60 Fun 60th Birthday Party Ideas, Decorations & Themes

Are you thinking of some interesting and fun-filled 60th birthday party ideas? 60th is a momentous occasion to celebrate newfound freedom as by that time; their kids are well-settled, they have a financially secured life and tons of time for family. So, the 60th can be a grand celebration as friends and family gather for a fun time together. Read on for a list of 60 crazy party ideas for the 60th and make the birthday of your special person even more memorable.

In This Article

60th Birthday Party Ideas For Dad

The man who has been your biggest support system lifelong deserves the greatest 60th birthday celebration.

  1. Beer party for 60: Hire a bartender, make custom beer mugs with names of each birthday guest as gifts and dedicate the night to the brew that your dad loves to drink with buds.
Beer party to celebrate the 60th birthday
share button

Image: IStock

  1. Career-themed party: Everything at the party reminds your dad of his illustrious career. For example, if he was a pilot, go for an aircraft theme. Call his lifelong friends from work to surprise the birthday celebrant.
  1. Memories party: Make the party a special event by taking a trip down memory lane. Blow up old pictures of your dad to use as displays on a memory wall. Photos of friends or places like home or school are also great ways to decorate the venue. You could also compile a memory book with pictures or create a memory album.
  1. Secret speakeasy: Create an old-style speakeasy experience to transport your dad and guests back in time. Guests will receive a special vintage-themed invitation that includes a unique password for entry. Inside, they’ll step into the glamorous world, complete with classic cocktails, live jazz music, and an ambiance that pays tribute to the past iconic era. It’s a delightful way to celebrate your dad’s 60th birthday with a touch of nostalgia and style.
  1. BBQ cookout: Host a backyard barbecue with all of your dad’s favorite grilled dishes and sides. Set up a grill station and have a casual, fun gathering. Stock up on his favorite craft beers and make the event even more memorable.
  1. Sports Legends tribute: Celebrate your dad’s love for sports by throwing a party dedicated to his favorite sports heroes. Decorate with memorabilia, jerseys, and posters of his favorite athletes, and maybe even have a friendly sports trivia quiz.

60th Birthday Party Ideas For Mom

Make your mom’s milestone birthday eventful with these 60th birthday party themes.

  1. Prom party: Let your mom reminisce about her prom night with your prom-themed party. Try to recreate the dress and the prom with the help of her siblings or friends.
  1. Favorite pastime party: What’s your mom’s favorite pastime?- Display her work instead of decorations and set up booths where everyone gets to try their hand at it.
  1. Spa retreat at home: Transform your home into a serene spa retreat for your mom and her friends. Hire masseuses, set up facial stations, and offer soothing treatments for a relaxing day of pampering.
  1. Jewelry-Making Workshop: If your mom loves jewelry, host a jewelry-making workshop. Provide various beads, gems, and materials, and let her and her friends create their own custom pieces.
  1. Favorite pastime party: What’s your mom’s favorite pastime?- Display her work instead of decorations and set up booths where everyone gets to try their hand at it.
  1. Book club bash: If your mom loves reading, throw a book-themed party. Create a book club atmosphere with a selection of her favorite books, and encourage guests to bring their own book recommendations as gifts.

An anonymous blogger recounts her experience of celebrating her mother’s 60th birthday. She says, “A few weeks ago, my mom celebrated her 60th birthday. We decided the occasion did indeed call for a small party. We booked a place in our clubhouse and the number of guests quadrupled. My mom’s sisters, their husbands, my cousins, their kids, my mom’s cousin. We decided to go all out and make it a big lunch party with cocktails and drinks thrown in. The party turned out to be a lot of fun. While we did have a lot of people, it was still intimate with only family (i).”

Book club bash
share button

Image: Shutterstock

60th Birthday Party Entertainment/Games Ideas

Great ideas for entertainment can transform even a little intimate gathering of family folks at home into a laughter riot.

  1. Cookout party: If the birthday girl or birthday boy prefers to stay home, get each birthday guest to cook a special dish for them. The birthday boy or girl has to guess who cooked each one.
  1. Name that year: Play snippets of famous speeches, news broadcasts, or movie quotes from different decades and have guests guess the year they originated. It’s a challenging yet entertaining game.
  1. Secret guests: Tell your loved 60-year-old about the party but let them guess the guest list. You can spice this up by announcing each guest with a series of clues for the birthday boy/girl to unravel.
  1. Retirement dreams: Have guests share their retirement dreams or bucket lists, encouraging conversation and inspiration. You can even have a fun discussion about the most unique or daring aspirations.
  1. Time capsule guesses: Ask guests to bring a small item representing a significant memory from the past and have everyone guess the story behind each item. It’s a wonderful way to share personal stories and nostalgia.
  1. 60-second talent show: Encourage guests to showcase their hidden talents in 60-second performances – whether it’s singing, dancing, telling jokes, or sharing interesting stories. It’s a lighthearted way to discover hidden skills.
  1. Toasting the best: Call in friends and relatives from everywhere to come raise a toast to the beloved elder in your family. Let them know how much they mean to each of you via your toasts. Keep the toasts unique, heart-warming, and special.
  1. Masquerade ball: One of the most exciting ideas for the 60th birthday is to have a masquerade ball with all guests masked up and wearing fancy dress. The birthday celebrant has to guess who is behind the mask when they arrive.
Masquerade ball to celebrate the 60th birthday
share button

Image: IStock

protip_icon Quick tip
Compile best moments of the celebrant’s life as a video and include birthday wishes from the most important people of their life. Play this video on their birthday. Don’t forget to capture their reaction on camera and keep it as a treasured memory forever.

Fun Party Themes For 60th Birthday

Who says the 60th birthday bash can’t be a fun-filled evening for all? Here are some fun ideas you need.

  1. Live band: Jazz up a night of fun by getting your birthday celebrant’s favorite local band to play all their favorite numbers? Find a good band that knows all the old classics that the sexagenarian loves.
  1. Movie night: Unearth that old classic movie that your birthday girl or boy has been longing to watch for ages and project it in the yard or garden on a big screen for a near-authentic movie theatre experience.
  1. Turn back the clock: Show your loved one that they are still young at heart by recreating games, activities, decorations, and food they remember from their childhood. Check with their siblings or peers to find out what will fit in.
  1. Formal dinner party: Host an elegant evening with a formal dress code, a gourmet multi-course dinner, and sophisticated table settings. Guests can enjoy a refined dining experience in celebration of their milestone birthday.
  1. Vintage Hollywood glamour: Roll out the red carpet and celebrate in style with a classic Hollywood theme. Encourage guests to dress up as their favorite vintage movie stars and sip on cocktails from the golden era of cinema.
  1. Enchanted Garden: Transform your party space into a magical garden with fairy lights, lanterns, and lush greenery. Create a nice atmosphere with garden-themed decorations.
  1. Tech-free retreat: Create a digital detox environment where guests can disconnect from their devices and enjoy face-to-face conversations, games, and activities.

60th Birthday Party Decoration Ideas

Deck up the party venue and surroundings to create the right ambiance for the 60th birthday bash.

  1. Old movie posters: Lead up to the birthday venue or put up movie posters from the birthday celebrant’s heydays. You can add pictures of their favorite stars from back then for a touch of nostalgia. You can also put on some background music from that era to complete the experience.
  1. DIY decorations: Get the grandkids to make all the decorations by hand. Who needs 60th birthday party supplies from the store when you can show your loved one how much effort you are willing to put in for them?
DIY decorations to celebrate the birthday in style
share button

Image: IStock

  1. Sixty reasons we love you: Ask guests to share their reasons for loving the birthday celebrant before the party. Display these heartfelt messages on a wall or in a scrapbook for a touching surprise.
  1. Wisdom and wishes wall: Set up a wall where guests can share their best life advice or birthday wishes for the honoree. Celebrating their wisdom and connecting with loved ones is a beautiful way.
  1. Backdrop: Use a backdrop that matches the chosen theme. For example, consider a backdrop with an old-fashioned design if it’s a vintage theme. If it’s an elegant theme, opt for a luxurious backdrop with shimmering curtains or a beautiful floral arrangement.
  1. Family memory tree centerpiece: Create a beautiful and sentimental centerpiece that celebrates the birthday person’s life and family connections. This memory tree serves as a visually appealing decoration and a heartfelt tribute to the birthday person’s family and the love surrounding them.
  1. Banners Up: Put up banners on either side of the entrance with a collage of pictures from the most memorable days and events of the celebrating gentleman or lady’s life. Guests can get a glimpse of their life as they walk in. Frame the banners with colorful balloons.

Ideas For 60th Birthday Party Favors

What’s a party if the guests can’t take home good memories with them?

  1. Custom-made candles: These are great for everyone, especially the scented candles that can bring back memories of the birthday person later on.
  1. Gourmet food baskets: Prepare gourmet food baskets with premium snacks, chocolates, and aged cheeses to savor the flavors of life.
Gourmet food baskets
share button

Image: IStock

  1. Calming tea sets: Assemble tea sets with various herbal teas and a personalized tea infuser, promoting relaxation and reflection.
  1. Customized coasters: Design coasters featuring memorable photos or quotes that capture the essence of the birthday person’s journey. If you enjoy DIYs, you’d have a great time designing and making these coasters.
  1. Picture frames: If you have called over the birthday girl or boy’s friends, ask them to gift framed pictures of the celebrant with the friends to bring back fond memories.
  1. Old-time keepsakes: Choose something that reminds everyone of the good old days, something that you do not see very often these days, such as a miniature rotary telephone model and engrave the name of the birthday person upon it.
  1. Handwritten notes: If it is not a surprise party, your party guests can go home with little handwritten notes from the birthday guy or girl telling them how much they mean to them. This one will be cherished for life.

60th Birthday Party Food Ideas

Good food is the soul of every party. So, choose your menu carefully and have people raving for months about the decadent bites you put out.

  1. Cookies: Seems simple? Not if you have your favorite 60-year-old’s silhouette recreated upon it at bake time.
  1. Cupcakes: Pick the most exotic toppings you can find and let your guests have a fun time choosing interesting cupcakes to feast upon.
Pick the most exotic toppings for cupcakes
share button

Image: IStock

  1. Favorite cooks: What are the birthday boy or girl’s best dishes? What are they known for cooking? Recreate the same and serve to your guests. Don’t forget to add refreshing drinks to the mix.
  1. Bread pudding: End the celebration with a warm bread pudding drizzled with a rich sauce, emphasizing the idea of savoring life’s sweet moments.
  1. Mini sandwiches: Create bite-sized sandwiches with classic fillings like ham and cheese, egg salad, or cucumber and cream cheese.
  1. Popcorn bar: Set up a popcorn station with different seasonings and toppings for guests to customize their popcorn.

Funny 60th Birthday Invitations Ideas

60 is the age when one can forget many things and start living it up. Start the festivities with these funny 60th birthday party invitations to guests.

  1. Treasure map: Create a playful treasure map invitation with clues leading to your party location.
Treasure map
share button

Image: Shutterstock

  1. Crossword invitations: Simple crosswords tell your guest whose birthday it is!
  1. Pics from the past: The invite has a photograph of the birthday celebrant when they were much younger and difficult to recognize.
  1. Ageing gracefully or disgracefully?: Send out a “grace vs. disgrace” questionnaire with the invitation. Ask guests to choose between graceful and disgraceful activities they’d like to participate in during the party.
  1. Old enough to know better: Design an invitation with a “Rules for Aging” list filled with cheeky and funny guidelines. Invite guests to break all the rules at your party.
  1. Fake surprise invite: Send an invite with the message “You are invited to a secret party that we can’t disclose the location.” Follow it up the next day with the location.

Things To Do For 60th birthday celebration

There are plenty of things you can do to make the birthday party lively and unique.

  1. Time capsule photo booth: Set up a photo booth that recreates a bit of the past so your guests can get a chance to time travel while clicking pictures.
  1. Plan a tour: Has the birthday celebrant expressed a desire to visit a special place, maybe a winery or remote island? Shift your party there.
  1. Picnic party: Get the family together and plan a surprise picnic in place of a party at home.
Get the family together and plan a surprise picnic party
share button

Image: IStock

  1. Treasure hunt: An authentic treasure hunt, clues, and all make for an exciting and thrilling 60th birthday bash.
  1. Karaoke party: Set up a karaoke machine, use a karaoke app on a TV, and gather friends and family to take turns singing their favorite songs. You can create a song list that includes classics from the person’s era, ensuring everyone has a chance to participate.
  1. Puzzle challenge: Choose a jigsaw puzzle that aligns with the birthday person’s interests or has a meaningful image, like a family photo. Set up a comfortable area with good lighting and invite everyone to collaborate on solving the puzzle. It’s a great way to encourage conversation, teamwork, and a sense of accomplishment as you piece the puzzle together.
  1. Stargazing: Find a location away from city lights, ideally in a park or open space, where you can spread out some blankets or bring lawn chairs. Bring along a telescope if available, or simply lay back and admire the night sky. Don’t forget to bring some hot beverages like tea or cocoa to keep everyone warm and comfortable while stargazing.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which precious jewel is used to symbolize the 60th birthday?

A diamond is used to symbolize the 60th birthday.

2. What is the 60th birthday called?

A 60th birthday celebration is called a golden jubilee.

3. Which plant is apt for a 60th birthday?

Red bouquets are preferred as a present for a 60th birthday celebration.

4. Why is the 60th birthday special to loved ones?

Sixty years is the age of retirement in many countries. Hence, celebrating a person’s 60th birthday could be a special occasion where their loved ones appreciate their hard work for their family.

Is your loved one turning 60 soon? In that case, you may be planning to host a grand celebration to celebrate this fantastic moment and milestone. We have curated these 60th birthday ideas for parties to help you pick one and leave your sexagenarian delighted and speechless. From party themes, games, menus, decor, and invites, we have all stunning and unique ideas to make your party memorable and super fun. So, take cues from our list and host a party that your special person will cherish forever.

Infographic: Fun Party Themes For 60th Birthday

Turning 60 is a significant feat as it is when most people retire from their jobs and settle into their resting days. Therefore, the 60th birthday celebration must be done with all pomp and grandeur. We have prepared the following infographic with some theme ideas you may use. Do give it a read and explore your possible options.

themes to celebrate 60th birthday (infographic)

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Get the high-quality PDF version of this infographic.

Download Infographic in PDF version

Key Pointers

  • Celebrate your parent’s 60th birthday with pomp and show by trying cool party ideas, such as a masquerade ball.
  • Add more spark by picking funky themes—a live band that plays your parent’s favorite songs.
  • Experiment with decoration, invitation, food, and cake using the ideas below.
60th birthday party ideas_illustration

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

Celebrate your milestone birthday in style with these top 10 adult birthday party ideas! From the 30th to the 60th, we’ve got you covered!

Personal Experience: Source

Was this article helpful?
thumbsupthumbsdown
The following two tabs change content below.