Ah, the 80s—a decade of neon, leg warmers, and unforgettable music. If you’re feeling the urge to travel back in time and party like it’s 1989, you’re in the right place! Break out your boombox, tease up that hair, and get ready to throw the most totally tubular bash your guests have ever seen with these 80s theme party ideas!
80s Party Themes
It doesn’t get much better than a good theme party! And one where you get to wear shoulder pads and big hair is even better. To make your party even more niche, we have a few theme ideas your guests are sure to love!
✨ Neon Everything: Black lights and glow sticks are the name of the game for this theme! Make sure your guests are glowing (literally) by switching out all the light bulbs for black lights and providing plenty of glow stick jewelry.
🎬 Flashback Flicks: If you don’t have Pretty in Pink memorized, are you really an 80s fan? Invite guests to come as their favorite 80s flick characters and head straight to the breakfast club.
📼 Boombox Bash: It’s hard to define the most memorable thing about the 80s, but the music is definitely up there. Channel your favorite classic 80s hair bands, pop in a cassette tape, and dance the night away!
🧥 Sweater Vests and Shoulder Pads: We all remember leg warmers and leotards, but what about the classic sweater vest (i.e. Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles ?) and shoulder pads? Keep it business casual and party like it’s 1984!
🕰️ Back to the Future: How about an ode to THE quintessential 80s movie? You can’t think about the 80s without thinking of Back to the Future. So put on your red puffy vest or your lab coat and go back in time!
💃 Jazzercise Jubilee: If you were trying to stay fit in the 80s, you were probably doing aerobics or jazzercise and looking fresh while doing it! Get those leg warmers out of the attic, pull your hair back in a scrunchie, and channel your inner Jane Fonda for this 80s party.
✌️ You may also like: Groovy Ideas for a Far Out 70s Party
80s Theme Party Decor
Deck the halls with neon lights and cassette tapes because we’re diving headfirst into the rad world of 80s-themed party decor! From neon signs to inflatable boomboxes, we’ve got gnarly ideas to transport your guests straight into the heart of the 1980s. So, grab your scrunchies, and let’s turn your venue into a tubular tribute to the greatest decade ever!
Neon Necessities
No 80s party would be complete without neon colors. So no matter what your theme is, a splash of neon is a definite necessity. Glow-in-the-dark cutlery, bright-colored 80s-themed confetti, and a custom neon sign are perfect blasts from the past!
Must-Have Memorabilia
Why have an 80s party if you don’t want to indulge a little nostalgia? Include decor that takes you back to your favorite time. Have some balloon boomboxes floating around, “I love the 80s” cups, and cassette tape centerpieces to have everyone feeling a little extra love for their favorite decade.
Funky Favors
Don’t forget the party favors when you’re shopping for party supplies. Whether it’s a birthday party, anniversary, or just for fun, you want to send your guests away with goodies that will ensure they won’t forget this rad rendezvous! Rubik cubes keychains, custom 80s candy bars, and 80s-themed pins will leave the partygoers stuck in the past.
🎪 Another fun theme idea: Throw a Circus Theme Party That Will Leave Them in Awe
80s Theme Party Entertainment
There are so many fun and exciting ways to entertain the crowd at your 80s bash! From dance parties to video games to a trivia night, we have ideas to make sure your party is as gnarly as it gets.
🧑🎤 Impersonators: Hire a Michael Jackson or Madonna impersonator for timeless photo ops. And maybe even a performance that will make you feel like you traveled back in time!
🎶 Cover Band: Dance all night to your favorite 80s hits by hiring a cover band! Ask them to dress the part to complete the 80s nostalgia.
📸 Photo Booth: Photos are mandatory at any theme party, so make them extra special with an interactive photo booth! This is the perfect chance to show off those rad neon threads.
🎲 Games: Encourage some friendly competition by hiring a game show host to emcee an 80s trivia tournament or recreate a classic 80s game show like Press Your Luck.
🦸♂️ Costumed Character: Hire a costumed character to come dressed as your favorite vintage video game or Saturday morning cartoon characters.
🎧 DJ: Mix in some modern tunes with your favorite throwbacks and set the perfect ambiance by hiring a DJ to play the best beats!
Send out those party invitations and use these tips to plan a party more legendary than a Michael Jackson moonwalk. This is the perfect opportunity to let your creativity run wild, sprinkle some 80s magic, and watch your guests dance the night away in retro style. Until next time, party on, dudes and dudettes! 😎
Looking for some rad entertainment for your 80s party? Find local musicians, performers, and event 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.