? We will tell you...

We do this wherever, whenever and however we can. And by "we" I mean us...One Hour Parties!

We make it easy for you to celebrate the ghoulishness that lies within. You'll find us making Halloween happen at your work, your home and your school.

It's time to party and the kids aren't the only ones invited!

http://www.onehourparties.com

One Hour Parties in Entrepreneur Magazine!

2009-08-26T12:34:00.001-07:00

HOT OFF THE PRESS!

Our favorite magazine, Entrepreneur, has just featured One Hour Parties in their new September issue. We are listed as a "Hot New Franchise" and also featured in a fabulous article titled: "Click! It's Party Time."

Check it out here: http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/index.html

One Hour Parties Franchise - Fun and Hot!

2009-08-20T15:35:00.001-07:00

In today's world it's a rare thing to be associated with a "fun" company. And, it's even better when the fun company gets some notoriety as a "hot new franchise" by Entrepreneur Magazine (September 2009 issue).

We, the founders of One Hour Parties, Christopher Hughes and Leanne Mumm Pardo, know the value doing something fun...for a living. Our concept is not only a smart and financially successful business model it just so happens to make us smile every day. This unique combination has compelled us to franchise the One Hour Parties business in major metro markets. We are currently interviewing qualified candidates who want to operate their own "fun and hot" business. Target markets include: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta, Dallas, New York, Miami and more. For more information contact leanne@onehourparties.com. Visit our Web site at www.onehourparties.com