21+ Super Fun 21st Birthday Themes for the Best Party Ever
Organizing an unforgettable 21st birthday party might seem overwhelming right now, although it should not! Simply check out the following classic and innovative themes, with a few handy tips and tricks sprinkled along the way, and you are ready to get the party started!
Once you have identified a theme for your 21st, start looking for awesome decorations, stylized food, and drinks, including a fabulous, themed birthday cake. Here are 25 fabulous 21st birthday themes to celebrate in style!
- Coachella Festival Vibes
- Flowerchild Picnic
- Fashion Forward
- Disco Diva
- Pool-Party
- Retro
- All White
- TikTok
- Hollywood Gilts and Glam
- Fiesta
- Rustic
- Champagne
- Venetian Ball
- Great Gatsby
- Glam
- Fancy Dress
- Las Vegas
- Mad Hatter
- Letter
- And more …
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This post is all about 21st birthday themes to celebrate in style!
1. Coachella Festival Vibes

Let’s face it; few things are as cool as Coachella, so create your own festival flavored backyard bash with a few live bands, quirky food trucks, or Instagram-worthy body paint artists to add a splash of color – just warn your neighbors well in advance…
Then decorate your backyard with boho-style items like tepees, feathers, dream catchers, balloons, and comfy rugs and pillows.
Most importantly, create a flower crown corner where your friends can create their own flower accessories. Although, plan well in advance, and ask around as you don’t have to hire everything.
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“This boho tepee is way too adorable and a great choice for any Coachella festival.”
2. Flowerchild Picnics

If you are looking for a more laid-back party theme – look no further!
A boho style or flower child picnic is a fab idea as it provides a more intimate space to catch up with friends, which is great if you don’t like big crowds and want to invite your closest friends.
All you need is a shabby-chic rug, some fluffy floor pillows, and quirky items like pretty vintage plates, cups, and retro-styled picnic food like flower cupcakes.
3. Fashion Forward

This is a perfect option for budding fashionistas as you can theme your 21st around your favorite brand, especially if you have a ton of branded goodies just waiting to be showcased.
It’s a great theme if you want an uber-stylish, Instagram-worthy sophisticated party that will impress your friends for years to come.
4. Disco Diva

Dance the night away to your fave tunes with a glittering disco ball, a pop-up dancefloor, and cool strobe lights with this fun disco-themed 21st birthday party. Who knows, your gran might even show you a move or two!
Hire a DJ or use budget-friendly streaming platforms like Spotify, Pandora, or Apple Music, to create your own Disco Diva playlist; add some delicious bar snacks and drinks, and you are ready to show your moves.
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“This awesome disco set includes DJ lights, strobe lights; you name it!”
5. Summertime Pool-Party

Poolside parties are awesome in the summer heat, especially with a floating cocktail bar!
All you need is some cool tunes, Tiki torches, bright summery party décor, a tropical bar, some inflatable pink flamingos, or whatever you can get your hands on for classic party booth pics that will capture the moment. But don’t stress if it’s a rainy day, simply move everything indoors.
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“These LED Tiki torches are awesome for creating the ambient party vibes you need at a poolside party.”
6. Retro Themed Party

Retro-themed parties are a perfect excuse to rock your mom’s 70s Afghan coat or your dad’s 80’s biker jacket with some chill tunes in the mix.
Or celebrate the 2000s in style with luminous glittered skin, crimped hairstyles with (naughty or nice) Kool-Aid, an assortment of Lunchables, and Gushers, accompanied by the music you grew up with.
Whatever decade you choose, make sure that you have a decade-themed birthday cake to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime occasion in style.
7. Elegantly All White Decor

All white décor is the epitome of elegance, so if you are looking for a chic indoor or alfresco theme, this is the one!
Think white roses or lilies and ambient candles intertwined with twinkling fairy lights for a showstopper event that will broadcast to the world that you are now a sophisticated adult with great taste to match.
But don’t stop there; tell your guests that you have an all-white dress code well in advance, as they might have to do a little shopping for the perfect outfit.
8. TikTok Theme

If you simply can’t tear yourself away from your phone, and your friends have the same problem – consider a fun TikTok theme for your 21st birthday.
Gather some eye-popping backdrops, fun props, and a ton of balloons to create your viral TikTok videos – it’s that simple!
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“A perfect backdrop for any fun TikTok party!”
9. Hollywood Glitz & Glamor Movie Night

Roll out the red carpet, strike a pose for the paparazzi, and get ready for a night with the stars with an old-school Hollywood movie theme night. Watch a few glamorous Hollywood movies, grab your popcorn, and celebrate your 21st with a ton of glitz and glamor.
Besides, it’s a great excuse to wear that little black number in the back of your closet and those fabulous stilettos or that leading man Tuxedo – what’s not to love!
10. Fiesta Theme

The Fiesta theme is perfect if you love bright festive colors, indulgent margaritas, ice-cold bears, cheesy nachos, and spicy tacos, with tons of Spanish music to ramp up the party vibe.
Oh, and don’t forget to order a fun Tequila Piñata. “Olé’ to that!
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“Nothing says Fiesta like a fun Tequila Piñata!”
11. Rustic Country Style Theme

Rustic barns with strawbales and old wooden tables adorned with heaps of wildflower jugs, soft lighting is the perfect setting for an unforgettable 21st, especially if you live in a rural county.
It’s a great party theme for a romantic country girl or guy that loves a cozy setting with great friends.
Alternatively, turn your backyard into a “barn” with a few strawbales, hanging lanterns, and a shabby-chic table decked with flowers, and you are good to go!
12. Champagne Theme

This is the perfect theme for girls who love the finer things in life, and nothing expresses that level of sophistication and celebratory joy like popping your favorite bubbly!
So, why not turn your love for champagne into a theme and serve a wide array of champagne cultivars paired with delectable canapes and tapas to satisfy even your most discerning friends.
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“Iconic Veuve Clicquot is perfect for a sophisticated champagne party.”
13. Venetian Masquerade Ball

If you love dressing up, then a Venetian-style masked ball will add a touch of mystique and fun, especially if you can’t recognize your incognito friends!
To recreate a Venetian ball, all you need are dramatic damask tablecloths adorned with elegant candelabras, feathers, chandeliers, a gorgeous costume, and a stunning mask.
Contact a party hire supplier to decorate your gorgeous venue or go to town with an event management company to make your dream an unforgettable reality.
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“This gorgeous Venetian mask adds a touch of mystery – what’s not to love!”
14. Great Gatsby Flapper Fun

The Great Gatsby evokes images of the roaring twenties, clandestine speakeasies with flapper girls, and dashing men, so it’s the perfect theme for your lavish celebration!
But the best part is having fun with Great Gatsby party decorations and transforming a dull venue into a sophisticated party with a jazz band, DJ, and dancers to party the night away in style.
Just don’t forget to specify the dress …!
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15. Glam It Up

Gilts and glam is a fabulous black-tie theme if you are looking for a more high-end modern party with champaign fountains and other excesses that influencers and movie stars are famous for.
And trust me – you really cannot have enough sparkle and gold to glam up this once-in-a-lifetime celebration!
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“Make a statement with these gorgeous gold panels!”
16. Themed Fancy Dress

Another great idea is to have a fancy dress with a specific theme like “Unicorns vs. Fairies” or “Superman vs. The Joker” so your guests can choose which character they would like to dress up as.
You are sure to crack up laughing through the night, especially if guys end up wearing fairy wings! Most importantly, pop up a photo booth so that you can capture those hilarious moments.
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17. Las Vegas Casino

The casino theme guarantees a fun night with your friends; all you need are poker cards, roulette, blackjack tables, a buffet lunch or dinner, and a glamorous bar. And don’t forget to greet your gamblers with a red carpet and a Vegas-style bouncer to set the scene if you are going the DIY route.
Alternatively, live largely and take an epic road trip to Las Vegas but try not to replicate scenes from “The Hangover” … watch the movie!
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“The perfect roulette set to celebrate your milestone birthday.”
18. Alice In Wonderland Mad Hatters Party

The Mad Hatters theme is fun to showcase all your quirky furniture, dishes, and teacups with wacky canapes and colorful cocktails, or shop around for zany-themed decor.
Besides, it allows all your friends to live out their Alice In Wonderland childhood fantasies. So, grab that top hat, stick on your bunny ears and explore the magical wonderland.
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“Etsy has so many awesome decorations; I could not choose only one!”
19. Letter Dress Ups

Another hilarious theme is to ask your friends to dress up as a character that corresponds with the first letter of your name.
Just make sure that you have a camera primed and ready, as this party theme will absolutely have you in fits of giggles in no time!
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“A great party deserves an awesome camera to capture the moment.”
20. Bond – James Bond

If you like your Martini’s “shaken, but not stirred,” a 007 James bond theme is just right for you as it’s the perfect setting to don glamorous tuxedos and shimmering evening dresses.
But the best part is decorating your venue with quintessential bonds casino decors like golden 007 logos, an old-school Martini bar, and any other cool décor you can lay your hands on.
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“Amazon rocks in the James Bond party décor department!”
21. Enchanted Woodland

This is the perfect theme if you can’t resist hugging trees and magical forests.
To replicate your own magical forest, simply adorn your venue with green, and gold cloth drapes, trees, trailing ivy, flower garlands, and lush tropical plants.
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“This Ivy is perfect for any enchanted woodland party!”
22. New Orleans Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras’ main purpose is to have a ton of fun, so seize the movement and turn your birthday venue into a roaring French Quarter in the wild heart of New Orleans.
Transform your venue with copious amounts of Mardi Gras beads, a delicious spread of spicy Cajun bites, a fun playlist, including the essential daiquiri and margarita bar, and hey presto, it’s party time!
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“Better stock up on these awesome beads!”
23. Childhood Favorites

This might be your last chance to host a party with your favorite childhood party theme. So, pop into the attic and dust off those games, CD players, and any other sentimental items you have stored away.
Then create a pop-up bar, decorate it with all your old posters or souvenirs, and serve your favorite childhood snacks and candy to the tune of your teenage soundtrack. Happy reminiscing!
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“How cute is the retro gaming sign!”
24. Prohibition Era Speakeasy

Create your own bootleg speakeasy with this fun prohibition-era décor; all you need to transform a boring venue into a clandestine bar is a few quirky prohibition signs, gambling tables, and fabulous twenties or thirties era costumes.
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“These gorgeous speakeasy bottles are perfect for your bar!”
25. Your Favorite Color

The simplest and easiest theme is to decorate your venue with items in your favorite color or a color pallet that appeals to you, especially if you are besotted with it!
But don’t stop there, have fun creating a few signature cocktails, a delicious showstopper cake, and if needs be – specify your color dress code so you don’t end up with rainbow-colored friends.
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“These vintage cocktail glasses are simply fabulous!”
You only turn 21 once, so make the most of it!
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