A description of a progessive dinner and how to plan such a dinner.
Progressive Dinners can be a very fun way to host a dinner party. First let me explain the principal of a progressive dinner. All the guests for the dinner party will meet at one home for appetizers, the party will then progress to the next house where a salad is served, then on to the next location for the main course, dessert is served in another location, then any after dinner entertainment in yet another. This is a great way to have a dinner party, since it will cut the work into sections for each host or hostess.
The first thing that you will need to do, is co-ordinate with several other friends. Or this can even be done by making reservations at various restaurants, this will really cut the work down to nothing, other than a little planning. This party can be as big or as small as you desire, just make sure that each host or hostess will have room for the amount of guests invited. Perhaps someone with a smaller home will be better off with appetizers or even coffee and dessert.
Themed Progressive Dinners can also be fun, for example Italian, Cook-out, perhaps Oriental. If you choose a dinner theme, all the portions of the meal will match the theme. And the guests won't be going from one type of food to another.
After you have decided who will host which part of your dinner, also make sure how many people will be attending. That way you can let the host's know how much food will be needed. Set a time for everyone to meet at the first stop for appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages. You will be traveling remember!
The host or hostesses for each location, may want to leave the previous location a little early, to make sure everything is prepared at their home. Or if you can get some help, this will make things easy also. Or make sure to plan foods that can be prepared ahead of time, and easily reheated and quickly placed out for serving.
Be sure to set a specific time to move on to the next location, so you won't hold up the host's, in both your current and future locations. Allow for travel time between locations also. But don't rush. This is part of the fun of a progressive dinner, perhaps an hour at each location will do.
Next move onto your next location for salads and bread. This can be set up as either sit down or buffet, depending on the room that you have. As well as the type of dinner theme that you have chosen. If you are doing a cook-out theme, you may want to hold this outdoors with lawn chairs and picnic tables.
The same with your next stop for the main course. Do whatever you have room for, or whatever will fall into the theme of your dinner.
Now move onto your next location for coffee and dessert. If this will be the last stop for the evening, just have a nice visit and relax. But if your group likes to play cards, watch movies or have some other form of entertainment, move onto that location. This host or hostess can have more coffee or non-alcoholic beverages and maybe some snacks. Remember that you are traveling between locations and not eating an entire meal at one time, so some guests may get hungry again.
Give this idea a try, next time you are looking for an unusual dining experience. I have also seen this done as a fund raiser for various groups and organizations. Tickets are sold and the participants travel to different restaurants, clubs and even churches for the dinner courses.
