If you have already decided that you will be celebrating your 50th birthday with a party, then the next step is to plan the theme of your bash.
Organizing an unforgettable 50th birthday starts with choosing a good theme. This will depend on the number of guests, the place where you will be celebrating your 50th, and on your personal tastes.
Following are a number of themes to pick from – we hope one of them will appeal to you or at least spark your creativity when it comes to generating your own 50th birthday ideas.
Read also: 13 50th birthday destinations on a budget
Table of Contents
- 1.- A disco party
- 2.- A roller-skating party
- 3.- A masquerade ball
- 4.- A surprise party
- 5.- Gold-themed birthday party
- 6.- Rock’n’Roll 50th party
- 7.- Zodiac sign party theme
- 8.- Destination party theme
- 9.- TV Show party theme
- 10.- Murder mystery theme
- 11.- Stevie Nicks theme
- 12.- Beach-themed party
- 13.- Red carpet theme
- 14.- A tattoo-themed birthday party
- 15.- Potluck party
1.- A disco party
If you were born in the 70s, then the 80s or 90s theme would be fabulous to celebrate your 50th.
You were a teen in the 80s and so it would be wonderful to make a playlist of your favorite songs, and put together outfits similar to what you wore back in the day.
Bring back the big curly or frizzy hair, and pull out the screen-printed tops, leggings, and legwarmers, and shoulder-padded blazers.
2.- A roller-skating party
Quad roller skating is back! So is rollerblading. Maybe host your party at the local roller-skating rink as if you were a teen again.
But guess what, you would most likely not be the only person in their 50s on the rink! Make sure to bring your own wrist guards if they don’t rent them out.
If you or your friends aren’t proficient on skates, request a trainer, a device that you hold on to while you skate that prevents you from falling over.
3.- A masquerade ball
Request that your guests arrive in costume and wearing a fancy mask. If they can come in ball gowns and tuxedos, even better.
You could even rent a photo booth which is always a fun way to engage guests at any type of party. Think ahead of time about what kind of decorations, ambiance, and music you would enjoy.
4.- A surprise party
If you are able to get together family and friends who have known her for a long time, have each person make a collage or a memory poster about the birthday girl and bring it to the party.
Perhaps each guest can prepare a short speech reminiscing about the friendship or silly and endearing anecdotes from the past.
A special surprise party for your friend turning 50 will be remembered for years to come.
5.- Gold-themed birthday party
Did you know gold is traditionally the color associated with 50th birthdays because 50 is considered the “golden age”?
While we may have different ideas about what the golden age is nowadays, it could be fun to host a party where everyone must dress in gold sequins.
After all, you only turn 50 once!
6.- Rock’n’Roll 50th party
Whether it’s a tented affair, a club, or an at-home bash, have everyone come dressed in their favorite Rock’n’Roll band T-shirts, leather jackets, and biker boots.
It could be themed around your particular favorite bands, or – to make it more entertaining for everyone – ask in advance what everyone’s taste in Rock’n’Roll is, so you can make a playlist that appeals to all.
7.- Zodiac sign party theme
Either make it all about your own zodiac sign – after all, you’re the birthday person – or have each guest dress according to their zodiac sign.
Think of ways to conjure up the mood – Harry Potter-style clothing and decorations, Stevie Nicks vibes, you name it. Perhaps you could have a tarot reader or astrologer on hand.
8.- Destination party theme
If you were not able to host your 50th party at an exotic destination perhaps you can recreate the destination at home.
With careful decoration, cuisine pertaining to your favorite foreign country, and even clothing that reflects the weather or the culture of the location, you could have a lot of fun pretending you are far away.
It takes a little creativity but that’s it.
9.- TV Show party theme
Whether it’s a Stranger Things, Wednesday or Friends party theme, or any other favorite TV show, make sure to tell the guests way in advance so they can prepare their costumes.
It would be even better if everyone had already watched the show before arriving at the 50th birthday bash. Perhaps even have a TV set playing the show in the background or in a specific room of the house.
10.- Murder mystery theme
If the guest list is relatively small perhaps you can stage a murder mystery. Of course, this requires some advance planning.
This is a great idea for creatives who love preparing in advance and spending an evening solving a mystery.
11.- Stevie Nicks theme
If you’re a Stevie Nicks lover, host a party where you and all the women dress up as Stevie and play her music all night long.
Or maybe host a Fleetwood Mac-themed party so everyone can have a go at dressing up as one of the members of the band.
12.- Beach-themed party
If you actually live by the beach and the weather permits, what better way to celebrate your 50th than by hosting a party at the actual beach?
If that is not possible but you are still a beach lover, then recreate an exotic beach atmosphere in your own backyard.
13.- Red carpet theme
This can be absolutely glamorous. Get an actual red carpet that goes from the front door to a well-lit backdrop where guests can take pictures. Perhaps hire a photographer for the night.
Have everyone attend red-carpet ready, beginning with you! Rent or buy that gown that you wanted to wear, get your hair and makeup done and be prepared to enjoy a night of glam and being fabulously fifty!
14.- A tattoo-themed birthday party
So there are two ways you could do this. One would be to have temporary tattoos ready for guests to slap on as they arrive, and the other is a little edgier.
Hire a good tattoo artist who would be willing to do small pre-designed tattoos throughout the event. You would also have to think about pricing. Will you be paying for these midlife tattoos or will the guests be responsible for that?
Usually, tattoo artists will not tattoo when someone has drunk alcohol, so perhaps start the party earlier in the day, and then plan on hanging out after you are all inked.
15.- Potluck party
We promised something for everyone. So what if all you want is a low-key 50th birthday celebration?
Then just have your best friends come over and bring a dish of their choice. This is a low-stress and good fun theme for everyone.
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