20 Unique 20th Birthday Party Themes

Are you ready to usher in the big 2-0? Your 20th birthday party is a big deal! So why not celebrate it with 20th birthday party themes as unique as you are? From mocktail parties to dressing as a celebrity, we at Peerspace want to share a few of our favorite ideas for an unforgettable time.

1. Throw a mocktail party

You’re so close to 21! That doesn’t mean your 20th birthday party has to be a tame affair. Not when you can enjoy some tasty mocktails with your friends! If you need help finding the right recipes, check out these amazing mocktail recipes from The Spruce Eats.

2. Rent a spacious home for an epic house party

Is there anything more iconic than a huge house party for all of your friends and their friends? As amazing as a movie-level house party can be, your downtown apartment might be a little too cozy for one of these…So how about checking out the party houses that Peerspace has to offer? We have spacious homes like the Vibe House in Atlanta, GA, with outdoor furniture, a pool, and other amenities for an amazing 20th birthday party!

3. Make your favorite TV show the theme

Are you a fan of Breaking Bad? Game of Thrones? Survivor? Let’s use one of these shows as your 20th birthday party theme! Include some trivia questions from the show, encourage guests to dress up as characters, and decorate the venue with ideas from the TV show of your choice. A little binge-watching is also fun if your friends are just as into the show as you are.

4. Celebrate the outdoors by making it your birthday theme

Rock climbers, hikers, and campers rejoice! You can easily bring the outdoors inside during your 20th birthday party. Or you can take the party outdoors by renting a campsite or park where you can set up outdoor-themed decorations for a nature-inspired birthday.

5. Relax with a backyard BBQ birthday 

20th birthday party themes don’t have to be super involved concepts; the backyard BBQ is a classic for many good reasons! It’s a space where everyone’s likely hung out a time or three before. It’s easy to decorate a backyard for an epic birthday. And lastly, everyone loves burgers and other grill fare. Tap the grillmaster in your crew and throw an amazing low-key birthday in your backyard!

Check out these creative cookout food ideas to make this the tastiest birthday ever.

6. Throw a social media party and share with the World Wide Web

How in love with Instagram, TikTok, and other social media programs are you and your friends? A social media-themed birthday party is both funny and fun! You can take photos at a booth set up to look like an Instagram feed with props available to get as silly as you like. Even your food ideas can look like cameras, phones, and app logos with a bit of creativity.

7. Take the party outside with a fancy picnic

Picnic birthday parties don’t have to be super casual. A picnic can have a really upscale feel with some boho chic pillows and low tables decorated with flower bouquets. Next, choose a beautiful outdoor space like the beach or a woodland park as your picnic destination. And don’t forget about the food: a catering company can easily provide a brunch or lunch menu that’s far better than the usual picnic sandwiches and chips!

8. Set up a food truck caravan

Food trucks are an awesome 20th birthday party theme if you and your friends frequent them regularly. Cities across the country have trucks that provide everything from slow-cooked BBQ and beer flights to vegan tacos with kombucha shots. Have a few food trucks set up shop near the birthday party venue and let your guests go wild.

9. Embrace the rainbow with a glitter party

Fill the air with an explosion of colors for your upcoming 20th birthday party! Glitter, sequins, confetti, and colored balloons (filled with confetti and ready to pop) should fill the venue you choose. A party lounge decorated with rainbow colors or with a classy New Year’s Eve look is the kind of space you want for this theme.

10. Get creative with a charcuterie board class

How about 20th birthday party themes that teach you something new? Bring a few close friends over to your local culinary arts school and make some charcuterie boards together. Food boards are fun to make plus they look great at any kind of special event.

11. Enjoy a classy skyline view downtown

20 is the start of a new, more adult decade of life. Let’s make it count with a classy 20th birthday party theme: a chic downtown rooftop party with skyline views! You could make it a mocktail party or a dance event, or hold it in a restaurant dining room with a few of your close friends.

The venue is what’s most important: something Peerspace has plenty of! We’d recommend our bohemian-style loft and roof deck in New York, NY, for an epic birthday party with skyline views!

12. Book a private island for an epic beach birthday event

Imagine having an entire island as the backdrop for your 20th birthday party all to yourselves. No tourists in the background of your birthday photos, no rowdy people on vacation making noise…Just you, your friends, and the surf. Think about booking a private island for a dream birthday party like no other!

13. Dress cozy for a onesie party

Costume parties can feel a bit messy if they don’t have a more cohesive and unique theme. A onesie party gives the event a bit of structure – plus it’s way more imaginative! See what kind of outfits your friends arrive with; onesies come in all shapes and sizes, after all!

14. Taco bout a good time with a taco party

Tacos have a good chance of being voted as one of the world’s most perfect foods. A taco party will please even the pickiest eaters in your friend’s group. So long as you have a taco station or multiple food boards set up with enough ingredients for all! Let everyone make their perfect taco and enjoy some good company.

15. Light up the night sky with a pyrotechnic party

Let the whole neighborhood know it’s your 20th birthday party with a pyrotechnic party! You can start things off tame with some sparklers for your guests to play with. But you’ll be scaling things up as the evening progresses, culminating in an amazing fireworks show. Then settle in for a cozy night around a bonfire, roasting marshmallows and talking about the beautiful display together.

Score more exciting outdoor birthday party ideas here!

16. Become a celebrity during your birthday

Is there an actor, politician, influencer, or other celebrity who has the same birthday as you? Look them up, dress the part, and decorate the venue to match their best movie, album, or even their home country! A celebrity-themed birthday should also include some of their (and your) favorite foods and an event photographer to help you feel extra-famous.

17. Dress up with a toga party

Toga parties are so much fun because you can get super involved with the outfit or keep it easy with a sheet and a simple belt. Gold and white are the main colors you decorate with for a toga party. Include plenty of finger foods that won’t make a mess against white togas and you’re ready for a great time!

18. Dress down with a tacky outfit party

You don’t always have to look your best, not even during your 20th birthday party. Make tacky outfits the theme by inviting everyone to get as silly as possible with their clothes. Hawaiian shirts? Ugly sweaters? See just how tacky you and friends can get!

19. Relax with a paint and sip garden party

Your 20th birthday party can be anything you like, including a quiet time outdoors with friends. A garden party with wine and a few painting canvases is a dream event for many! Skip the loud music and book a plant-filled venue with Peerspace. We have spaces like this craftsman home in Denver, CO, with an acre of quiet oasis for a painting party with your besties.

20. Enjoy high society with a Downton Abbey party

Do you like truly retro 20th birthday party themes? Revisit English high society with a Downton Abbey-themed birthday tea party! All you need is a quaint outdoor garden space where you can set out some finger sandwiches and other tea party food ideas. Don’t forget to dress your best; it is a classy affair, after all! 

20th birthday party themes: conclusion

Your 20th birthday party isn’t just a warmup for your 21st; it should be as unique as you are! So celebrate it in style using a few of our awesome 20th birthday party themes. As you can see, Peerspace is a great place to find ideas for birthdays and other special events, but we also have birthday venues near you that will match any theme you bring our way! 

Book the perfect event space for your birthday party on Peerspace