20 Summer Birthday Party Ideas Bursting With Fun and Sunshine

If you’re looking for fun things to do on your birthday, look no further than taking inspiration from the season you were born in. Whether your birthday falls in the spring, summer, fall, or winter, each season comes with its own unique activities that you can totally take advantage of when celebrating. And this article is all about summer birthday party ideas.

If your birthday falls in the summertime just like mine, (woohoo!!!) there are so many ways to take advantage of the longer days, outdoors, sunshine, and all the vibrant energy of the season. So without further ado, let’s get started with this list of summer birthday party ideas. 

Summer Birthday Party Ideas

1. Camp (Your Name)

Did you ever go to a summer camp growing up? If you have and you had a great time, recreate that childhood summer camp nostalgia with a camp themed birthday party. 

This party can be hosted in your backyard or at a local park. And the goal is to lean into those outdoor summer camp vibes. So let your guests know to dress comfy and ready to have a field day outdoors. Because this party is all about letting loose and burning off lots of energy. 

Plan plenty of outdoor games like tug of war, hopscotch, and fun group challenges. And after all that movement and playtime, everyone is definitely going to be hungry. So for the food, serve up “kid friendly” favorites like sandwiches and chicken nuggets. 

If I were doing this party theme, I would definitely add turkey and ham sandwiches along with lots of chips to the menu. (since those were my favorite summer camp lunches). 

Plus, they’re super easy to make for a party. Budget friendly. And who doesn’t love a good sandwich? You can also get creative with your menu by adding fun snacks like ants on a log or a “grown up” lunchable (aka a charcuterie tray).

2. Locally Grown Since (Birth Year)

For a locally grown summer birthday party, lean into a farmers market aesthetic. Decorate with items like brown rustic paper, plaid tablecloths, along with crates and baskets to really set the scene. 

For the food, add plenty of fresh fruit and sandwiches to the menu and display everything in a way that looks like a farmers market table. 

When you think of a farmers market, you can’t forget the sweets and baked goods section! So definitely include desserts on your party menu. This could be anything from banana bread to cookies and muffins. 

For party activities, keep things fun and hands on with some type of arts and crafts. That way everyone has something to do, and it doubles as a sweet party favor they can take home.

3. Butterfly Garden Summer Birthday Party 

Raise your hand if you love butterflies? I remember going through a phase in college where I had so many butterfly decorations in my dorm room and was completely in love with their beauty and all the different colors. 

Summer is the perfect season to see butterflies, since the weather is warm. And you’ll often see them fluttering around flowers and trees.

For a butterfly themed party, decorate with plenty of butterfly elements. You can find cute butterfly embellishments to scatter across your table or even add them to your birthday cake. If you want a soft, springtime look, go with a pastel color palette for your party decorations to really tie the theme together.

4. The Berry Best Birthday Party

Summer is peak strawberry season, so what better way to celebrate than with a strawberry themed birthday party.

A Berry Best Birthday party theme leans into everything strawberry and takes full advantage of the abundance of fresh berries. You can keep it simple and stick to just strawberries, or mix in other berries like blueberries, cherries, and raspberries for variety.

For decor, use red colors and add strawberry themed decorations to really tie everything together. When it comes to the menu, strawberries (or berries) are a must. From strawberry desserts and to strawberry lemonade, get creative and have fun bringing this berry best party theme to life. 

5. Summer Pool Birthday Party

Honestly, what screams summer more than a pool party? If you have access to a pool, definitely take advantage and host a birthday pool party. 

To make it extra festive, hang up a birthday banner, fill the pool with lots of floaties, play some good songs, and serve a variety of snacks. 

My favorite thing about this party theme, is that the pool is basically the main activity. So you don’t need to overthink your entertainment. Of course, you can play a few games like Marco Polo or pool volleyball if you want. But honestly just chilling, floating, and enjoying the water is the whole vibe.

6. Beach Party

If you live near the beach, take advantage and host a beach birthday party. This is a great idea if you’re keeping things low key. Not inviting a large group. And looking for a simple and small celebration that still feels special.

CHECK OUT: 61 Fantastic Ideas For Your Summer Bucket List

7. Beach Themed Party

If you don’t have a beach nearby but you’re still dreaming of those beach-y vibes, host a beach themed party. Decorate your space with blue colors and seashells. And transport everyone to the beach with a fun and beachy music playlist.

8. Paint and Sip Party

Another creative summer birthday party idea, is a paint and sip party. You can paint canvases. And since it’s the summertime, you can take the opportunity and even paint flower pots. And if you really want to be a little bit extra, give your guests dirt and seeds so that they can plant them when they get home.

If you’d like a more detailed layout on how to plan a paint and sip party, check out the link below.

CHECK OUT: Paint And Sip Ideas For A Creative And Fun Party

9. Ice Cream Party

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Ice cream and summer go hand in hand. So if you’re looking for a super chill (I hope you caught the pun 🙂 ) party idea, consider an ice cream party. 

Since it’s all about ice cream, set up a DIY ice cream sundae station with a variety of toppings. You can also serve single serve ice cream cups/cones for convenience. 

In terms of decorations, you can decorate with regular party decor like balloons and a banner. Or, lean into the ice cream theme and incorporate some ice cream decorations into your space.

10. Birthday Dinner party

If there’s one thing I love, it’s gathering around a table with friends and enjoying some delicious food. And a dinner party is the perfect way to do just that. You can host an at-home dinner party where you cook or order food, or make reservations at a restaurant and celebrate there.

11. Carnival Summer Birthday Party

There’s just something about the Ferris wheel and the smell of funnel cake that always makes me giddy and excited for a summer fair. If you love the fair and all the fun vibes that come with it, you can easily recreate it at home with a carnival themed birthday party.

Set up fair inspired games and activities like:  ring toss, bean bag toss, giant Jenga, a temporary tattoo station, or even a face painting station. Furthermore, to really bring the theme to life, serve iconic fair foods such as:

• Fried Oreos

• Lemonade

• Gyros

• Corn dogs

• Snow cones

12. BBQ Birthday Party

If you or your family and friends know how to grill, bring out the grill and host a backyard barbecue party. Serve barbecue favorites like ribs, burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, and a variety of sides. 

Enjoy the smell of the grill, soak up the sun, and spend time laughing and having fun with friends and family. To tie in the birthday celebration, decorate with a birthday banner and some outdoor balloons.

13. Birthday Picnic Party

Whether you’re hosting it in your backyard or heading to a park, have a summer birthday picnic party. And make it as casual or as fancy as you’d like. 

For a more casual setup, simply lay out a picnic blanket and snacks. If you’re going for a fancier look; add a picnic table, plates, and other table settings, and even floor pillows in your set up.

CHECK OUT: What To Bring To A Picnic

Creative Summer Birthday Party Ideas

14. Another Year Around the Sun Party

🎶 Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo 🎶 Celebrate another trip around the sun with a sunshine themed party. Decorate with golden yellow and orange colors and add sun themed decorations to really bring the theme to life.

15. Orange You Glad It’s My Birthday

Another one of my favorite summer birthday party ideas, is a “Orange You Glad It’s My Birthday” theme. 

For this party, lean into everything orange and citrus. So decorate with bright orange colors, and use either real oranges and/or orange themed decorations within your space.

16. Party Theme Based on Your Favorite Show or Movie

If there’s a show or movie you’ve been loving and just can’t get enough of; use it as inspiration for your birthday party. I’ve seen so many themed parties online, like a Shrek and even an Office themed one and they looked so fun.

17. Let’s Get Wild for My (Age) Birthday

For a “Let’s Get Wild” party theme, ask your guests to dress in animal print outfits. Decorate your space with animal themed decorations and plenty of leaves to really set the wild vibe.

18. Groovy 70s Party

Another creative party theme, is a groovy 70s party. Ask your guests to dress in hippie inspired 70s outfits. And decorate your space with flowers and lots of peace signs. 

19. Decades Party

Since we’re on the topic of decades, host a decade themed party. Whether you’re throwing it back to the 90s, 80s, or 2000s; it’s a fun way to celebrate the decade you were born in or just tap into some of the popular trends from that time. 

Right now, 2016 nostalgia is trending so much, so you could even host a party themed around that year. Or, you could go for a more general 2010s decade party.

20. Pajama Birthday Party

Last but not least on this list of summer birthday party ideas, is a good ol’ pajama party. Invite your friends to come in their pajamas, order some pizza, and bring out the card or trivia games. Watch a movie and just enjoy a cozy night in.