A potluck is truly the epitome of a chill, feel-good party. For the host, it’s an opportunity to plan a cozy gathering with their favorite people while getting a break from having to provide everything. For the guests, it’s their chance to share their tastes (AKA delicious sips and bites) with everyone and enjoy their offerings, along with good company.
While a simple, traditional potluck filled with various dishes is always a delight, taking inspo from fall 2024’s party trends and turning them into potlucks is, in our opinion, simply genius! Here’s everything you need to know about transforming these cozy viral autumn parties into the coolest potlucks of the season.
The great bestie bake off
If you and your BFFs love baking and are just a tad competitive, this is the potluck party for you!
There are two ways to throw this party:
- Signature bakes: Have everyone bring ingredients—consider providing staples like flour, sugar, baking powder and eggs—to create their “signature bake” (preferably a cookie since they don’t take long to bake).
- Technical challenge: Choose a simple recipe, and ask guests to each bring one of the ingredients (but don’t tell them what the recipe is for!). They’ll find out what they’re making once they arrive at the party.
No matter which route you choose, the rest of the bake off is the same! Once all of your bakers arrive, tell them to start baking! Our tip: Stagger the prep so there’s enough counter space for everyone (and no one has to fight over the stand mixer) and people can bake in batches. Once everyone’s bakes are done, taste and review everyone’s treats!
How to throw
Decor + supplies
- Union Jack Bunting
- Scalloped Pastel Paper Plates
- Scalloped Pastel Napkins
- White and Gold Serving Trays
- Cooling Racks
Potluck list
- Ingredients for cookies or baked good of choice
- Optional drinks (tea and/or coffee are perfect!)
Pumpkin painting party
Artsy, DIY parties are all over TikTok and Pinterest right now, and pumpkin painting parties are undoubtedly THE fall crafting party to throw (especially paint ’n sips!). Hosting this party is simple: Tell everyone to BYOP (bring your own pumpkin) and an app or drink to share, and you provide the paint and brushes.
How to throw
Decor + supplies
Potluck list
- Pumpkins (everyone should bring their own)
- Sweet snacks like pumpkin bread, cider donuts & apple hand pies
- Savory snacks like charcuterie & seasoned popcorn
- Pizza
- Wine or other drinks
TJs + PJs
Is there a better combo than Trader Joe’s fall treats and cozy pajamas? Trader Joe’s autumnal offerings are iconic, so all you have to do is tell your guests to pick up something – ANYTHING – from there and wear their cute-enough-to-answer-the-door-in jammies, and you’re ready for a laid-back and delicious get-together.
How to throw
Decor + supplies
- Pink & Orange Plates, Napkins and Forks Set
- Pink Checkered Tablecloth with Fringe
- Orange & Pink Hanging Decorations
- Orange Rimmed Clear Cups
- Autumn-Themed Toothpicks
Potluck list
- Fall side dishes & apps you can easily heat up in the microwave or oven (like TJ’s butternut squash mac and cheese)
- Cider donuts & hand pies
- A variety of nuts + pumpkin seeds
- Charcuterie faves (cheese, cured meats, olives)
- Autumnal jams & spreads like pumpkin or fig butter
Flannels + fizz
Flannel-themed parties have been on the scene for a while, but this one comes with a refreshing twist: Champagne. (Or Prosecco or Cava if you’re more of a budget-conscious girlie.) The dress code: flannel. The aura? Sparkling. We personally recommend leaning into another major trend, bows, and providing plaid ribbon to your guests to tie around their wine glasses. Cheers to being extra cutesy!
How to throw
Decor + supplies
- Champagne Flutes
- Plaid Burlap Ribbon Rolls to tie around glasses
- Flannel Candle
- Fall Orange Plaid Plates, Napkins & Forks Set
- Cottagecore Macrame Table Runner
Potluck list
- Champagne, Cava, or Prosecco
- Charcuterie
- Cookies and/or macarons
- Fresh berries
- Smoked salmon
Spellbook club
We LOVE all things Halloween, so we’re absolutely spellbound by the concept of a book club with a spooky side. Simply gather your best witches, choose an on-theme book to read and then get your coven together to discuss. With some sweet treats, of course!
How to throw
Decor + supplies
- Black Raven Cage Candle Holder
- Voluspa Forbidden Fig Candle
- Book Page Ghost Garland Banner
- Cauldron Cups
- Cozy Ghost Pillows
Potluck list
Okay, you’ve got your fall potluck inspo and how-tos, so now it’s time to plan your fave! Organize your potluck signups with one of our easy and free SignUp Sheets to get started. Happy cozy potluck season!
What makes Evite SignUp Sheets different from SignUpGenius?
Developed hand-in-hand with community organizers, PTA presidents, parents and teachers, Evite's signup sheets are designed to make organizing volunteers a breeze. Here are a few ways SignUp Sheets are different than SignUpGenius:
- 100% free: SignUp Sheets are free to use.
- Ad-free: No popup ads ever! Our signup sheets remain clutter-free, keeping your volunteers focused on signing up.
- No extra login required: Seamlessly use your Evite account to create and manage your signup sheets, keeping all your events in one convenient location.
- Automatic reminders and notifications: Stay on top of your event with automated reminders and notifications for you and your participants. Perfect for busy parents, teachers and anyone juggling multiple commitments.
- Customization options: Tailor your signup sheets to your specific event, whether it's a school fundraiser, potluck, volunteer opportunity or team activity. Add custom tasks, time slots and requirements for smooth coordination.
- User-friendly experience: Our intuitive interface makes creating and sharing signup sheets simple for everyone, regardless of tech experience.
- Real-time updates: Get instant notifications whenever someone signs up or makes a change, so you always know where things stand.
Choose Evite SignUp Sheets for the easiest, most streamlined way to get volunteers and signups for your next event!
What is a signup sheet?
Signup sheets are the perfect way to streamline scheduling, volunteer recruitment, class parties, snack duty, potluck organization, parent-teacher conferences and more! You can think of them as your digital assistant for coordinating events and tasks and ensuring that your event is a success.
Evite SignUp Sheets offers parents, teachers and event planners customizable online forms that organizers and volunteers can access and update effortlessly. Volunteers can choose their preferred time slots, sign up for tasks or indicate what they'll bring to the event. It only takes organizers a few minutes to create a signup sheet and send it out with a shareable link, so they can get the word out via text, email or social media—whichever way they prefer!
Long story short, signup sheets save everyone involved tons of time, avoid scheduling headaches and ensure everything runs smoothly before and during the event.
How do I create a signup sheet?
Creating a signup sheet has never been easier than with Evite! Here’s how to create a sheet that’s sure to make your event an absolute success:
- Go to Evite SignUp Sheets and choose the template that best fits your needs. Evite offers multiple signup sheet templates perfect for every occasion, including:
- Signup sheets for one day events (without different time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing a class party, potluck or end-of-season party.
- Signup sheets for single or multiple day events (with time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing concession stand volunteers, fundraisers, parent-teacher conferences, meal train, post-game snack duty or during appreciation week.
- After selecting your sheet template, create a title for your signup sheet and add the date, the location, the time (if applicable), who the organizer is, the organizer’s phone number or email and an optional note describing the event to your volunteers. You can also change your signup sheet background and title image if you wish!
- Next, create slots for your signup sheet. If you aren’t logged into your account, you will need to do so at this point, but luckily, you can use your existing Evite account (no need to create yet another login!). What you’ll include here will depend on what your event needs, but you can include a list of what’s needed (along with optional descriptions), how many volunteers are needed, and dates and times.
- After creating your slots, you can then add a wish list from any retailer or include supply suggestions from Evite’s retailer partners. These are to help your volunteers find and purchase supplies quickly and easily.
- Finally, review your sheet, copy your shareable link and send it out to everyone on your list! Every time a volunteer signs up for a slot on your signup sheet, Evite will email you. We will also send reminders to you and your volunteers before your event so no one will forget about it, and we’ll even let volunteers know if you remove their slot or cancel your event sheet so you don’t have to!
What information should be included on a signup sheet?
When it comes to signup sheet information, there are some essentials to include regardless of what you’re organizing:
- A title for your signup sheet. Tip: Aim to keep your signup sheet title concise but clear. You want volunteers to read it and have a general understanding of what your event is about, and also make it easy for them to look for later if they need to reference your sheet again. You have the option to include a more descriptive note in a different field about your event, so save the more in-depth details for that!
- When and where the event is taking place.
- The organizer’s name and phone number.
- Slots for volunteers to choose from. Once you choose the SignUp Sheets template that fits the occasion, the slots you’ll need for your sheet will be right there and ready for you to add the relevant info, such as dates, times, items to bring and tasks to complete.
When adding your slot information, clearly define what people are signing up for, especially for a what-to-bring list or role assignments. If you want someone to bring healthy snacks for kids to enjoy after a game, specify that. You want your volunteers to feel confident in what they’re bringing and to make it easy for them to know what’s expected of them. It will save them time and stress (and you, too!). That being said, if you make your ask too specific (for example, asking for a hard-to-source item or something expensive), you may not end up with a volunteer for it. So be clear about what you expect, but also be reasonable!
Aside from providing the basic signup information, you can also add optional descriptions to both your entire signup sheet and individual slots. While not required, they can help guide your volunteers further and provide more information. You can add information about allergies, preferences and general info about the event. You can also add a wish list to make it easier for your volunteers to bring exactly what you need!
What are the benefits of using a signup sheet template?
Signup sheet templates offer a ton of advantages for both organizers and volunteers and with Evite SignUp Sheets, you'll enjoy even more benefits than other digital and paper signup sheets! Some benefits our signup sheet templates offer include:
- A 100% free experience (no subscriptions required!).
- Shareable links for quick and easy sharing.
- No need to create another login—you can use your existing Evite account.
- The option to add a wish list to help your volunteers out.
- Automatic reminders—we’ll remind everyone on your behalf.
- An easy-to-use experience with eye-catching guided templates.
- Clean, modern designs with no pop-up ads.
With Evite SignUp Sheets, you can enjoy organizing and coordinating all your events with ease. Signup sheets streamline the signup process for everyone involved, ensuring that everything will go to plan on the day of your event while saving you precious time in the process.