Ames is the typical college town, so naturally graduation shindigs are a big deal. Here are some ideas so your friends and family can help celebrate.

Have your grad party at a bar

Welch Ave. Station

For graduation parties, this bar closes a section of the bar. This means that you cannot book the entire bar at one time. As for beverages, the party will be able to get deals on pitchers of beer. Contact Mike Adams for more information at 515-292-2334.

Olde Main Brewing Co.

There are different types of parties offered, such as a dinner party or pub party. For pub parties there is an option of quarter barrel or half barrel. With a quarter barrel, the party gets 16 drink tickets, which can be any type of drink, and with the half barrel the party can get double that.

The quarter barrel is $100 and the half barrel is $180. There is no cost to reserve space; the party just needs to have a reservation, which should be made ASAP. Olde Main also caters if you choose to have your party elsewhere. Contact 515-232-0553 for more information regarding catering.

Some other ideas for locations for your bar grad party are Es Tas Bar and Grill, Capone’s Drinking Academy and Outlaws.

Have your grad party at the park

There are numerous parks around the city of Ames that could host a picnic or a potluck. Park hours are 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Here are a few main ones:

• Ada Hayden Heritage Park
• Brookside Park
• Emma McCarthy Lee Park
• Moore Memorial Park
• Inis Grove Park
• River Valley Park

Shelters are available in Brookside, River Valley, Inis Grove, Moore Memorial, and Emma McCarthy Lee. Fees for renting a shelter are $12 an hour, with a two hour minimum. Shelters may be reserved any time of the year. The Parks & Recreation office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Contact the office at 515-239-5350 to reserve space.

Catering for your graduation party:

Some favorite catering places in Ames include:

Hickory Park: The menu at Hickory Park includes food from barbecue pork to a baked potato bar to black bean burgers. Contact 515-233-5344 for more information or to book your caterer.

The Café: You can get breakfast, lunch or dinner catered to your party. The restaurant specializes in box lunches, which includes one of The Café’s signature sandwiches and a side. Contact 515-292-2135.

ISU Dining: ISU Dining’s menu ranges from hamburgers to chocolate fondue. The establishment has options for delivery, pickup or on-site catering at the Memorial Union, Knapp-Storms Dining Complex, Iowa State Center and Alumni Center. Contact 515-294-2103.

Hy-Vee: Has a wide variety of options from more formal events to small get-togethers, while offering specialty items such as cakes for that special day. Contact 515-292-5543 for West Hy-Vee and 515-232-1961 for Lincoln Center Hy-Vee.