1960s and 1970s Retro Party Supplies and Ideas
Planning a 1970s Disco Party ? How about a 1960's Retro
Party?
1970s Disco Theme
Retro 1960s Theme Party
Retro
1960s, 1970s Disco Party Theme Games, Ideas & Activities
1960s and 1970s Retro and Disco Party Food Ideas
More 1960s Retro and 1970s Disco Theme Recipes
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Flashback 1960's ... with a group party kit, wigs and glasses, Smiley Face Paper Goods.
Felt Hippie Hats! Glow Necklaces, Tie-dye Bandanas, VW Beetles! This theme is
good for kids & adults! Get them dancing with Hippie Music! Every age
group loves 1960s Retro Theme parties! Be sure to let your guests know to
wear their best Retro 1960s outfits and make a game of it by awarding prizes
("Craziest", "Wildest", "Most Colorful", etc).
Go back to Disco with a 1970s Disco party. Tie-dye paper
goods, psychedelic fedora hats, disco ball earrings! And 1970's Disco party favors!
How about a Disco Starter Kit! Disco Music will set the mood! Be sure to let
you guests know via the invitations to wear their favorite Retro 1970s Disco
outfits to your Disco bash! Outfit your party room with bean bag
chairs, lava lamps and a dance floor. Put together a dance mix CD prior to
the party dull of the greatest disco music. Be ready to dance!
Popular drinks and foods of the Disco era:
Harvey Wallbangers, Chablis, tequila sunrise and the pina
coladas. Snapple began in the 1970s. Granola became very popular in the
1970s. So did Orville Redenbacher popcorn. Bugles, Chips and Dip, Chocolate
Fondue and everyone was making Hamburger Helper. Of course, hot dogs and
hamburgers are a hit at any party.
For kids over the age of 10 or 11 (girls especially), try not to organize too
much. They absolutely love the dance part of a Retro or Disco party, and won't want to
spend the time with your plans. Try lots of primping, one game, one craft,
plus a big dance contest (everyone wins)! Adults will enjoy some of these
games too!
PIN THE SMILE ON THE SMILEY FACE – Borrowing from the concept of the tried
and true game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey, we suggest a fun game of Pin the
Smile on the Smiley Face. Use our big inflatable Smiley, and cut smiles out
of black construction paper. Blindfold each participate as his/her turn
arrives, spin, point in the right direction, and watch your smiley get really
happy! For older kids, try a game of "Pin the peace sign on the Hippie." Same
concept…a little more grown up. (All ages)
DO THE HUSTLE – Divide the guests into two equal teams. Create two starting
lines with masking tape, and secure two inflatable smileys in place about
10-15 yards away. Line teams up with a disco wardrobe at the starting
line. At the signal to begin, the first player on each team quickly dresses
up, runs the course, and then returns the wardrobe to the next player. First team to complete the course wins. An Afro wig, love beads, fringe vest,
and hippie glasses will lead to some "hustling" to the finish line. (Ages
4-11)
MAKE LOVE, NOT WAR GAME – Give each player a bag or goodie box with 10 pieces
of candy in it. Have bags labeled with players' names, so they don't get
mixed up. Let players know at the start of the game exactly when the game
will be ending—this game can be played throughout an entire party if you so
choose. Object of the game is to catch fellow players saying one of the
following words or phrases:
DISCO, FUNKY, GROOVY, SMILEY FACE, PEACE, YEAH BABY
To help players, post words prominently on a board where they can be seen
often. If someone is caught saying one of the words on the list, that person
has to give up a piece of candy from their stash. The player with the biggest
haul of goodies at the end of the game is the winner! (Ages 7 – Adult)
TIE-DYE – An unforgettable time, the most amazing photo backdrop!
Purchase plain white cotton boys or men's t-shirts from a discount store-
most come in three packs, and cost less than $2.00/shirt. For your craft
activity, tie-dye the shirts in brilliant colors. Most young children &
many adults have never done this. In addition to the dye, you'll need to have
plenty of rubber bands, rubber gloves, and extra adult helpers on hand. Do
this activity toward the beginning of the party, so you'll have time to
execute the photo opportunity. If the weather is cooperating hang a
clothesline outside, if not, use a basement or even a kitchen to hang the
clothesline. As each shirt is completed, hang it to dry on the line. When all
are completed take a group photo with the masterpieces hanging behind you.
For a little variety, try using white boxer shorts or tank tops, as both are
very popular right now, and can be purchased inexpensively in the men's
underwear section of a discount store. (Ages 7-adult)
DAISY CHAINS – Young girls will love to create "wreathes" for their hair
using fresh daisies. Put a smile on their glowing faces, as you remember how
much you enjoyed this as a child. (Girls age 5-12)
DANCE 'TILL YOU DROP – If you weren't around to do the Hustle, the Bump and
the Bus Stop the first time around, find a friend or neighbor who was and
recruit him or her. Teach these popular and simple steps to your party guests
and enjoy the fun! (All ages)
"I REMEMBER THAT ONE!" – With the advent of Nickelodeon's™ Nick at Nite™ and
TV Land™, re-runs of the best shows from the 1960's and 1970's are plentiful. Who
didn't have a pang of bedroom envy when Greg Brady got to move out of the
boy's room, into his own groovy pad in the attic (complete with love beads,
lava lamp, peace signs, and far-out lighting)? Set your VCR to tape a few
episodes of the Brady Bunch, Partridge Family, Gilligan's Island, and I dream
of Jeannie. Kids today are enjoying these shows as much as we did…and they'll
see exactly how cheesy we dressed back then. This is great for a sleepover
party. Adults will love the opportunity to re-visit some of their favorites.
Make a game of it with the adults. Tape 15-25 episodes of one show, and then
see who can remember the outcome the fastest. Fast forward as soon as someone
guesses, and keep track of points. The prize… the tape of course! (All ages)
Retro 1960s/Disco 1970s CHARADES - Using Retro
and Disco era themes, play Charades using Movies, music, People, Fads and
Foods of the 1960s or 1970s.
GET READY TO DISCO – Most girls love to primp. Help them do so by providing
plenty of blue eyeshadow, body glitter, bright pink blush, and Maybelline™
mascara. For younger girls, have a friend pose as Bambi, a make-up
artist. Purchase/borrow a crimping iron, part their hair down the center
and crimp the girls' hair. Add a headband to their foreheads, and send them
on to have their nails done. With the invention of nail polish that dries in
only one minute, party manicures are a breeze. Purchase Express Dry nail
polish and stripe each nail with three or
four bright funkadelic colors. If your budget permits, or if the group is
small, hire someone to give "hair wraps" to the girls. Call a local
hairdresser to find a name, or check with neighborhood teens. One or all of
these primping ideas will absolutely delight your girls. (Ages 6-18)
More great 1960s Retro and 1970s Disco party games and ideas-
click here!
PINATA FUN – The smiley piñata can do double duty... he'll hang as a decoration
until you are ready to use him. A universal favorite for everyone's 1960s
Retro or 1970s disco theme party ! (Ages 3 and up)
NAME THAT TUNE – This one is for the grown-ups only. You'll need a CD player
and some compact discs with a compilation of hits from the 60's and 70's.
Play the first few bars, and see which guest can name that tune the fastest.
Keep track of points and award the winner with some music from the past. If
your group is large, play a variation on this game. Using AM Top 40 hits from
the 1960's and 1970's, list song titles on one side of a page, and Artists on the
other side, & make enough copies for all guests. Challenge guests to match
as many as possible. To get you started, here
are a few:
Hooked on a Feeling ... Blue Swede
The Night Chicago Died – Paper Lace
Hitchin' a Ride ...Vanity Fare
Beach Baby – First Class
Sky High – Jigsaw
Seasons in the Sun ... Terry Jacks
Billy, Don't Be a Hero – Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods
Chevy Van – Sammy Johns
Dancing in the Moonlight ... King Harvest
Rock Me Gently – Andy Kim
Afternoon Delight ... Starland Vocal Band
One Tin Soldier, The Legend of Billy Jack – Coven
Shannon – Henry Gross
Dream Weaver ... Gary Wright
Puppy Love – Donny Osmond
One Bad Apple ... Jackson Five
My Baby Loves Lovin' – White Plains
If ... Bread
Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin
Fill a page, and let the contest last throughout the party! For the winner…a
greatest hits CD!
1960s Retro or 1970s Disco Trivia! Create a
Trivia game using facts from the 1960s/1970s. Top Movies, Music, Actors and
Actresses, News Headlines of those decades.
This is a tough one, and we would welcome any input you have on some foods
that stand out as memorable or worth recreating from the 60's and 70's. We
recall that the fast food industry was just in its infant stage. McDonald's™
was a "new" craze, and Burger King was just getting started too. Families
just didn't frequent restaurants and fast food joints as often as they do
today. When we think of a typical 1960's or 1970's meal, one word comes to mind.
STARCH! A true meat and potatoes period in time, with Holidays being the time
to roll out the special Jell-O™ mold. It was inevitably green, and filled
with things your mother otherwise never served.
Fondues were very popular in the 1970s - cheese fondues for appetizers,
Mexican chicken fondue for main course and chocolate fondue for dessert. 1960s
parties favored theme buffets and barbecue. International themes were also
very popular. The foods served were generally
"Americanized" versions (Lasagne with American cheese; Chinese
ribs with ketchup). The 1970s saw appetizers such as guacamole, meatball dip,
mini kabobs, pineapple cheese balls and drinks such as peach daquiris &
pineapple fizz.
Serve pizza, loaded hoagie
sandwiches, a Mexican taco bar, heavy appetizers…your options are unlimited.
Feel free to showcase your own personal preferences, talents, style. The
only thing that wouldn't be appropriate for a retro theme would be a formal
meal. No good china allowed here!
If the party is for a child & you are serving dinner, let the birthday boy
or girl choose his/her favorites. Unless you are
having a sleepover party, avoid scheduling a party around meal times. Snacks, birthday cake and ice cream
along with beverages is plenty.
Flower Power Cake
For recipe and directions for the Flower Power Cake and your 1960s and
1970s themed party recipes, visit our
Forum
Smiley Face Cake
For recipe and directions for the Smiley Face Cake and your 1960s and
1970s themed party recipes, visit our
Forum
Using the above 1960s Retro and 1970s Disco Themed Ideas should help
you plan a perfect event... but if you need any more ideas, contact us
today! Retro themes and Disco themes get hotter every year and every
age group enjoys hosting one of these themed events!
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