There’s always a good reason to throw a party for your family and friends. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, promotion, or just because you miss one another — don’t overlook any opportunity to celebrate. We know the idea of party planning can be overwhelming, but that’s why we’re here! GigSalad has plenty of ideas to help so you don’t miss a single special moment.
Birthday Bonanzas
Birthdays are perfect for planning a party and bringing all your friends and family together. All birthdays are party-worthy, but milestone birthdays like 21, 30, and 50 are meant for pulling out all the stops!
Turning Twenty-Fun
Hitting the big 2-1 usually means a night of partaking in cocktails and shots. Instead of driving from bar to bar, book a party bus for the new 21-year-old and their friends! Not only will it get everyone around town safely, but it’s also a unique and exciting way to start a new chapter of their life.
When planning your decorations and refreshments, keep things bright and sparkly. The decor for your celebration should be as fun and lively as the person of honor! And, of course, no 21st birthday party would be complete without a round of shots to kick off the night.
📸 Capture the special moments! Hire a photo booth company or set up some fun selfie stations so everyone can pose together and have their memories digitally immortalized.
Thirty and Thriving
30 is the new 20, or so we’ve heard. However, some people may not feel great about hitting this milestone, so cheer them up with a huge to-do! Choose a theme for your 30th birthday bash, like “Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving,” “Dirty Thirty,” and a throwback 90s party.
🥳 You might also like: Trendy 30th Birthday Party Ideas for the Big 3-0
Fifty is Fabulous
Turning 50 is a big deal! They’ve been around half a century, which is plenty of time to have done some silly things worth making a joke or two over. For this big birthday, consider hosting a roast for the person of honor! Hire a roast master and let them take the reins (with your guidance on what to burn them on).
Looking for a more subtle shindig? Book a bartender and host a mixology class for a small group of close friends. Prepare some simple hors d’oeuvres like truffle honey ricotta crostinis, and let your bartender do the rest!
Anniversary Accolades
From friends to co-workers to partners, life is full of so many people who deserve their own special day! Who says an anniversary automatically equals a wedding date? In addition to your romantic relationships, don’t be afraid to honor work anniversaries and friend anniversaries, too!
Work-iversaries
What would we do without our water cooler companions or happy hour buddies? Take some time this year to show your colleagues how special they are!
On the anniversary of their start date, treat the office to a tasty lunch in their honor. Or, book a professional to teach a fun lesson to the team. You can even go big and hire a mobile massage therapist to melt away some workplace tension!
Friend-iversaries
There’s nothing like a long-lasting friendship, and it deserves its own unique celebration! Hire a photographer to capture sweet, social media-worthy moments between you and your bestie that you can treasure forever. If your friendship goes way back, try recreating some of your favorite photos from when you were kids or teenagers.
Take it back to Girl Scout days and get crafty by making each other friendship bracelets. (Taylor Swift would approve!) Even better, take the day off work and do all of your favorite things together!
Love-iversaries
Whether it’s a wedding anniversary or just when you started dating, you should definitely throw a party to honor your relationship this year! Rent a nice event space, send party invitations, and decorate with a theme that’s meaningful to you both. After you’ve planned the food and drinks, mesmerize everyone on your guest list by booking a burlesque performer, aerialist, or solo musician to spice up the night!
Impressive Achievements
Did you or a friend receive a promotion at work? Maybe someone you love completed their first 5K or bought their first home. All of these milestones are reasons to live it up and give you the perfect excuse to throw a party that will make your honoree feel extra special.
Building a Nest
Buying a home is a big deal, so make sure the new homeowners in your life know just how exciting it is. Throw them a cozy housewarming party with easy appetizers, nice bottles of wine, and a heartfelt gift to grace their new house. Ask the guest of honor to make a shopping list and include those ideas when you send invitations so everyone brings something useful.
Getting the Gold
The motivation and hard work it takes to complete an athletic milestone is absolutely something that should be praised! For the one who committed to getting off the couch this year, host a gold-medal luncheon in their honor. Stick with healthy but flavorful options like bright salads and fruit and yogurt parfaits. Make it special with a thoughtful present, like a gift box full of things they’ll love.
Movin’ On Up
Getting a promotion at work often garners some pats on the back, but we think it’s a bigger deal. Give the up-and-comers in your life the party they deserve! Plan a fancy night in with a savory supper, sweet dessert, and congratulatory champagne toast. Find tasty dinner party recipes from Pure Wow to get started!
Happy Holidays
The holidays are meant for celebrating, and we aren’t just talking about Christmas parties. This is the year to start making merry during some of the more underrated holidays.
New Year’s Eve Day
You don’t have to stay up until midnight to ring in the New Year. Skip New Year’s Eve and have a New Year’s Day brunch instead! Begin the year well-rested and enjoy a “lucky foods” meal with friends.
Be My Galentine
Valentine’s Day isn’t only for romantic relationships — use the day to recognize all the special relationships in your life. Throw a Galentine’s Day celebration to let loose with your gal pals this year! Host a watch party for your favorite rom-com, plan a fancy dinner, or spend a night out on the town.
😍 Want to celebrate with all your friends and family? Check out these Valentine’s Day Party Ideas to Celebrate with Those You Love
Easter for Adults
Don’t normally make a big deal out of Easter? Change it up this year and host a barbecue with a bunch of egg-citing Easter games for adults. From Easter-themed minute-to-win-it challenges and yard games to adult Easter egg hunts, there are tons of fun ways for the grownups to get in on the action.
🍽️ Plan your menu! Get easy barbecue ideas for your cookout at Insanely Good Recipes.
International Celebrations
There are a bunch of international holidays worth celebrating throughout the year. Whether you’re honoring your own roots or are just looking for a reason to party, embrace another culture with one of these unforgettable events.
💚 St. Patrick’s Day – Choose some charming decor, cook up some delicious St. Patrick’s Day recipes, and keep the green beer flowing, and you’re sure to have an amazing St. Patty’s Day celebration.
🪅 Cinco de Mayo – Throw a fiesta to remember in honor of Cinco de Mayo, complete with tasty tacos, yummy margaritas, and a festive piñata!
🍺 Oktoberfest – Set up your own biergarten, throw some brats on the grill, and put on some polka music to throw an authentic Oktoberfest party.
You should never miss a chance to spend time with the ones you love, so it’s important to find small reasons to celebrate. We hope this guide helps you become the ultimate party planner and inspires you to find more reasons to throw a party this year. 🎉
Want to book something awesome for your special event? Find the best musicians, performers, and services on GigSalad.
Sonia is a Customer Happiness Agent at GigSalad and uses the knowledge she’s gained from helping both the vendor and client through the booking process to give her best event planning advice. When she’s not at work she enjoys the outdoors, a good book, trying new recipes, and spending quality time with her husband and their furbabies.