What do I need to do to plan a really fun party? Nothing fancy, just friends hanging out in the backyard, but still: I want them to love it!

I don't know if I'll be much help to you, as we don't drink or have any alcohol at our cookouts (and I've seen what happens with "drinking" at our class reunions). Like you said, that can make for a big problem. If you have to have it, why don't you limit it to a small amount that will run out before anyone can get too much? But we have great times at ours. We usually have 25 to 35 people and most of them don't know each other and we have a different group each time. Everyone brings a dish that we put on a large table and we grill hot dogs and hamburgers sometimes in addition. We have chips, soft drinks and coffee. Have your tables and chairs, or just chairs in small groups, so that 3 to 5 people can sit together and talk. I watch for anyone that looks uncomfortable and isn't talking to anyone and I talk to them, or introduce them to two or three that are talking, or to someone that has something in common with them and I get the conversation going about the "common interest" before I leave them to help another shy person. The little tiny Christmas lights (white) strung around look quite nice. "Japanese lanterns" (that you can even make yourself), out of colored construction paper over bigger lights will look pretty too. If you can have some kind of water fountain or water falls or borrow or rent something like this and put plants and flowers around it, that will also be nice. We are able to have a bonfire and we have sticks to roast marshmallows in it too. After we have eaten and talked for awhile, some that play instruments will play, and we sing sometimes. You could make it a Country/Western (theme) party and they can dress accordingly (cowboy hats), and then you can sing things like You are my Sunshine, Home on the Range, She'll be Coming around the Mountain when she comes, Happy Trails to you, etc. We don't play games, so someone else could tell you what to do, there. We have horseshoes and volleyball (but we probably have more room than you do), and no one plays them. Everyone seem to really enjoy relaxing with interesting conversation, good food, meeting new nice people--and they all want to come back again. Well, I hope I've given you some ideas and hope you have a nice party!