How to Host a 70s Theme Party: 48 Groovy Ideas

A 70s theme party is the grooviest way to celebrate anything from a milestone birthday to an engagement or anniversary. And the best place to start when planning your 70s theme party is the music – we’ve rounded-up the grooviest tracks from the decade below.

Next, set the scene with appropriately funky attire (yes, we’re talking bell bottoms and bold prints!) and some disco-themed decorative touches. Trust us, with some disco balls and a lava lamp or two you’ll have instant Saturday Night Fever vibes.

Throw in some devilled eggs and a cheese fondue and you’ll feel as though you’ve stepped back in time to one of the most cool and colourful times in history. Groovy baby!

The simplest way to bring the era to your event is with a groovy 70s playlist, including the most iconic hits of the decade. Below, you’ll find our pick of the best party-starting songs. All you’ll need to do next is pick a 1970s theme band, soul and funk band or a DJ to play them. Or just stick them on a Spotify playlist.

1. Disco Inferno – The Trammps

2. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Elton John

3. Blame It in the Boogie – The Jacksons

4. September – Earth, Wind & Fire

5. Night Fever – Bee Gees

6. Le Freak – CHIC

7. Shake Your Groove Thing – Peaches & Herb

8. Rock the Boat – Hues Corporation

9. I Love to Love – Tina Charles

10. Love Train – The O’Jays

11. Good Times – CHIC

12. Are You Ready for Love? – Elton John

13. Heart of Glass – Blondie

14. Lost in Music – Sister Sledge

15. Sir Duke – Stevie Wonder

16. The Hustle – Van McCoy

17. You Should be Dancing – Bee Gees

18. If I Can’t Have You – Yvonne Elliman

19. Play That Funky Music – Wild Cherry

20. He’s the Greatest Dancer – Sister Sledge

21. I’m So Excited – The Pointer Sisters

22. That’s the Way (I Like It) – KC & The Sunshine Band

23. Rock Your Baby – George McCrae

24. Daddy Cool – Boney M.

25. You’re the First, The Last, My Everything – Barry White

26. Yes Sir, I Can Boogie – Baccara

27. Dancing Queen – ABBA

28. Funky Town – Lipps Inc.

29. Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now – McFadden & Whitehead

30. Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) – The Jacksons

Dressing in 1970s inspired fashion will not only get you in the mood to party, but it will also help to set the scene and amuse your guests! From donning a Farah Fawcett style wig to pulling on a pair of flares, there are plenty of ways to nail the look. Find our best outfit tips below.

• Draw inspiration from 70s icons – do you have a favourite musician or actor from the era? Look to their style for ideas. There is a wealth of different styles to choose from such as the laid-back bohemian vibes of Joni Mitchell to the glamour of disco diva Diana Ross. If rock ’n’ roll is more your thing, look to David Bowie, Led Zeppelin or Queen.

• Choose vibrant shades – the 1970s was a colourful era filled with bright prints and daring designs. Don’t be afraid to go bold with reds, yellows and purples and pair colours such as orange and brown for an authentic retro feel.

• Consider silhouette – to get a 70s look in an instant, find a pair of flared jeans or trousers. High waisted designs were the most popular, so put your more modern low waisted designs to one side. Ladies can pair bell bottoms with bell sleeve blouses, while gents can wear bright patterned shirts, undone to just above the navel. Mini skirts and dresses were also popular styles.

• Accessorise to the max – from baker boy style hats to chunky belts and bold sunglasses, 70s fashion icons believed more was more! Take a leaf from their book and finish your look with some bold details.

Want your guests to feel as though they’ve stepped through a time machine? Whether you’re hosting at home or in a nearby venue, incorporating some of the decorative ideas below will have party goers feeling as though they’ve been transported to the 1970s disco scene!

• Disco balls – when we think of the 70s, many of us picture the disco scene of Saturday Night Fever. To get an instant 2001 Odyssey Disco feel, you can’t go wrong with a disco ball (or several!). Ideally your venue will already have some in situ but if not, you can pick some up for less than a tenner on Amazon. Hang them at varying heights for maximum impact.

• Retro reminders – give your guests a blast from the past with a 70s themed party banner, like this one from Etsy. From vinyl records to roller skates and retro TV shows, this banner will remind guests of the style and popular culture of the time and serve as a fun talking point.

• Lava lamps – a 1970s design scheme was simply not complete without a lava lamp or two! So, why not dot some around your party venue? You can buy them for as little as £10 from Dunelm and the rainbow shades will add guaranteed groovy vibes!

• Beaded backdrops – doors were so uncool in the 1970s, you know. Instead, the most stylish homes sported beaded curtains in their place. Use a beaded curtain to create an authentically 1970s party entrance or, if that’s not possible, hang a beaded curtain against a wall and use it as a backdrop for party photos.

• Light it up – disco fever took hold of the 70s in a major way and one way to inject some disco glamour into your bash is with a light-up dance floor, which can be hired for the occasion. You can also create the right ambience with professional lighting, something many of our DJs provide as part of their service – along with the perfect soundtrack for the evening of course!

A party is not complete without party food and snacks. When it comes to catering your 70s theme party, we suggest taking a look at some retro cookbooks, where you’ll find a whole host of throwback delights. If you’re running short on time, don’t sweat it, we’ve rounded-up some easy ideas below.

• Cheese fondue – while this is an undeniably 1970s food, cheese fondue is actually experiencing a major comeback right now – and not just at European ski resorts. In fact, supermarkets stock ready-made fondue, so all you’ll need to do is sort the skewers and the crusty bread – easy!

• Mini prawn cocktail bowls – bowl food has become a serious event catering trend, in fact Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are rumoured to have served up bowl food at their 2018 wedding reception. Put on a royally good spread of your own with mini prawn cocktail bowls, garnished with a wedge of lemon.

• Devilled eggs – with some mayo, spring onions, mustard and chives, you can jazz up some boiled eggs in no time and create these retro delights. These bite size snacks are a great canapé option when seating is limited.

• Vol-au-Vents – these puff pastry cased treats are another fantastic canapé option for your 1970s themed party. Stuff ready-made pastry with a filling/s of your choice and serve with a herb garnish.

• Quiche Lorraine – another retro party favourite that’s quick and easy to serve. Buy it pre-made from the supermarket, cook and slice into bite-sized portions.

• Cheese and pineapple sticks – whether you grew up in the 70s or the early 00s, chances are you’ll have been served cheese and pineapple sticks at a party. Use a glacé cherry and a couple of grapes to create an authentic 70s style party hedgehog!

• Trifle – jelly, ladyfingers, custard, whipped cream, maraschino cherries and rainbow sprinkles, need we say more?! Serve up mini portions in bowls for guests to grab between dances.

• Black forest Gateau – if you’re feeling fancy, layer chocolate sponge, cherry jam and cream to create this 70s special occasion dessert. Top with fresh, pitted cherries for the final flourish. Running low on time? Order one from dessert specialist Patisserie Valerie, no one needs to know it’s not homemade!

• Tropical cocktails – fruity cocktails were all the rage in the 1970s and we think some of the best examples are the Piña Colada and the Tequila Sunrise. Featuring tropical fruits and flavours, these classic drinks will add colour to the bar and get give guests the courage to hit that dance floor!

With the most important touches taken care of, now is the time to brush-up on your disco dancing skills. Enjoy!