Seriel Entertainer Steven Stolman Shares His 'Passion For Parties'

With “The Serial Entertainer’s Passion for Parties,” author Steven Stolman proves he’s all heart.

Mr. Stolman loves a good dish and he loves to dish. Speaking from his part-time home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he launches into a litany of what can—and did—go wrong at lavish grand-scale events such as the annual Southampton Hospital Summer Party.

One year the theme was Greece. “There was a thunderstorm,” Mr. Stolman said. “The statues and columns that had been set up on the tables were all blown over; all of a sudden, we had antiquities!

“Then there was the year the sprinklers went off overnight. It was sopping wet and then it got hot. The tent became a steamy sauna.

“Eventually, many complained about the heat, so we got air conditioning for the tent. Of course, that year the temperature outside dropped to 60 degrees—a cold front came in, so everyone froze. I’m not a big fan of air conditioning in a tent; it gets creepy, and clammy. I say, ‘The beauty of a summer tent party is that, yeah, it gets hot: It’s summer!’”

In writing his latest book, this modern-day renaissance fella—he’s a designer-retailer-writer in addition to being an ad-hoc party planner—was inspired in part when he found his father’s collection of Ektachrome photos of his childhood. “Passion for Parties,” which is a follow-up to his 2015 book “Confessions of a Serial Entertainer,” travels beyond instruction right into anecdotal sweetness. And it’s got personality for miles. It’s like the author himself just bursts through the pages.

Readers can practically hear the crunch of the Robbins Wolfe cheese straws that he swears are the No. 1 sign that guests are at a great party. With characteristic wit and a tone that’s more best pal than expert, Mr. Stolman leaves readers hoping to be on his next guest list as they feel like they’ve made a new friend.

“I realized that there are occasions where you need to do parties beyond the home: galas, weddings, bigger events,” he said, speaking of the idea for this book, which includes gorgeous photos that take readers inside red carpet events and lavish wedding receptions. The takeaway is inspiration and relatable ideas for entertaining—both at home or a bigger venue.

Mr. Stolman is a former Southampton resident who ran his eponymous women’s resort wear and accessories shop for nearly a decade on Main Street, and later served as president of the legendary textile house Scalamandre.

He and husband Rich Wilkie, a software developer, now split their time between Palm Beach and Milwaukee to be close to their respective families. “Family is our priority,” Mr. Stolman said.

Having lived at various times on Hampton Road, Hill Street, Cobb Road and Halsey Street, Mr. Stolman worked for many years on the Southampton Hospital summer benefits, among other East End traditions.

“I cut my teeth with a wonderful lady there named Ann Swint,” he said. “She was the arrangements chairman for the hospital party and others for years, and I can’t underestimate what I learned from her. She and her husband, Sam, lived in a grand house on Lake Agawam. She made Martha Stewart look like an amateur in her attention to detail.”

Lately Mr. Stolman has been traveling for inspiration. “I always come home with a new recipe,” he said. “We were in Brazil and I discovered these cheese puffs. Those and the pea guacamole I had in Australia I am trying out tomorrow night on friends at a dinner party.”

While he admittedly entertains “too many times a year to count,” his husband is more of a partygoer, not a party-thrower. “He’s your typical Midwestern jock,” Mr. Stolman said. “Rich doesn’t decorate, cook or plan—but, thankfully, he’s the best cleaner-upper.”

For party-throwers, Mr. Stolman advised, “It’s really important to let the location tell the story. The Hamptons, at the end of the day, are about the farm and the beach. Let that be your guide: local, indigenous. It’s like when two colors exist in nature, they will always go together. Don’t try to make a party something it’s not.

“Crystal chandeliers and disco balls give me the willies in the Hamptons,” he continued. “But a room full of hydrangea, candlelit lanterns, sunflowers—the simple joys of summer always work because it is what it is.”

His number one tip: “Always have a Plan B. Especially for weather.”

More tales from the frontline?

“I loved the one tent party where we had Mr. Softee pull up at the end,” he said. “Valet parking is also a very good thing.”

And the surefire party downers?

“A power failure. A hurricane. The band that doesn’t show up. And publicity-hungry guests who climb over each other in order to be photographed.”

Hudson Grace Pop-up at Serena & Lily’s Beach Market in Wainscott will celebrate the publication of “The Serial Entertainer’s Passion for Parties” (Gibbs Smith, $30) with cocktails on Saturday, August 27, from 6 to 8 p.m.