Throwing a 1960s hippie themed birthday party is a great way to celebrate your special day in a fun and unique way. Hippie culture was all about peace, love, and freedom, and your party can reflect the same values. With a little planning, you can throw a party that your guests will never forget.
Decorations
Set the scene with bright and colorful decorations. Hippies loved bold colors and patterns, so don’t be afraid to go all out with your décor. You can find hippie-themed decorations at most party stores, or you can make your own.
Here are some ideas for making your own hippie-themed decorations:
- Tie-dye some fabric and use it to make tablecloths, banners, or streamers.
- Cut out peace signs and flowers from colored paper and hang them from the walls or ceiling.
- Fill balloons with helium and let them float around the room.
- Set up a lava lamp or two to create a groovy atmosphere.
Hang up psychedelic posters and tapestries. This is a great way to add some hippie flair to your party space. You can find psychedelic posters and tapestries online or at most head shops.
Some popular psychedelic posters and tapestries include:
- The Grateful Dead’s Steal Your Face poster
- Peter Max’s Cosmic Dancer poster
- Blacklight tapestries
Use beanbag chairs and floor pillows to create a comfortable and inviting atmosphere. Hippies loved to sit on the floor and relax, so your guests will appreciate having a place to do the same.
You can find beanbag chairs and floor pillows at most furniture stores or online.
Food and drinks
Serve classic hippie food and drinks. This could include things like veggie burgers, veggie burritos, macaroni and cheese, and potato salad. You could also serve drinks like Kool-Aid, lemonade, and iced tea.
Here are some specific recipes for classic hippie food and drinks:
- Veggie burgers: Mix together cooked brown rice, black beans, corn, and spices. Form the mixture into patties and cook them in a skillet until browned on both sides.
- Veggie burritos: Fill tortillas with cooked rice, beans, vegetables, and salsa. Roll up the tortillas and serve them with your favorite toppings, such as guacamole, sour cream, and cheese.
- Macaroni and cheese: Cook macaroni according to the package directions. In a saucepan, melt butter and whisk in flour. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Add the macaroni and cheese to the saucepan and cook until heated through.
- Potato salad: Boil potatoes until tender. Let the potatoes cool and then dice them. In a bowl, combine the potatoes with mayonnaise, celery, onion, and hard-boiled eggs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Kool-Aid: Mix Kool-Aid powder with water according to the package directions. Serve over ice with a straw.
Set up a peace sign-shaped cake or cupcakes. This is a fun and festive way to serve dessert. You can either make the cake or cupcakes yourself, or you can order them from a local bakery.
If you’re making the cake or cupcakes yourself, you can use a peace sign cookie cutter to cut out the shapes. You can also decorate the cake or cupcakes with peace sign frosting or sprinkles.
Activities
Play classic hippie music. This could include things like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix. You could also play some groovy dance music, like funk and soul.
Here is a playlist of some classic hippie music:
- “All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles
- “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones
- “Hey Jude” by The Beatles
- “Light My Fire” by The Doors
- “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane
- “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix
- “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf
- “Imagine” by John Lennon
- “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong
- “Get Up, Stand Up” by Bob Marley
- “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor
- “Dancing Queen” by ABBA
- “Le Freak” by Chic
Set up a dance floor. Hippies loved to dance, so make sure you have plenty of space for your guests to get their groove on.
If you’re hosting your party at home, you can clear out some furniture to create a dance floor. You can also rent a dance floor from a local party rental company.
Have a tie-dye station. Tie-dye is a classic hippie craft. You can provide your guests with all the supplies they need to make their own tie-dye shirts or other items.
To set up a tie-dye station, you will need:
- White fabric (shirts, t-shirts, bandanas, etc.)
- Tie-dye dye kits
- Rubber bands
- Plastic gloves
- Water containers
Instructions:
- Put on rubber gloves and place the white fabric in a plastic bag.
- Apply tie-dye dye to the fabric according to the package directions.
- Roll up the fabric tightly and secure it with rubber bands.
- Place the fabric in a plastic bag and let it sit for at least 12 hours.
- Rinse the fabric in cold water until the water runs clear.
- Wash the fabric in cold water and hang it to dry.
Play hippie-themed games. There are many different hippie-themed games that you can play at your party. Some popular options include peace sign bingo, hippie charades, and flower power bean bag toss.
Here are some instructions for playing these games:
Peace sign bingo: Create bingo cards with peace signs instead of numbers. Call out peace sign colors and shapes, and have players mark their cards accordingly. The first player to mark five in a row wins.
Hippie charades: Write down hippie-related words and phrases on pieces of paper. Have players take turns acting out the words and phrases without speaking. The first team to guess the most words or phrases wins.
Flower power bean bag toss: Set up a target with a peace sign or flower painted on it. Have players take turns tossing bean bags at the target. The player who gets the most bean bags to stick to the target wins.
Costumes
Encourage your guests to come dressed in hippie costumes. This is a great way to add to the festive atmosphere of your party. Some popular hippie costume ideas include bell-bottom pants, flower crowns, and peace sign jewelry.
Here are some tips for putting together a hippie costume:
- Start with a pair of bell-bottom pants or a long skirt.
- Add a tie-dye shirt or blouse.
- Accessorize with a flower crown, peace sign jewelry, and sunglasses.
- Don’t forget to wear colorful shoes or sandals.
Tips for throwing a successful 1960s hippie themed birthday party
- Set a budget. Hippie-themed parties can be expensive, so it’s important to set a budget before you start planning.
- Choose the right venue. A park, beach, or other outdoor venue would be perfect for a hippie-themed party. You could also host your party at home, but make sure you have enough space for all of your guests.
- Send out invitations that match the theme. Your invitations should give your guests a sense of what to expect at your party. Include bright colors, psychedelic designs, and hippie-themed phrases on your invitations.
- Decorate your party space in a hippie style. Use bright colors, psychedelic posters, and beanbag chairs to create a fun and inviting atmosphere.
- Serve classic hippie food and drinks. This could include things like veggie burgers, veggie burritos, and Kool-Aid.
- Play classic hippie music. This could include things like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix.
- Set up a dance floor. Hippies loved to dance, so make sure you have plenty of space for your guests to get their groove on.
- Have a tie-dye station. Tie-dye is a classic hippie craft. You can provide your guests with all the supplies they need to make their own tie-dye shirts or other items.
- Play hippie-themed games. There are many different hippie-themed games that you can play at your party. Some popular options include peace sign bingo, hippie charades, and flower power bean bag toss.
Conclusion
Throwing a 1960s hippie themed birthday party is a great way to celebrate your special day in a fun and unique way. By following the tips above, you can throw a party that your guests will never forget.
