10 Party-Theme Ideas For Your Next Get-Together

Almost everybody loves a good party. But the type of party we prefer might differ. Some people prefer smaller get-togethers with friends, while others choose massive blowouts every time. Another idea where opinions diverge is when it comes to party themes, with some people absolutely loving a themed party and others finding them stifling or even cheesy.

But we'd argue that party themes are generally a good thing. The right party-theme idea gives you something to build your party decor and party menu around, taking some of the guesswork out of hosting the party. It can help guests plan their party outfit and give them both structure and surprise throughout the night. Party themes can also be tailored to your party personality — a party-theme idea can be as loose and vague as "summer florals," or as specific as "Bridgerton."

But coming up with the right party-theme idea can be a struggle. So, we've pulled together 10 fun party-theme ideas for you to try for your next party.

Whether it's the Met Gala or Oscar season, everybody always seems to be talking about their favorite red carpet look. And I'm sure you've thought about what you might wear to a red carpet if you were to ever attend one. This fun party theme lets your inner celebrity shine. For outfits, you can try to replicate iconic red carpet looks from years past, or simply get as glammed up as your heart desires. For decor, consider buying a low-cost red "carpet" on Amazon, like this Red Carpet Runner ($17) or this sparkly Runway Rug ($31) and set it up where guests can strut their stuff — you can all take turns being paparazzi. Anything goes for the food, as long as you give dishes Hollywood-themed names, but you can also try to pepper the menu with classic food moments from past awards shows, like 2023 Grammys' charcuterie boards.

Red Carpet Runner

From

$17

$17 at Amazon

Runway Rug

From

$31

$31 at Amazon

Summer or winter, waterside or land locked — a beach-theme party is always a good choice. When the weather's warmer and if you have outdoor space, guests can come in their best bathing suits and you can set up sprinklers, and use kiddie pools to chill your drinks. When it's colder, you can still bring the beach indoors by blowing up some beach balloons, serving drinks with little umbrellas, and cuing up a beach themed playlist or playing beach-y movies in the background. If you're OK with dealing with a higher heating bill, you can also crank up the indoor eat and keep the bathing suit dress code in place. If not, just hand out some sunnies.

A carnival-theme party is a fun, nostalgic party-theme idea that's a blast to set up. Serve popcorn and cotton candy, and set up carnival-esque games, which you can pick up on Amazon — like this Carnival Game Set ($30), which contains what you need for ring toss, cornhole and bean bag toss. Party favors can be kitschy stuffed animals and toys, and you can even hand out tickets that guests can trade in for drinks or prizes.

Carnival Game Set

From

$36

$36 at Amazon

Time to channel your inner neon rollerskating Barbie and Ken with this '80s-theme party. Attire can be mandatory neon and spandex, and, of course, lots and lots of volume in your hair. As for decorations, we recommend including neon lights, balloons, and maybe even pulling out a stereo that screams the '80s.

In addition to creating a '90s-era playlist for your party, you can have a lot of run with the outfit ideas for this one: think denim on denim, slip dresses, scrunchies, and plaid. Another reason '90s parties are so fun is because they let you experiment with classic '90s foods — because the after-school snacks of this era are unmatched. Dunkaroos, Grape Pop-Tarts, and Viennetta are all back after being off the shelves for a long time. Arizona Iced Tea never left. But for other classic '90s snacks, you might have to do some experimenting in the kitchen.

OK, this is the last year-themed idea on the list — but really, any decade is great fodder for a party theme. For this party-theme idea, we're talking Y2K fashion overload. Pull out your lowest low-rise pants, velour track suits, and platform sandals. And you can't forget the hair clips and sunglasses.

If you're hosting, A 2000s theme also gives you the opportunity to make a high-energy playlist for everybody to dance to, filled with all of the best and catchiest early 2000's hit music. As for decorations, you can have a lot of fun with neon lights and disco balls, which also make for really fun pictures.

In case you somehow missed it, The Eras tour — Taylor Swift's international headlining concert tour that looks back on all 10 of Swift's studio albums — is happening now. And it practically begs to be a party theme. The Eras outfit inspiration alone is endless, with moments from not just the actual albums but also the "eras" each album represents to pull from. The decor inspiration is equally rich, with plenty of color schemes to pull from and cheeky menu item names to create. It's a party-theme idea made for Swifties.

Daisy Jones & the Six may be a fictional band, but it still took the world by storm, first when the book was released and more recently with the debut of the TV show featuring Riley Keough and Sam Claflin. The costume design from Daisy Jones was peak '70s fashion and rock and roll, making it a really unique and fun party theme. You can use rock and roll as the foundation of your decorations, and pull out faux fur vests and bell bottom jeans.

With BTS currently on hiatus, ARMY (BTS's fan base) is currently eager for any new BTS-themed content — and a BTS party is exactly what the doctor ordered. Similar to The Eras–theme-party idea, guests can dress up as any BTS era or viral moment from Run BTS! (the band's iconic variety show). The decor can contain nods to each of the seven potential biases and bias-breakers, and the menu should be full of the BTS members' Korean favorites — and, of course, hamburgers and fries and chicken noodle soup.

If you want a more laid-back vibe for an adult party, a backyard biergarten is a really fun way to go. Have all of your guests bring their favorite stouts, ales, and IPAs and everybody can pour a glass and do flights together. Serve soft pretzels, cheese dip, and potatoes. You can forgo the costumes for this one, or go deep and pull out some traditional German looks, depending on the mood you're trying to cultivate.