The Ultimate Guide to Hosting a Totally Tubular 80s Party

Inside: Party like it’s 1989 with this inspiration guide to throw an unforgettably fun 80s party complete with decoration, food, cocktail, invitation, music, and activity ideas!

The colors were bright. The music was happy. The shoulder pads were big. And the hair was even bigger.

Does every generation think the decade of their youth was the best? I may be biased, but the 1980’s were the best decade. And 80s theme parties definitely have a timeless appeal. Everything about them brings the fun—the neon colors, the music, and the larger than life fashion.

Since the eighties were my decade (go class of ’83!), this is the second time I’ve given an 80’s themed party, and probably won’t be the last. I saved the decorations from my mega 50th birthday blowout and recently resurrected them from the attic for a golf tournament party at our house.

I’m like, so totally excited to share all my fun ideas with you! Step into the “Back to the Future” time machine with me and get ready to throw a party like it’s 1989.💃

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80’s Party Invitation Ideas: Come Party Hardy.

Getting the guests on board for the theme all starts with the invitation. I made this simple one in Canva and sent it by email:

It’s so easy with just a few of their 80s graphic elements along with some bright colors, and a sprinkling of 80s slang. I was even able to pop in some golf clip art to customize it for our ’80s golf party.

Like, Totally Awesome 80s Party Decorations.

The greeter for our throwback soiree was a Pac-Man ghost:

This video game ghost is actually a round particle board table covered with disposable tablecloths, and eyes made from cardstock. I piled it with 80s gear like glowsticks, bracelets, fingerless gloves, and glasses for anyone who wanted a little more flair as they came in.

I also framed the party entrance with a garland of brightly colored paper party lanterns.

For dinner we had a food truck in the backyard, but we also had an appetizer and dessert buffet set up on the kitchen island.

The 80s decor for this buffet spread started with an underlay table “runner” of a couple of yards of inexpensive pink and silver zebra fabric.

The Rubik’s Cube centerpiece? It’s made with a trumpet vase, thrift store 45 records with a larger hole drilled out, a square gift box on a dowel covered in neon paper and thin black ribbon, and some sparkly picks from the floral department at Hobby Lobby.

A letter board is always a great tool to have in your party supplies. For this 80s food buffet, I used a line from “16 Candles”, one of my favorite movies ever, which I will quote with you word for word.

I found this idea for the fun punk rocker with the appetizer skewer mohawk on Pinterest years ago:

80s trivia game cards sit around the buffet as decorations. I also put them on the coffee table and outdoor tables for conversation pieces.

I spread cheap rubber bracelets and plastic 80s sunglasses around the food. And hung neon swirl party decor from the pendant lights.

The dessert buffet has so many possibilities to bring the 80s theme! I chose some foods popular in the 1980s (more on that in the next section) and made a few signs for the occasion. I laid old albums under the desserts on a three tier tray, and topped it with a “Pour Some Sugar on Me” sign.

We didn’t have macarons, we had “Pacarons“. The Reeses Pieces sign pointed out E.T.’s favorite. And the Pop Rocks sign made us want our MTV and our moon shoes.

The kitchen table was our wine station and I used more of the can’t miss zebra fabric over here. The giant Rubik’s Cube was my niece’s costume at my birthday party! It’s a large packing box covered in neon paper squares and black duct tape stripes. For this party, I just covered the holes she had made for her head and arms.

For the backdrop to this area, I hung up this “The 80s are Back” graphic. I had it printed at Walgreens, then mounted it on a piece of foam core board.

A cutting-edge iconic technology introduced in the 80s also makes a fantabulous party decoration with its shimmery, silvery iridescence! So I made CD chains with old blank CDs that we used to burn music, movies, and pictures on, and tied them together with fishing line.

And the 80s theme party decorations continued around the room with this Pac-Man on the wall. It’s a yellow foam core circle and a black cardstock eye, chasing white foam core “dots”.

Over on the fireplace mantel, I had a second Rubik’s Cube centerpiece and a neon pennant letter banner. Originally this banner said “25 Again”, and I later changed it to “Game On” for one of my kid’s video game theme birthday parties. It’s all made with a combo of neon cardstock and paper, pink ribbon, and a fun 80’s font called “Saved By Zero”.

I added three instantly recognizable album covers from the 80s. Even if we still had a record player, the sound quality wouldn’t cut it anymore, so my two big boxes of albums are pretty much useless except for party decorating and going down memory lane.

And nobody puts Baby in a corner. Even though “Dirty Dancing” was set in the ’60s, it’s an ’80s classic, so I hung up a sign with this unforgettable line in where else—the corner.

In the bathroom, you could get Jenny’s number, and fortify that big hair with some Aqua Net. I really wanted to write the number in lipstick on the mirror, but I didn’t want to clean it off afterward more.

Outside on the back patio table, I strung out a hot pink tinsel curtain, and tossed on it some 80s trivia cards and more 80s party favors. And those shimmery CDs made a perfect candleholder to reflect the light with some hot glue and painted wine corks.

If you’d like to see other theme decorations for this annual party we host, here are a couple: “Throw the Ultimate Margaritaville Party” and “PAR-TEE Time: Ideas for a Golf Themed Party“.

80s Party Food and Drink Ideas.

Let’s now move on to the rad refreshments.

80s Party Food Ideas.

We offered a variety of nibbles to nosh on before and after dinner. These golfers come hungry after the day’s play in the hot sun!

My usually round ranch cheese ball was the perfect candidate for another Pac-Man.

I simply shaped it into a circle, cut out the mouth wedge, and spread the cutaway portion back onto the top. Then I added the pecans and a black olive slice for the eye.

See how to make this easy ranch cheese ball recipe in the post, “Best Ranch Cheese Ball Recipe: Hit of the Holiday Party“.

The “mohawk” on the mannequin head was made up of antipasto skewers. The lightweight styrofoam head becomes top heavy, so I first attached the head to the counter with a couple of loops of packing tape.

For sweet treats, I offered a mix of old 80s throwbacks, and bite size cupcakes in bright colors.

The macarons became “Pacarons” with a quick eye and mouth drawn on with black icing.

Does anyone else remember eating “Zingers”? I know I had my share after school in the early 80s. I cut them in half to make them more party friendly. Who knew they still made them?

The Pop Rocks were a big hit. I think we all wondered what that fizzy weird sensation would be like now. Still strangely cool, but not as “explosive” as I remembered.

And the Reese’s Pieces weren’t just E.T.’s favorite. (And I scored the perfect cheap neon colored serving bowls at Dollar Tree.)

I brought back the dessert charcuterie letters from last year’s tournament party and put this year’s theme spin on it.

I first filled the paper mache letters in with pieces from a hot pink tinsel curtain, then loaded the letters with cupcakes, Zingers, and macarons.

I finished them off with a few brightly colored flowers and 80s glasses to make them even more colorful.

See how to make these charcuterie letters in the post, “Easy DIY Charcuterie Letter and Number Boxes for Any Occasion“.

A few more food ideas from the 80s:

• Doritos
• Ring Pops
• Nerds
• Gummy Bears

80s Party Cocktail Ideas.

I set up the bar on the outdoor kitchen and offered three signature drinks. Two are ones we usually have, but with new gnarly 80’s names.

The John Daly’s, or spiked Arnold Palmers, became “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me Tea”, and the Margaritas got a “Miami Vice Margs” moniker.

And I did my own version of the classy 80s martini, the Cosmopolitan, and called it the “Pretty in Pink”. (I’m just noticing now I left the Triple Sec off the menu sign.)

Other 80s cocktail ideas:

• Blue Lagoon
• Long Island Iced Tea
• Amaretto Sour
• Fuzzy Navel
• B-52
• Sex on the Beach
• Jello shots

Pudding shots are a fun dessert and drink in one for a party! See my list of yummy ones in “30 Best Boozy Pudding Shot Dessert Recipe Ideas“.

What to Wear to an 80s Party: Bitchin’ Outfit Ideas.

This is an easy party theme to dress up for because there are so many different ways to go! It can be as simple as pulling some garb from your own closet to assemble a preppy ensemble, or putting on an eighties t-shirt.

This year I recycled my “let’s get physical” eighties leotard and leggings, and legit 80s braided terrycloth headband. I didn’t get a great pic (no time when you’re the hostess) but here it is:

And here’s just a sampling of good costumes from my 50th birthday party:

Madonna style for me and my sister-in-law, Blues Brothers and Miami Vice for my nephews, and the friend couple came as a preppy girl with her hair band rocker boyfriend.

Bonus points to my niece, the human Rubik’s Cube! Eating and drinking in this costume can pose a bit of a problem.😂

The dress code for an eighties party always requires a few characters from TV shows, like Don Johnson from Miami Vice. And movie favorites like Indiana Jones and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. And you’ll always spot a few music legends like Madonna and Michael Jackson.

More 80’s costume ideas.

• Teased big hair, crimped hair, side ponytails, and scrunchies
• Leg warmers
• Fanny packs
• Fingerless gloves and bustiers with loads of cross necklaces and beads
• Animal prints
• Acid washed jeans
• A trenchcoat and boombox makes an instant Lloyd Dobbler
• Slap bracelets
• Jelly shoes
• Off the shoulder sweatshirts
• Mullets
• “Relax“, “Choose Life“, or MTV T-Shirts

Righteous Music for an 80s Party.

The music is vital to the fun factor at an 80s bash. I made a 5-6 hour long playlist on YouTube Music and I could have kept going!

It has everything from pop hits to rock to new wave. Of course it includes songs from all the 80s icons like Boy George, David Bowie, Bon Jovi, Cyndi Lauper, and Duran Duran. But just because we’ve all heard a lot of eighties songs too many times, some are the less obvious selections, with a few bands you may have forgotten, like Milli Vanilli and Romeo Void,

It’s sure to get everyone doing their best Moonwalk or Roger Rabbit—feel free to use it or just listen to it yourself:

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7HSG1qq-XI6LsfUebWmpXD_uBR93l43a&si=4t4qDVkTEOp_4MIf

SH&H Tip: You can get great ideas for your mix tape magic, costumes, and decorations by watching movies set in the 1980s or the TV show, “The Goldbergs”.

Most Excellent Activities for an 80s Theme Party.

Since everyone is in a fun mood, guests love activities at an eighties party! The most obvious is dancing. We had a DJ at my birthday party and cleared the dining room to make a big dance floor:

We also had a photo booth to capture everyone’s creative costumes.

Here are some other ideas for 1980s fun and games:

• Instead of photo booths, use a Polaroid camera for retro pics
• A costume contest
• A microphone for some dance party Karoake
• Inflatable guitars for impromptu air guitar solos
• Rubik’s Cube solving race (if anyone can actually still do it)
• 80s classic board games, video games, and trivia games
• An 80s movie screening

For more helpful tips on how to host a party at home, see the post “Entertaining 101: Basic How-To Guide for the Home Hostess“.