Football, Fire Pits & Fall Nights

Football, Fire Pits & Fall Nights

Creating the Perfect Backyard for Fall

There’s something about fall in the Philadelphia area that makes home feel especially good. The air gets cooler, football is back, and suddenly the backyard becomes the perfect place to spend a Sunday afternoon or crisp Friday night. And with the Eagles season in full swing, there’s no better time to give your outdoor space a little fall refresh. 

The best part? You don’t need a complete backyard makeover. A few cozy additions can turn a patio, deck, or patch of backyard into a place everyone wants to gather.

Take Game Day Outside

If the weather cooperates, why watch the game from the couch? An outdoor TV or portable projector can turn the backyard into your own game-day headquarters. Pull the seating together, set up a table for snacks, and add a few subtle touches of Eagles green. This year gives Philly fans plenty of reasons to gather, including five prime-time Eagles games, a Thanksgiving matchup against Dallas, and even a 9:30 AM London game, breakfast tailgate, anyone? 

Keep the official 2026 Philadelphia Eagles schedule handy when planning your fall get-togethers.

Make the Fire Pit the Heart of the Backyard

Once the sun goes down, everyone naturally gravitates toward the fire. Arrange Adirondack chairs, outdoor lounge furniture, or even a few extra folding chairs around a fire pit and add baskets of blankets within easy reach. You don't need everything to match, the layered, collected look actually helps create the relaxed feeling that's so popular in outdoor spaces right now. Fire pits paired with comfortable seating and soft lighting continue to be a favorite way to make patios feel like an extension of the home. 

Easy upgrade: Keep a weatherproof basket or storage bench nearby stocked with inexpensive throws for chilly nights.

Add the Glow

This may be the simplest backyard upgrade with the biggest impact: string lights. Hang café-style lights over a patio or dining table, weave smaller lights through a pergola, or add lanterns along a walkway. Better Homes & Gardens' fall backyard ideas for 2026 specifically call out layered outdoor lighting, comfortable seating, fire features and seasonal containers as easy ways to extend patio season. 

Add a few mums, pumpkins or fall planters and you're done, no giant orange-and-black decorating scheme required.

Keep Dinner Casual

Fall entertaining doesn't have to mean setting a formal outdoor table. Think chili with a toppings bar, sliders, pizza, wings, pulled pork sandwiches or a big pot of soup with crusty bread. Choose dishes people can serve themselves so the host gets to actually enjoy the night too. For an Eagles game, prep-ahead finger foods are especially helpful, you can put everything out before kickoff instead of spending the first quarter in the kitchen. 

Need a little menu inspiration? Save Food Network's Fall Entertaining Recipes for your next backyard dinner or game day.

End the Night With S’mores

Sometimes the simplest traditions are the ones everyone remembers. Set out graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate beside the fire pit and let everyone make their own. For something unexpected, you can even try a few sweet-and-salty variations, Martha Stewart has ideas for savory s'mores around the fire.

Add hot apple cider or hot chocolate when the temperatures really start to drop, and you've got a pretty perfect fall night.

Make Home the Place Everyone Wants to Be

You don't need a huge backyard, an outdoor kitchen or an elaborate renovation to create a space that works for fall entertaining. Sometimes it's simply a fire going, a few extra chairs, good food, string lights overhead and the people you love gathered together. And really, isn't that one of the best parts of home?

Whether you're cheering on the Birds, hosting neighbors for dinner, or enjoying a quiet night around the fire, here's to making the most of every crisp fall night ahead.

Looking for a home with a little more room to gather? The Bill McGarrigle Team would be happy to help you find the right home, and the right backyard, for whatever comes next.