Memorial Day & Labor Day Party Games for the Ultimate Backyard Cookout

Memorial Day and Labor Day are America's unofficial bookends of summer — the kickoff and the send-off. Both are built around the same formula: good food, good company, and a backyard full of people who need something to do between burgers.

Here are the best Memorial Day and Labor Day party games that work for any backyard cookout, pool party, or summer gathering.

What Works for Summer Cookout Games

• ✅ Works outdoors and indoors — weather is unpredictable
• ✅ Easy to run between eating and socializing
• ✅ Works for mixed ages — kids, adults, and grandparents
• ✅ Doesn't require a lot of setup or cleanup
• ✅ Creates natural competition and laughter

1. Summer Family Feud (Best Overall)

The perfect cookout game. Use the editable Family Feud Template with summer and cookout-themed survey questions. Set up a laptop or tablet connected to a TV or outdoor monitor and play between meals.

Summer survey questions that always land:

• "Name something people always forget to bring to a cookout"
• "Name a summer activity everyone says they'll do but never does"
• "Name something that always goes wrong at a backyard party"
• "Name the most debated cookout food" (hot dogs vs. burgers, anyone?)
• "Name something people do at a pool party"
• "Name a word that describes the perfect summer day"

2. Patriotic Trivia (Memorial Day Special)

For Memorial Day specifically, a patriotic trivia round is a meaningful way to honor the holiday while keeping things fun. Use our Pub Trivia Game as the base and add a custom American history and military round.

Category ideas: American History, Famous Veterans, U.S. Geography, Patriotic Songs, "Name That State" (capitals and nicknames).

3. Summer Jeopardy

Build a summer-themed Jeopardy board with our Customizable Jeopardy Template. Categories: Summer Movies, Cookout Foods, Beach Trivia, Summer Songs, American Landmarks.

Best for: Larger gatherings where you want a structured game that works for everyone

4. Name That Summer Tune

Build a playlist of iconic summer songs — from "Summertime" to "Hot in Herre" to "Cruel Summer" — and have teams race to name each one. Use our Name That Tune Game as the format. Works great on a Bluetooth speaker outdoors.

5. Cookout Riddles

Read summer and cookout-themed riddles between meals and have guests race to answer. Our Riddle Game works perfectly as a quick filler activity — no setup required, just open and play.

6. Who Knows Summer Best?

Use our Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Template with summer trivia questions — beach facts, summer movie quotes, cookout food history, and American summer traditions. The dramatic format works surprisingly well outdoors with a laptop and a crowd gathered around.

Cookout Game Schedule

1. Arrival — Cookout Riddles as guests arrive and grab drinks
2. Before the main meal (20–30 min) — Summer Family Feud
3. After eating — Name That Summer Tune while everyone relaxes
4. Late afternoon — Patriotic Trivia or Summer Jeopardy for guests who want to keep playing

Tips for Outdoor Game Nights

• Use a tablet or laptop — easier to move around than a full setup
• Connect to a Bluetooth speaker — for Name That Tune outdoors
• Keep rounds short — 15–20 minutes between food and socializing
• Have a shade setup — screens are hard to see in direct sunlight
• Download games in advance — don't rely on outdoor WiFi

Get the Games

• 🇺🇸 Family Feud Template — customize with summer and cookout questions
• 🍻 Pub Trivia Game — add a patriotic or summer round
• ❓ Customizable Jeopardy — summer-themed board
• 🎵 Name That Tune — iconic summer songs
• 💡 Riddle Game — quick filler between meals

👉 Browse all summer party games →