Just because the pool is closed up and temperatures are dropping doesn't mean that outdoor fun has to stop. Now is the perfect time to enjoy the cool evenings, delicious late-season vegetables, and add pops of fall colors with mums and foliage as décor for your party.

Fall Food

Now that the summer heat has passed, spending some extra time around the grill is a welcome way to warm up. Rae Regan, the business manager at Country Paint & Hardware, notes that smokers are becoming more popular, as well.

"We sell a lot of the flavored chips for smoking and grilling," says Regan. "We have apple, mesquite, cherry, and more that will flavor the meat as you're cooking."

Justin Kingsley, pitmaster and bar manager at The Stand in Branford, says that while burgers, hot dogs, and ribs still hit the grills during the fall season, those looking for more of a challenge can smoke pork shoulders. He also recommends grilling corn and late-season, hearty vegetables.

Because smoking meats is an extensive process, Kingsley encourages people to spend a little time planning so guests can enjoy a full meal while all of it is still hot.

"You have to make sure the timing of the cooking is planned out well ahead of time," says Kingsley. "With something simple like burgers, it's not a problem, but with something labor-intensive like smoking or long-term grilling, you want to make sure guests understand it's part of the process."

Linda DeFrancesco of DeFrancesco Farms in Northford agrees that lots of fall vegetables are great for grilling, including corn, butternut and acorn squash, and zucchinis. There are also still fresh potatoes, onions, and garlic, as well as fall fruits like apples and pears.

If you'd rather prepare food ahead of time so you're not manning the grill during a fall party, DeFrancesco recommends a hearty stew, casserole, or soup made with fresh fall vegetables. She encourages people to try new recipes, noting that her staff is always happy to help with ideas.

"We do recipes with our CSA program and have extra cards for people who come into the store," says DeFrancesco. "We'll show them how to clean it and how to prepare it. We have recipes for the asking on a lot of things. I love to cook and my staff is very knowledgeable. Customers will also give me recipes or do canning and will bring me a jar. We get to taste what our customers buy. It's a win-win."

Of course when you're planning a party, you can't forget about drinks and desserts. Kingsley recommends setting up an outdoor bar and providing coolers so people can help themselves to drinks or cocktails. DeFrancesco Farms also bakes fresh pies, muffins, donuts, and cookies every day that can make great desserts for a party.

Keep Warm

One of the great things about a fall get-together is being able to stay warm when the night air turns cool. If you're hosting an outdoor party, be sure guests know ahead of time so they can bring a sweatshirt or jacket. It's also great to have a few throw blankets so everyone can stay comfortable.

Sitting around a fire not only helps keep guests warm but adds a great fall ambiance to the atmosphere. There are lots of options when it comes to fire pits. Regan says customers can also place a special order for fire pits at Country Paint and Hardwareif they have something specific in mind.

Fire pits come in all shapes and sizes, from the do-it-yourself fire ring in the yard lined with stones or rocks to tabletop gas fireplaces to Chimeneas. You can find one to match your style.

Fire pits aren't the only way to keep warm. If you're not up for throwing logs on the fire throughout the night, you can also invest in a patio heater. Many of the outdoor heaters run on propane and can heat 200 to 400 square feet depending on their BTU.

Set the Mood

Beyond the warmth given off by fires, they also give the party a great atmosphere. There are lots of ways to set the mood to carry your party into the nighttime hours. For outdoor ambiance, string and patio lights are a must.

For décor, instead of going to a craft or party store trylocal farms for seasonal florals. Your party can be full of fall colors by using some of the 100,000 mums that DeFrancesco's grows in its greenhouse each year. The farm also offers cabbage and kale, asters, fall pansies, cornstalks, and hay bales.

"Fall plants are easy to take care of – you just have to water them," says DeFrancesco. "They last a long time once they start flowering."

There are a variety of pumpkins and gourds with the smallest making great centerpieces for tables and larger pumpkins being used to accent entryways, staircases, and more. DeFrancesco's also carries cement pumpkins for decorations that can be used year after year as well as fall statuary figures, scarecrows, and lanterns.

"There is just so much you could do with our fall stuff – it's so versatile," says DeFrancesco. "You can mound pumpkins and gourds on a planter. We have planters, we have decorations in every kind of shape and form. We're happy to give people ideas as they shop."