60s Woodstock Party



 
 
For some, the decade of the 1960s is represented by antiwar demonstrations and the culmination of the peace, civil rights, women's and black power movements. It is Benjamin Braddock in The Graduate and George C. Scott in Patton. It is Watergate and Nixon, as well as the Chicago Seven and Apollo 13. Everyone has at least one pair of hot pants and an item of tie-dyed clothing.

For some people, the music of this period is courtesy of Woodstock -- Jimi Hendrix, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Santana, Joe Cocker, the Rolling Stones, and the Who. I think the 60s are a great theme for a party! Pull out your bell bottoms and get ready to rock!

60s Theme Invitations
Here are some far out 60's theme party invitation options and ideas:
  • Tie Dye Hippie Invitation - this custom invite will get your guests in a groovy mood! Personalize it with your wording.
  • Groovy Neon 60's Party Invitation - bright colors and fun wording that you customize for your event. Groovy!
  • Roll up tie-dyed T-shirts and tie them with a neon peace necklace. Hand-deliver them to your guests with the invite!
  • Print the party info on a piece of white card stock and back it with a slightly larger piece in a bright color (aqua would be perfect). Add smiley face and peace sign stickers to make it pop!
  • Recreate the Woodstock flyer! If your party is all about the music then show it on your invite!
  • Or, use a fabulous custom caricature invitation that is drawn by our inhouse artist to your specifications! The sky is the limit with this invite!
Don't forget to tell your guests to guests dress in their best Hippie gear. Suggest bell bottoms, tie die and lots of peace symbol necklaces! You should go all out with your costume. How about the "I Got You and Babe" Hippie costumes? Perfect for a couple. Take a look at our great selection of 60s theme costumes!

60s Theme party Decorations
Decorating for your 60's theme party is easy! Here are our favorite ideas:
 
  • Set the mood!  Switch your lights to colored bulbs to give the place a groovy glow.
  • The 60's were the time of the British Invasion! Add the Union Jack to your decorations, and make sure you add The Beatles, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones and The Who to your party playlist.
  • Pop Art Prints are perfect for decorating your party space, or hang up psychedelic black light posters.
  • Don't forget beaded curtains in the doorways!
  • Set out a few lava lamps and beanbag chairs so guests have a place to chill.
  • You can use 60s theme graphics like peace signs and big flowers to decorate the wall. These are easy to make on the computer or cut out of construction paper! For a larger event, hire a lighting company to project these images on the walls in a variety of colors.
When your guests arrive, greet them with a peace sign and offer them a psychedelic hat or a Hippie headband. I would have a basket of flowers ready to put in their hair too. As they enter the party, have them walk through a daisy bead curtain!

Then take their pictures standing behind a VW bus photo op with a personalized camera and then let them keep the camera as a favor! Or, send them the pictures after the party and thank them for attending!

Next to the table, have a male or female lifesize caricature cutout of the host or the guest of honor to greet the guests. There is now a teenage Hippie available which is perfect if this theme is being used for a birthday or a Bat Mitzvah. Your guests will love it and the Bat Mitzvah celebrant will keep the cutout forever! For a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, you'll also want a 60s theme sign in board for your party!

If you are having seating at your event, Party411 has great Hippie theme seating cards. You can attach these to a small favor like a pair of Neon Lennon glasses.

Woodstock table decorations
Start with an assortment of solid color tablecloths. Red, yellow, blue, green - the more the better! Then use Woodstock theme tie dye paper goods including plates, cups and napkins. If you're looking to use linen, many linen companies have wonderful tie dye linens and napkins you can rent for your event.

We love to use neon peace necklaces as napkin rings. Your guests, especially the ones who forgot their costumes, will take them off and wear them for the rest of the night!
 
60's Theme Party Centerpiece Ideas
  • Vases of daisies make wonderful centerpieces for a 60's party
  • Use nostalgic 60s candy on the table like atomic fireballs, Bit-o-honey, Bottle caps and more. You can find this great candy online or at many local party stores. You can put a bag of candy at each place with a custom label thanking your guests for attending, or scatter it around the table like confetti. 
  • A peace mobile piñata makes an inexpensive and fun centerpiece
  • Smiley face hats with balloons coming out of the top (you'll need to make a small hole in the top of the hat for the ribbon to go through) also make festive 60s centerpieces.

60s party games and Activities
MUSIC - A 60s party is a great dance party! Your guests will love listening to The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Santana, Joe Cocker, the Rolling Stones, The Who and other great 60s music. You can dance The Twist, The Pony, The Bird, The Mashed Potato, The Watusi, or The Monkey! Visit our Music party games page for great 60s music games.
 
Other fun 60's party activities:
  • Friendship Bracelet Making
  • T-shirt tie dying
  • Spin art
  • Love Bead creation station
  • Face Painting (use bright colors for power flowers, peace signs, smiley faces)
60s Theme Party Favors
There are great fun gifts that can be passed out to your guests as the dance the night away. Have a DJ? Give them a stash of these items to use throughout the night:
  • Smiley face items - stickers, poppers, wearables
  • Tie Dye Shirts
  • Sugar cookies decorated like peace signs or smiley faces
  • Glow jewelry--pretend it's black light poster time; I was there, I remember and it was grand. Glow jewelry will light up your night and take you back to the 60s. My special favorite...glow straws!
  • Tambourines--all the hippies played them; they sat around with drums and tambourines and pretended they were far, far away. I wonder what they're thinking now?
  • 60s party kit--peace sign sunglasses, necklaces, hair extensions, beads, etc.
  • Inflatable Microphones--for anyone who wants to do their YMCA imitation.
  • Hippie Headbands--oh yeah! Check these out. Great napkin ring that turns into a headband. You're friends will love you for it!
  • Inflatable guitars--for anyone who wants to do their Jimi Hendrix imitation.
  • John Lennon glasses-- neon blue, green, yellow lenses.
At the end of the night, your guests will go home thinking your party was groovy! Send them away with a personalized hippie 60s lollipop party favor!