Ready to throw the grooviest party of the decade? It's time for a 70s theme party that offers nostalgia at every turn. Get in touch with your hippie, rock & roll, and flower power side with 70s party ideas that leave guests longing for days gone by, and offer a line up of nostalgic food, fun activities, and 70s party decorations that are truly far out.
Make 70s Theme Party Decorations Groovy
Give guests a blast from the past with party decorations groovy enough to send them right back to the disco era. A few thoughtful decorations will help set the tone of your party and impress your guests.
Go for Glitz With Disco Decor
Bring back the glitz and glam of the 70s disco with your party decorations. Try hanging disco ball decor or place settings that feature disco records. Use gold and silver in streamers, balloons, plates, tablecloths, utensils, and anywhere else you can. With disco, you can never have too much glitter or gold! Try a disco ball arch display so guests have a photo-worthy spot. Use small disco balls for table decor and centerpiece decorations. Don't forget the actual disco ball for the dance floor or a disco ball piñata!
Give Guests the Grooviest Details
Lava lamps, peace signs, rainbows, and flowers will tell guests right away that they've stepped back in time. Lava lamps act as great centerpieces, and balloon displays that showcase flowers or rainbows will bring back the beauty of flower power. Peace signs on tablecloths, string lights, and cupcake toppers will take your groovy 70s party to the next level.
Don't Forget the Tie-Dye
You can't call it a 70s party without a little tie-dye. Make it a lot of tie-dye! Tie-dye napkins on every place setting, tie-dye balloons, and a tie-dye pennant banner are great starting points. Tie-dye mason jars and fill them with rainbow flowers for a DIY centerpiece. There's no end to the places you can include a tie-dye detail for your 70s theme party.
Show Them Your Rock & Roll Side
Give guests a taste of the rock & roll aesthetic of the 70s as soon as they step into your party. Use party decorations that feature vintage records, guitars, stars and lightning bolts, and neon colors. Try decor inspired by or featuring the logos from popular rock bands of the decade like Led Zeppelin, Queen, or The Rolling Stones.
Keep Guests Happy With 70s Activities & Entertainment
Give guests plenty to do and an abundance of 70s theme entertainment to keep the party going. Reach back in time for all the best activities of the 70s for a party lineup that will give all your guests an introduction to their own hippie era.
Get Guests to Break Out Their Skates
Roller rinks were the place to be in the 70s, and they still make for great party settings. Reserve a time at your local rink for your party or host your party at the park so guests can break out their skates at their own convenience. If you plan to host your party at home, you can always encourage guests to safely skate in your basement, garage, or paved driveway.
Set Up a Tie-Dye Station
Let guests get creative by tie-dying their own sneakers, t-shirts, or bags with a DIY tie-dye station. Provide all the tools needed, including plastic zip bags, so guests can take their creations home and wash them after they set. Consider a tie-dye contest where the most creative design wins a special prize.
Give Guests a Dance Floor
Whether it's classic disco or rock & roll, guests will need a dance floor for all the 70s music you'll be playing. Designate an area for the dance floor and be sure to include a disco ball, black lights, and even a few strobe lights. You can even make your own colorful disco dance floor.
Don't Forget the Hippies
For a laid back and peaceful 70s party activity, try a DIY flower crown station. Use real or faux flowers and provide a few instructions near the station. Give a special hippie prize to the most far-out flower crown.
Serve Nostalgic 70s Food & Drinks
You can't throw a 70s party without including some of the best foods of the decade and a few groovy twists on common party foods. Go for the dinner party style that the 70s popularized or serve a traditional lineup of treats with a few 70s elements thrown in.
Make It a Fondue Party
Serve traditional cheese fondue with all the dipping vessels and plenty of skewers to go around. Include a chocolate fondue option for the sweet tooths in the group. Include breads, meats, fruits, vegetables, and sweet options for dipping. You can prep wooden skewers ahead of time and serve them alongside a small cup of melted cheese or chocolate, so each guest has their own mini fondue platter.
Serve Nostalgic Finger Foods
Every 70s party needs a few finger foods in the mix. Serve nostalgic eats like pigs in a blanket, cocktail skewers, cheese ball, deviled eggs, or shrimp cocktail. Try new twists on the old classics like everything bagel pigs in a blanket, cheese ball bites with pretzel sticks, or updated versions of cheese and cracker appetizers.
Make Sweets Groovy With Tie-Dye & Peace Signs
Give guests a treat for the tastebuds and the eyes with bright, psychedelic desserts featuring tie-dye and peace signs. Make your own tie-dye cupcakes complete with tie-dye frosting or try a fun twist on a campfire classic with tie-dye s'mores. For easy peace sign treats, try a fruit platter arranged in the shape of a peace sign or purchase a line up of peace sign cookies.
Turn anything into a tie-dye dessert by dipping sweet treats (like sandwich cookies or crispy rice treats) in a tie-dye chocolate coating. Melt chocolates in various colors - three to four is best - and swirl them together in a tie-dye pattern with a toothpick before dipping your treats. Guests will love the groovy detail, and they'll never know that it was a quick and easy treat to throw together.
Showcase Your Flower Power
Give guests a food table packed with flower power eats and treats. Easy flower power cookies come together quickly for a sweet option guests will love. Use mini flower cookie cutters to create a flower power charcuterie board featuring cheeses, deli meats, cucumbers, and toasted breads. You can also use cookie cutters to create flower power tea sandwiches featuring your favorite fillings for an easy hand-held meal for your guests.
Serve Drinks to Complement Your 70s Theme
Whether you're serving a group of adults or a party of children, choose beverages that complement your 70s party theme. For a bright and fun option for kids, serve a rainbow punch reminiscent of tie-dye. For party goers 21 and over, try a line up of drinks that offer 70s nostalgia like Moscow mules, grasshoppers, or a bourbon old-fashioned.
Give Guests Far-Out Party Favors
There are endless options for fun party favors for a 70s theme party for kids and adults alike. Try a couple of DIY options or make fun 70s swag bags for guests to grab on their way out.
- Try a DIY lava lamp party favor packed with treats.
- Hand out personalized holographic bags.
- Give tie-dye scrunchies to teens.
- Make a swag bag with sunglasses, temporary tattoos, and nostalgic 70s candy.
- Give adult guests their own mini bottle of champagne, bourbon, or whiskey.
Serve 70s-Themed Cakes for Birthday Parties
If your 70s theme party is in celebration of a birthday, serve a show-stopping birthday cake inspired by your 70s theme. Choose from decorative birthday cakes or nostalgic cakes of the 70s to give guests and the birthday girl or boy an unforgettable cake experience.
- DIY your own shag birthday cake.
- Make a tie-dye birthday cake that's groovy from the inside out.
- Serve a fun twist on a traditional bundt cake popularized in the 70s.
- Try a guitar-shaped cake or a tiered cake featuring rock & roll themes and band logos.
- Top the birthday cake with disco ball toppers for a retro cake presentation.
Encourage Guests to Groove or Rock Out With a 70s Playlist
Music was a big part of the 70s, and a 70s theme party isn't complete without the perfect playlist. Whether your theme is disco, rock & roll, or just a retro 70s vibe, make sure your playlist matches the theme.
- Get guests grooving with a 70s disco playlist.
- Bring back the rock of the 70s with a retro rock & roll playlist.
- Try a 70s beach party music lineup for a laid-back vibe.
- Pay tribute to one of the biggest artists of the 70s with an Abba playlist.
- Dedicate entire playlists to artists of the decade like Fleetwood Mac, Queen, or ACDC.
- Try an updated take on classics with a modern playlist featuring covers of popular 70s songs.
Dress for the Occasion
Whether it's an official costume party or you just want to fully embrace the theme, dress in retro 70s fashion to go all in with your 70s theme party. Try a 70s rocker look with denim, band shirts, and big hair. Embrace your inner hippie with florals, crochet vests, and sandals. Dress for dancing in classic disco garb like bell bottoms, flared sleeves, sequins, and bright colors. Go for a specific retro look with a full roller rink costume and don't forget the skates. Pay tribute to a pop culture icon of the decade by dressing like Elton John, Freddie Mercury, John Travolta, Farrah Fawcett, Olivia Newton-John, Charlie's Angels, or Rocky.
Celebrate the 70s
The 70s was a time of music, change, individualism, and embracing fun. Channel those themes into your 70s celebration and soak in the nostalgia. Remember, the best thing you can bring to a 70s theme party is your chill vibe and an eagerness to groove or rock & roll.
