A 50th birthday is quite a milestone. One that deserves to be celebrated! In this article, we’ve listed different party ideas which are perfect for the occasion.
We’ve made sure to include something for everyone. Whether you’re male or female, whether you’re planning your own party or someone else’s, or whether you’re planning a small event or an all-out party.
Let’s dive in!
50th birthday party ideas
You’re first going to want to establish what the core of the party is going to be about. What is the central activity of the party?
Barbecue party
Why not host a barbecue party for your 50th birthday? It’s a great excuse to spend the whole afternoon together. Potentially followed by the evening.
One of the hidden benefits of a barbecue party is that it can easily be adapted to different group sizes. 10, 20, 50. As long as you have the space you can make it work.
Pro-tip: For larger groups, ask your guests to bring some food. Potluck style. It makes the preparation easier but it also guarantees that all the guests with a special food diet (vegetarian, allergies…) have something to eat.
Hire a chef to cook at home
Depending on where you live, you should be able to hire a chef to cook a fancy meal at home. Ideal for a smaller group.
Note that this is different from hiring a catering company where the food generally comes partially pre-prepared. In this case, the chef will cook everything in front of your eyes.
Brew your own beer
If you’re a beer connoisseur, why not spend the day brewing your own beers? You can either find a kit to do it at home or find a brewing venue nearby.
The only downside is that you’re going to have to wait a couple of weeks to taste the results of your hard work!
Fancy cocktails
Making fancy cocktails at home is a fun activity and can be done successfully with minimal equipment.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can hire a professional mixologist for the occasion. That way you’ll get the “real” tips.
Otherwise, you can plan a list of recipes ahead of time and purchase all the ingredients yourself. Just remember that to make this activity a success you plan it out carefully.
A cooking class
Want to learn something practical? Why not take a cooking class for your birthday party. You get to make the meal, learn a few tips, and eat your amazing hard work afterwards. It’s always great fun and is ideal for smaller parties.
Depending on where are you live you might be able to book a cooking class at home. Otherwise, you’ll most likely have venues near you that offer this service.
Karaoke
If you’re ready for a laugh, why not plan a karaoke party for your guests? This works great both for small groups and larger ones. Just make sure you have enough volunteers who want to participate.
You can easily plan this yourself but if you don’t want to go through the hassle, you can book a professional to do the setup for you.
If you’re based in Ireland, you can book a karaoke party directly through PartyWizz.
50th birthday party theme ideas
You can’t have an epic party without a party theme. Below we’ve listed a few ideas to get you started. But for an exhaustive list of ideas, check out our article on adult party themes.
Disco party
The 70s were 50 years ago! So when it comes to party themes, hosting a disco party is hard to beat.
Costumes are easy to come by or make: Crazy collars, flashy colours and high heels for everyone (Bonus: these make for great pictures).
As for decorating your house or venue, You can go all in or keep it simple. But at the very least you need a disco mirror ball!
Costume party
If you want to challenge your guests, why not plan a fancy-dress party? You can make the theme as specific (e.g 50-year-old movies) or as broad as you want (e.g something colourful).
It’s only really worth doing if your guests are up for the challenge. But with a group of friends, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Pro-tip: you’re never too old for prizes – have one for the winner/best costume of the night.
Casino night
If you’re up for some social gambling why not plan a casino night. It’s a fair bit of preparation but is great fun for everyone.
We always recommend playing with chips rather than playing with money. Have a fixed buy-in amount (For example €10) and give X amount of chips to all the participants.
The person with the most chips at the end wins the pot of money. This removes the need for change and gives the evening a clear end.
Pro-tip: If you don’t want to make the event about money, get a prize for the winner and donate the amount you’ve collected to a charity.
Golden Jubilee
A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. Although it applies to various events and people, in the United Kingdom and Ireland it mostly refers to the 50th year of a monarch’s reign.
This makes it the perfect theme for a 50th birthday party. It just requires a lot of golden decorations.
50th birthday entertainment ideas
The key to any good party is entertainment. Bellow, we’ve listed a few ideas to entertain your guests.
Hire a DJ
Hiring a DJ is an unavoidable classic. Especially if you’re planning on dancing during your party.
If you’re based in Ireland, you can hire a DJ directly through the PartyWizz platform.
Live music
Music comes in all shapes and styles. You can book a singer, a band, a musician or a combination of all of these.
If you’re based in Ireland, you can book live music directly through the PartyWizz platform.
Photographer
Although a photographer is technically not an entertainer, they’re still a key part of any event.
If you don’t have the budget for a professional, select a dedicated photographer among your guests. Put them in charge of taking pictures during the party but also of collecting pictures from various people after the event. You don’t want to leave this up to the luck of the draw.
If you’re based in Ireland, you can book a photographer directly through the PartyWizz platform.
Book and Magician
If you’re looking for something fun and unique, why not book a magician for your 50th birthday party? It’s guaranteed to be memorable for all of your guests. Old and young!
If you’re based in Ireland, you can hire a magician directly through the PartyWizz platform.
Photobooth
Booking a photo booth has become a party classic. And for a good reason. They’re fun, quirky and the pictures make for great souvenirs.
Again, if you’re based in Ireland, you can hire a photo booth directly through the PartyWizz platform.
Wine tasting
If you’re looking for a sensorial experience, why not book a wine-tasting event? You’ll get to “learn” new things while enjoying a nice glass of wine. It’s a win-win.
Depending on where you live, you should be able to hire a wine connoisseur who can detail a wine for you and your guests while making it enjoyable.
You can also hire a virtual wine tasting experience through the PartyWizz platform.
That’s a wrap
We hope you’ve enjoyed this content and have a great party!
If you’re based in Ireland and you’re interested in booking an entertainer or service provider, check out PartyWizz.
We’re proud to be partnering with the best entertainers and service providers in the industry.
No matter if you’re looking for a magician, DJ, photographer, or singer PartyWizz has everything you need. Take a look to find out more and start planning your special day!
