Good birthday party ideas for sweet 16th?

You could still have a nice more formal than not party. Cook some nice food, or even get some pizzas ( the contrast with some dressier cloths would be kinda funny). Appatizers. music. Trival Pursuit, Pictionary, etc. (I don’t know if that is hip with your crowd, usually if you set the formal side people are open to it and then it gets fun). Maybe have set up a video game system if you have one. A movie if you have some. Just a nice gathering of the friends that mean a lot to you as you turn 16.

Plan a scavenger hunt through a cool part of your city. Take a limo, or just meet in a cool spot, pass out a list of odd things to do or find (take a pic with a mounted officer, ask a stranger for a bite of his/her meal, etc.), and break group into teams. Agree of a place to meet when everyone’s done, then sit and eat a nice dinner (everyone pays his/her bill if need be. Have a cool prize for the winning team, like gift cards to a movie theatre.

The best 16 party I ever attended included:

Pizzas hamburguers and hot dogs
Beer (we don’t have the drinking age problem down here)
Sodas
Trance music
and friends
I had a formal party when I turned 23, that one included champagne, martinis, mediterranean food, and friends, don’t try to grow up that fast :)

What are your hobbies?
What do you and your friends usually do?
How many were you planning on inviting?
Is it going to be a mixed group of guys and girls?
Where do you live? (ie city, suburb, city, etc.)
What’s your budget?

I would first ask your parents what kind of budget you have for this. With the economy going down the toilet fast, you may be thinking blow-out, but end up with dinner for your family, or something at home. Please be sensitive to what’s going on.

pool party in a hotel. one room for girls; one for guys. chaperones.

rent a small bar or club for a few hours in the afternoon and have a dance party.

Go out for manicures/pedicures with some girlfriends? (If you are into that kind of girlie stuff, that is.)

When I was a teenager, my friends (guys and girls) and I occasionally had “dinner parties”. You had to dress up, but it wasn’t formal. Actual dinner food served at an actual sit-down table, with nice place settings. Wine glasses for our sodas/water, candles, nice music, etc. I know, we were a little geeky, but we had the best time.

@augustian, that reminds me of the time we did a murder mystery dinner! We bought a kit at Something to Do, which contained the menu, characters, and scripts for each character that were in sealed envelopes. Only the murderer knew who he was. We came in costume, it was loads of fun.

@AlfredaPrufrock—that does sound really fun. :P Was it hard to plan? I kinda want something like that now, to keep them occupied without any entertainment or anything.
Well, first of all, my budget—> i want it nice.. but trying to be a little cheap. Maybe a ‘semi’- formal dinner. I’m thinking… about $100+ but i’m not sure, i think i’ll be spending my own money, and also this birthday party is shared with my other friend, so she’ll be paying half the costs.
Semi—> as in not tooo formal, but dress up… but with not so formal food and stuff. Maybe i’ll be renting a place in a hotel or something, for a few hours. My friend can get us 50% off for pita’s, so i was thinking maybe a few platters of pita’s. but what else could i get for food, i’m also thinking punch for drinks and just setting up a big table for them to get stuff. just chill around and maybe a fun game to keep them not bored. (scavenger hunt between partners/ dates, or that murder mystery thing)

@Nimis
I’m not sure how many i’m planning on inviting yet, probably not too much, because of costs and all. maybe about 20.. or more or less. and i’d like it to be mixed.
Uhh i live in a city..

The murder dinner was really easy to do; it came in a box. If your friends like to do creative things, they’ll really get into it.

Check out www.dinnerandamurder.com

@Alfreda Thanks. :P

@Alfreda – About how much does the box thing cost?
@gimmedat – I also like ur scavenger hunt idea around the city.

The online version runs $39

A friend of mine did a “Hollywood” theme for her 16 year old daughter, with the birthday girl as the star. You could act as if it’s the premiere of a movie, and make the invitations look like a movie ad… starring you! Or they could be tickets. Decorate the house like a movie theatre, make lots of popcorn, and have plenty of DVDs ready to watch later in the evening. Don’t forget to make a “grand entrance”!

Dressing up would be fun. But I’m guessing not everyone will have something fancy to wear and will have to go shopping for it. You could make that part of your party. Most cities will have a lot of great vintage stores.

When you’re all dressed up, you’ll definitely want to document it. Get one of your friends to photograph your group romping around the city. Even mundane places can be fun when you’re all dressed up.

You can even make it into a game. Have everyone write a photo assignment for another person. Maybe someone has to take a picture at the grocery store while holding as many oranges as they can. Or trying to walk up and order at a drive through. Or help a stranger fold their laundry at the laudromat. Kind of like a mix of scavenger hunt, truth or dare (really just the dare part) and a photo shoot.

If you’re tired of being city kids, you would have an outdoor tea party at the local park. While you’re at the vintage store, find an old vintage sofa and plop it on the grass. Find an old chandelier and hang it from a tree branch. Ask all of your friends to pick out a teacup and saucer for you. You’ll have a lovely mismatched tea set for your birthday.

Have fun and happy early birthday!

@Nimis Very creative!!