Halloween is one of my favorite holidays of the year because there’s no other day where you can bring out your inner child quite as much as on Halloween! There’s really no better way to get your friends and family in the mood for a little spooky fun than a Halloween party! Here are three frightfully fun Halloween party themes and the elements you’ll need to make it perfect!
Zombie Prom
This one might be my favorite Halloween party theme ever! If you are one of the many people who had a somewhat disappointing Prom experience, this party theme is the perfect opportunity to get the do-over you deserve, with a spooky twist, of course! This theme is ideal for an adults-only party and may not be as appropriate for the younger crew. Here’s what you need:
Decor:
Think typical prom decor. You’ll need streamers, balloons, and a banner with your prom theme name (“A Night to Dismember” is a popular one). You could decorate to make it look like your local High School by using the school colors and mascot but with a twist. Make everything look a little chaotic; the streamers can be bunched up or ripped in places; the decor should look more like your venue has been attacked by teenagers with rolls of toilet paper vs. streamers carefully hung in perfect rows. Feel free to be liberal with the fake blood and faux body parts to give your party a little extra scare factor. You can also create a Zombie Zone where guests can arrive in their prom wear and Zombie it up with fake blood, face paint, and all the tools they need to get their Zombie on!
Refreshments:
What’s a Zombie Prom without spiked punch? There are tons of fantastic punch recipes online, and to make it a bit more Halloween, you can add gummy eyeballs, fruit carved to look like floating heads, or add a little dry ice to the bowl for a spooky smoky effect that is sure to be impressive. You can also make some gory snacks to give people something to munch on while they party. Check out Simple Most for some great recipe ideas!
Costumes:
A Halloween party is just not a Halloween party without costumes! Encourage your guests to hit up their local consignment shops, Goodwill stores, and thrift shops for inexpensive formal wear (the uglier, the better). Then comes the fun, rip it, shred it, and slap some dirt and red paint on it to give it that tattered zombie look and you’re good to go!
Activities:
A fun way to really lean into the prom theme is by setting up various games that your guests can participate in to earn points throughout the night. The couple with the most points at the end of the night will be crowned Prom King and Queen. Make sure you purchase some spooky crowns to crown your winners! You’ll want to hire a DJ or create a playlist (use music from whatever decade you graduated high school in), so your guests can hit the dance floor!
Halloween Movie Night
An outdoor movie night is an excellent way for kids and adults to enjoy Halloween together! This type of party is also pretty simple for those who don’t want to go all out on a party but still want to enjoy the day with their family and friends. Here’s what you’ll need:
Decor:
You’ll need an outdoor movie set-up with a screen and a projector (look for a rental service near you to rent these items). Set up some cozy seating in your backyard with blankets, or have your guests bring their own lawn chair. You can keep it simple or do it up as much as you’d like when it comes to decorating.
Refreshments:
You’ll want to set up a concessions stand with popcorn, drinks, and of course, candy for your guests to dig into while they enjoy the show!
Costumes:
This type of party can be costume optional for those who prefer not to dress up, but for those who do, it could be fun to do a “dress as your favorite Halloween movie character” theme.
Activities:
The main activity of this party theme is the movie! Suppose you’re looking for a family-friendly film to show at your event. In that case, some great choices include The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Hocus Pocus, Casper, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Hotel Transylvania. For some added family fun, you can have your guests decorate their own caramel apple, carve a pumpkin, or do a fun Halloween-themed craft together.
Glow Party
A glow party is another really fun, family-friendly party idea that both adults and kids will enjoy! A glow party is all about the glow, obviously! So for this party, you’ll want black lights, glow sticks, and all things glow-in-the-dark!
Decor:
The best part about a glow-in-the-dark party is that you can go as big or as small as you want. Most dollar stores will carry glow-in-the-dark bracelets and necklaces around Halloween time. However, if you have a little extra party budget to spend, you can easily find glow-in-the-dark balloons, neon signs, banners, streamers, and so much more! Replace your lightbulbs with black light bulbs, and your house will be glowing all night!
Refreshments:
Did you know that making glow-in-the-dark cocktails is as simple as adding a little tonic water to your drink? It’s true! Under a black light, the quinine in tonic water causes it to glow blue! You can also get that cool glowing effect from a ton of different snacks. Anything white will appear blue or purple under a black light, so snacks like popcorn, marshmallows, and white cheese are perfect. You can also purchase candy with glow-in-the-dark wrappers.
Costumes:
The best costumes for a glow-in-the-dark party are white t-shirts! The white of the t-shirt will glow under black lights all on its own. However, for a little extra fun, you can set up a “Glow-Up” bar where you can provide your guest with glow in the dark puffy paint, UV face paint, glow sticks, and glow in the dark costume jewelry so they can create their own “Glow Up” as they arrive at the party.
Activities:
There are SO many fun DIY glow-in-the-dark activities you can set up for your party. Check out Pinterest to learn how to create your own glow-in-the-dark bowling, corn hole, and giant glow-in-the-dark Jenga for your guests to enjoy. If DIY isn’t your thing, you can purchase other fun glow-in-the-dark games on Amazon, such as bocce ball, capture the flag, ring toss, and more. If the rave scene is more your style, all you’ll need is space for a dance floor and a fabulous club music playlist to get your guests dancing the night away.
ONE LAST MUST-HAVE FOR ANY HALLOWEEN PARTY….
To capture the magic of the spooky season and the fun of your incredible Halloween party, you HAVE to have a photo booth! Your guests will have an absolute blast taking photos in their Halloween costumes, and the images will be a wonderful reminder for the host and guests alike of the great time you had together. With a Snap-N-Pics photo booth, you can customize your photo booth to fit the theme of your party so that it blends in seamlessly. It also provides your guests with a fun activity and party favor in one! Contact us today to reserve a photo booth for your event before it’s too late!
