30+ Creative 30th Birthday Party Ideas and Themes
Brittany Barber
Contributor
Let’s face it: coming up with 30th birthday party ideas can be tricky, especially when you’re celebrating such a big milestone birthday. Whether you’re planning an intimate gathering with close friends or deciding on a 30th birthday party theme for your big birthday bash, there are plenty of factors to consider when it comes to throwing the best 30th birthday party for yourself or a loved one.
From hiring a bartender or caterer to figuring out how to host a killer 90s theme party, we’ve got you covered with lots of party planning tips. Here are over 30 birthday ideas—including themes, decorations, invitations and entertainment—that’ll help you throw a stellar 30th birthday celebration.
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30th Birthday Party Ideas
Cocktail Party
Bust out your favorite cocktail dress and throw a birthday happy hour. Unless you’re going out to a restaurant or bar, consider hiring a bartender to make your soiree extra special with signature birthday drinks for you and your guests.Â
Dinner Party
Feel all grown-up and gather your favorite folks to host a classy dinner party for your 30th birthday. Make it a more formal multi-course feast complete with toasts to the guest of honor. if you don’t want to prepare all the food yourself, ask guests to contribute a course. For a larger guest list, you may want to hire a caterer to make things even easier (and fancier).
If this is your first time hiring a caterer, check out these 14 helpful questions to ask your prospective caterer.Â
BBQ
Keep it casual and invite your friends and family to a backyard BBQ for your birthday this year. Burgers, hotdogs, veggie skewers and sangria should definitely be on the checklist — along with your favorite birthday cake. Â
Brunch
A tried and true low-key birthday idea is the beloved birthday brunch. Make a reservation at a favorite restaurant or host it at home. Rather than the typical birthday cake, serve a waffle cake decorated with berries, whipped cream and syrup.
Surprise Party
If you’re jonesing to host your best friend’s birthday bash, why not make it a surprise. Planning a surprise party definitely takes some careful planning, but the effort is well worth it for a milestone like a 30th birthday.
Slideshow
Put together a slideshow of the birthday celebrant and prepare to laugh and cry together. Don’t skip out on any particularly embarrassing photos you might have — those are usually the best ones to include and a fun way to celebrate your shared history.
Pro tip: Make sure to prep for future slideshows by hiring a photographer or renting a photo booth to commemorate your 30th birthday party.
Dance Party
Turn up the tunes and celebrate together with a bumpin’ dance party. Unless you’re going out to a club, you might want to find a venue that’ll allow you to hire a DJ or a live band to take your 30th birthday party to the next level.
Bonus: We’ve got this amazing dance party playlist.
Karaoke
For a fun 30th birthday bash, how about a karaoke party. For some epic performances, ask your guests to prepare for their moment in the spotlight. Offer up some costumes and props to make the show even more exciting and colorful. Book a talented karaoke DJ on The Bash to keep the energy up!
Bonfire
If you’re having an outdoor party, definitely consider finding a space that allows campfires and have yourself a birthday bonfire. Want to take make it an overnight affair, go glamping or camping! Don’t forget the marshmallows!Â
Slumber Party
Throw it back to when you used to have sleepovers and throw a slumber party to celebrate your 30th. All you’ll need is a rom-com, pajamas, plenty of snacks, and enough birthday cake to last you the whole night.
Wine Tasting
Whether you’re a wine aficionado or simply a fan of popping bottles, turn your birthday party drinks into a wine tasting experience. You can even hire a sommelier, especially if you are interested in really learning more about wine. Make sure to prepare some cheese and charcuterie boards to pair the wine with, too.
Game Night
Whether you go with classic party games like charades and Pictionary or delve into a niche board game, you can’t go wrong with a birthday games night. If you’re planning on having a big turnout, set up multiple board games across your venue so people can hop from game to game as they please.
Pool Party
If the weather’s nice and you have your own pool, why wouldn’t you host a poolside 30th birthday party? Shake up some mojitos, grab your SPF and have some fun in the sun.
If you don’t have a pool but love the idea of throwing a pool party for your 30th birthday, consider renting a venue that has one instead. Rooftop bars, hotels, and outdoor lounges can have beautiful pool sections to rent and provide the food and drinks for you, too.
Park Picnic
If you’re limited on outdoor space at home, you could always host an outdoor birthday get-together at your local park. Check-in on any rules you may need to follow when it comes to open alcohol or campfires to make sure the party runs smoothly.
Poker Night
Celebrate your 30th birthday party by hosting a poker night. If you really want to go all out, you could even make it casino-themed and offer a variety of games. Party snacks are a must, and while chips and dip are delicious, you may want to hire a caterer to put together some canapés and appetizers, too.
Potluck
If celebrating and eating are synonymous, make sure you have a feast on your 30th birthday by hosting a potluck. Make sure to share a spreadsheet of what everyone plans on bringing, so there aren’t any dish repeats.
Murder Mystery Party
If your favorite pastime includes solving mysteries, why not host a murder mystery party for your 30th birthday party? There are two ways to go about this: you can attend a murder mystery event at a venue or get a DIY murder mystery kit to host your own event. Check out our murder mystery party guide for advice.
Escape Room
Book a time slot at an escape room so your guest can come together to solve puzzles, discover clues and collaborate on joint tasks. It’s a great way to get everyone involved.
Outdoor Games
If you’ve decided to host your 30th birthday party outdoors, make sure to amp up the entertainment by having a few outdoor games on hand. Bocce ball, spikeball, lawn bowling — take your pick.
30th Birthday Party Themes
Color-Themed
Photo: WAYHOME studio/Shutterstock.com
One easy theme to have at your 30th birthday party is to choose one color. Make it mandatory to dress in only that color, and match your birthday decorations, birthday cake, and even a signature cocktail, too.
Don't hesitate to hire a caterer or a bartender to help you figure out the best way to include some color on your menu!Â
Get Supernatural
Tap into your inner witch and deck out your 30th birthday party with candles, tea-leaf readings, and ouija boards. You could even hire a psychic or a tarot card reader for professional insight into what the future may bring.Â
Decade Party
As you enter a new decade why not choose a past decade and give your birthday party a nostalgic theme. The psychedelic '60s, disco '70s, electronic '80s — you name it.
Ask your guests to come prepared to dance and in retro costumes. For music, you might want to hire a band that specializes in a particular decade, like:Â
If you’re wondering how to find live music in your area, take a gander through our tips on how to book a band. Â
Birthday Rave
As long as you have glowsticks, speakers and some bumpin’ electronic music, you can dance the night away with a rave-themed 30th birthday party. If you want to go all out for this milestone birthday, consider renting a venue and hiring a DJ to handle the tunes.Â
Superheroes & Villains
Ask your guests to dress as their favorite superhero or villain and celebrate a super 30th birthday together.
High Tea
If you’re a Bridgerton fan, you’ll love a high tea party in lieu of your typical, balloon-filled birthday party. This elegant party theme leaves room for a ton of creativity — including tea-infused cocktails, floral arrangements, and a classy dessert bar with a variety of cupcakes, donuts and other treats. Â
Prom Throwback
Frilly dresses, white suits, and spiked punch bowls? Check, check and check! Turn your 30th birthday party into a total prom throwback. Laugh and cringe at old memories that’ll remind you how happy you are to be done with high school. Consider including a slideshow of you and your guests’  prom nights, for the sake of nostalgia and comedy.
Harry Potter
If you and your guests are super into the magical world of witchcraft and wizardry, embrace the magic of a Harry Potter-themed birthday party. Host a mixology workshop under the guise of a potions class and don’t forget to sport your house colors. You could even hire a professional magician to join in on the party and entertain your guests.
Black Tie
Photo: Dean Drobot/Shutterstock.com
Celebrate your 30th birthday in style by tightening up the dress code and getting a little fancy together. Paired with champagne and hor d'oeuvres, you really can’t go wrong with a black tie birthday party. Consider renting a photo booth to document how chic everyone looks!Â
Breakfast At Tiffany’sÂ
Another glamorous 30th birthday party theme is a Breakfast At Tiffany’s party theme. Think little black dress, satin gloves and a ‘60s band.Â
For even more party themes to consider, head over to The Bash.
30th Birthday InvitationsÂ
Virtual Birthday Invitations
If you want to keep it simple and efficient, send out e-invites letting your guests know they’re invited to your 30th birthday party. You could also try something fun and send them a virtual singing telegram that includes all the details they’ll need to know.
DIY 30th Birthday Invitations
Head over to your local craft supplies shop to pick up some cute paper and pens so you can make your own birthday invitations this year. Aside from the who, what, where and when of it all, be sure to include the dress code, theme, or any other details your guests might appreciate. Â
Store-Bought Birthday Invitations
If you want to get fancy about it, you can order pre-made invitations online at shops on Etsy or Redbubble. Just make sure to send the shop owner any and all details that will need to be included on each invite!Â
30th Birthday Decorations
Photo: marinart1/Shutterstock.com
If you’ve decided on a theme for your 30th birthday party, you’ll want to do your best to find decorations that match up with that theme. It can be as easy as color coordinating or doing a theme search on Amazon or Party City.Â
If you choose the theme-less route, you’ll still want to deck out your space with birthday decorations —perhaps some dirty thirty decorations will hit the mark. Here's a checklist of items to definitely consider:
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30th birthday balloons
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Happy 30th birthday cake topper
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Birthday streamers and confetti
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Eye-catching centerpieces
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30th birthday themed dinnerware and napkinsÂ
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Tissue paper pom poms
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Birthday banners
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Fairy lights
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Disco ball
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LED dance party lights
Check out our 30th birthday party ideas and themes Pinterest board for more inpsiration.
Find even more birthday party ideas on The Bash.Â
About Brittany Barber
Brittany Barber, lover of books, dogs, and romance, graduated from Bishop’s University with a Communications and Theatre degree. After spending some time working abroad in the theatre world, she is now a freelance writer covering a range of lifestyle topics including event planning for The Bash, WeddingWire, 2life and Fluttr, and shopping for BuzzFeed.
