The Neighborhood Cookout Tradition

Though the official start of summer in the US is June 21, there is another more important marker that signals the warmer days and sunshine ahead—the neighborhood cookout.

Americans have been holding barbecues for decades. In fact, they are by far the most popular form of celebration in the country—especially on summer holidays, like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. And while the idea of cooking outdoors is a universal concept, the sentimentality and sense of community associated with the gathering is distinctively American.

  Post-World War II Prosperity

The popularity of the cookout skyrocketed in the 1950s and 1960s, in part because Americans had more money to spend, and gathering together with neighbors was extremely important in most communities.

The barbecue seemed an obvious choice for hosting guests in warm-weather months, as nearly every family had a grill. It was easy enough to throw on some hamburgers and hot dogs, and the idea of gathering outdoors offered more room for hosting and for keeping children busy.

With these modern conveniences, families had an excuse to spend more time outside—cooking, relaxing, and enjoying each other’s company.

  More Room for Fun

Food is essential to any party, but these get-togethers needed something more than grilled fare to keep guests entertained. Aside from traditional games like jump rope and football, extra space to run and play meant the advent of exciting new games to choose from.

Games we take for granted nowadays, like horseshoes, croquet, and backyard bowling, all stemmed from a demand for more outdoor entertainment. Parties often centered around these games, as they were activities that adults and children could participate in together.

Noncommercial games were still just as popular, though, and there were plenty of activities that didn’t require running out to the store to purchase equipment, like red rover, hide-and-seek, and capture the flag, which were all popular ways for kids to pass the time.

    The Modern Barbecue

The barbecue is a tradition that’s still alive and well today. Getting together with friendly neighbors to enjoy the season is among the most popular summer pastimes, and hamburgers, hotdogs, and other grilled foods still reign supreme.

If you take a stroll on a warm weekend in summer, you’re bound to see neighborhood children running through sprinklers or hoses and tossing water balloons while their parents sip on cool drinks, and take turns at the grill. The barbecue is as American as apple pie, and though the grills may be larger (and safer) than they were back in the day, the scene of neighbors coming together for an evening of outdoor fun is still very much the same.

For more exciting summer ideas and recipes, visit americanlifestylemag.com/summer.