May you have the very best May ever! May is one of the most exciting months of the year. It is a great time for May party themes that you will love. It is the end of the school year, but there are holidays in the month of May.
It doesn’t stop there! It is the perfect month to start looking forward to the summer time fun and planning parties. Many people go on vacations at the end of May starting on Memorial Day weekend.
The list of May party themes includes a variety of party themes for adults, teens, and kids.
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The Best Theme for a Party in May
Are you ready for the fun in the month of May? Let’s talk about all of the fun and easy May party themes. These party themes are perfect for this exciting month of May.
The best part about this month is that the themes are throughout the entire month. There is something for each part of the month. However, one of the party themes is the birthday day theme. If it is your birthday month, welcome to the club, it’s mine too!
Now on to the themes!
Here is the full list of themes and below there are descriptions and ideas for each.
- May Birthday Party
- Ice Cream Party
- Red Carpet
- Baby Shower
- Beach Party
- Bridal Shower
- Engagement Party
- Star Wars
- May the 4th Be with You
- Garden Party
- Mad Hatter Tea Party
- James Bond
- Harry Potter Party
- Wine Tasting
- Murder Mystery Party
- Cowboy Party with cowboy hats
- Graduation Party
- College Signing Party
- May Day
- Scavenger Hunt
- Girls Night
- Great Outdoors
- Great Gatsby
- Pool Party
- Cinco de Mayo
- Treasure Hunt
- Summer party
More great summer party ideas are found here in ultimate teen party ideas.
What is the Theme for May Birthday?
May birthday themes are such a fun way to celebrate the big birthday bash with your guests. Here are a some fun May birthday theme ideas:
- May the 4th be with you party
- Hawaiian Luau party
- Pool Party
- Summer Party
These May party themes for birthday lend themselves to a variety of party foods, decorations, and party activities.
May Party Themes for Adults
There are party themes for kids in May but there are also parties for adults in May as well! Let’s plan some really fun ideas for adult because grown ups need to have some fun too, right?
Here is a list of really great party ideas that are ideal for adults. Moreover, these are both traditional and also nostalgic.
- May the 4th be with you
- James Bond
- Cinco de Mayo
- Girls Night
- Wine Tasting
Be sure to check out all of the ways to create these parties.
May Themes for Work
Work party themes have a little different vibe for celebrations. A party at work can be fun but a little smaller and quicker. That’s why these parties are ideal for a work party, and they are perfect for break time.
- Summer Party
- Ice Cream Party
- Cinco de Mayo
Aren’t these are cute? It’s great to be able to have an excuse to get all of the office team together.
May Birthday Themes and Ideas
With May being one of the best months to have a party, it is the perfect time to grab one of these themes and ideas to create a fun party. Planning a party in May is an easy way to start the celebration time.
These May birthday themes and ideas are such a great list of party themes. I don’t know how you will choose because there are plenty of ideas. Maybe make a list for each year ahead to and have some fun to look forward to every single year of celebration!
May Birthday Party
Although September is the month with the most birthdays according to the census, May is certainly a month where you can have a creative party theme for your birthday.
First of all, May is one of the most exciting months to which most people look forward. The reason so may people love the month of May especially for a themed birthday party is because it leads directly into summer fun.
A May birthday party is so much fun for a party planner. The themes of outdoor ideas lend itself to unique party theme ideas that are not as possible other times of the year.
Here is a list of May birthday party themes:
- Cinco de Mayo birthday party
- Ocean themed party
- Beach themed birthday
- Star Wars birthday party
- May the 4th be with you theme
- Hawaiian Luau Party
There are many more birthday party ideas below.
Be sure to check them all out to get excited about May birthday party themes.
Ice Cream Party
An ice cream party is always fun especially when the weather starts warming up and it feels like summer. Of course, ice cream goes perfectly with cake aka birthday party food!
Red Carpet
It’s time to get creative with a movie night red carpet party.
Make the party guests feel like celebrities at your party by setting up the following:
- red carpet
- photo booth
- sun glasses
There is nothing better than to walk into a party as a guest and feel like a celebrity. Moreover, you can have some “golden globe” award trophies to give to each guest during the party or as a party favor. The trophy makes a cute prop for the photo booth as well.
Baby Shower
The flowers of spring and summer are the perfect vibes for a beautiful baby shower.
One of the cutest baby shower themes is a strawberry theme. This can also be used for a baby’s berry first birthday party idea as well.
Beach Party
The best way to get ready for the summer is to have a beach party theme! Decorate the beach party with the following theme ideas:
- palm trees
- beach balls
- sand buckets
Since you are in the beach theme, pairing a barbecue party menu is such an easy way to combine the theme with party favorites. Hot dogs and hamburgers on the grilling pit are great ideas and it also saves so much time.
Bridal Shower
When it gets to be wedding season, May is a great time to have a fun wedding shower to enjoy an outdoor party.
A white outdoor tent is a great idea because you can really enjoy the weather before the heat of the summer.
Additionally, another fun element of this party can be a ‘white linen’ party where all of the guests where their best white linen clothing color scheme. This idea comes from the white linen event in New Orleans each year.
Engagement Party
The happy couple is going to have the best time with a before summer engagement party celebration.
Have the party under a pavilion for a nice casual setting for an outdoor party in May. This type of event space is perfect for party decor in a variety of themes for the happy couple. In addition, if you have the party in the evening, hang string lights for a nice party setting.
My husband and I had a memorable party under a pavilion for our engagement party before we got married. It was a great celebration, and we had a lot of people there without being over crowded.
Star Wars
Of course, Star Wars fans love a party in May for “May the 4th Be With You” celebrations.
Have guests dress as their favorite character from Star Wars. This party is such a fun way to incorporate the Star Wars theme into the party snacks.
In addition, decorating for Star Wars has never been easier. There are tons of Star Wars party decorations available now.
More ideas:
- Host a Star Wars movie viewing party
- Create a star wars themed photo booth
- DIY star wars photo booth props
Be sure to check out the May the 4th Be With You ideas for more Star Wars themed fun.
May the 4th Be With You
It’s really time to celebrate with Star Wars fans with this May the 4th theme party! It seems like this theme just came about within the last few years.
It is such a great idea to have some fun with Chew Bacca and friends. You can really enjoy a good time gettng creative with food in theme. Here are a few ideas:
- Chew Bacca Oatmeal Cookies
- Darth Vader Quesadillas
- Light Saber Pretzel Rods
Enjoy the creative liberty in making fun snacks with this theme. From kids to adults, guests will absolutely love everything about it.
Garden Party (Tea Party)
These Ideas for an Afternoon Tea are the best themes to have for a garden party in May. In the month of May, the season is getting greener and the flowers are blooming. A garden party is a great way to celebrate this month.
There are so many tea party ideas, but some of my favorites are:
- Setting a special menu of macarons, tea cakes, and fresh fruit.
- Including a variety of tea options, and juice for the kids
- Encouraging a special dress code such as wearing a sun hat
The setting of the month of May will be the best time for a garden party theme.
Mad Hatter Tea Party
Take a walk into Wonderland in May with a Mad Hatter Tea Party theme. This full list of Wonderland themed tea party ideas feature all of the whimsical details you will love.
If you like unique party themes, the Mad Hatter tea party theme is ideal for the guest of honor. The theme lends itself to having mismatched tea sets, and mixed patterns of table settings.
For example, you can go to a thrift shop and purchase fun unique tea set finds. All of your guests can compare their very individualized table setting. In addition, the table cloth patterns can be a mix of floral and plaid.
James Bond Party
If you like to go glam, a James Bond themed party is great for your May party ideas. From 007 to Charlie’s Angels, the James Bond themed party is a fun party to plan.
Know someone with a cool sports car? The best photo opportunities are black tie dress up in front of a sports car. Imagine the fun memories and unique photos you can create with this spy themed party.
Harry Potter Party
Fans of wizards and imagination, behold the best May party idea. The epic Harry Potter party is a party theme that gets your creative wheels turning. Invite guests to dress as their favorite Harry Potter character. Serve party food that fits the Harry Potter theme.
These ‘smart cookies’ from Nerdy Nummies are such a cute idea for a Harry Potter themed party.
Wine Tasting
Feel like you are at a vineyard, or if you really are near a vineyard, have a party! What a great idea for a wine tasting May party theme idea. A wine tasting party can include your favorite wine varieties and a variety of grazing boards and charcuterie board.
Murder Mystery Party
Want to have a mystery to solve? A Murder Mystery May Party is so much fun. Create the element of surprise by solving a live mystery. These murder mystery party ideas can easily fit perfectly into your May party theme ideas.
If you like to have a dress code for party guests, this is the one to make that happen. The murder mystery theme is set in a variety of time eras. Have guests dress up according to the era that the mystery theme is set.
Cowboy Party
It’s time to have a western theme May party. So grab your cowboy hats, cowboy boots, and country music and have a great time.
For a cowboy party, you will need a dance floor. Guests want to line dance to their favorite songs. Moreover, a fun idea is to have a line dance leader at the party to help guests that may not be familiar with the dance.
Western wear has gained a lot of popularity and country music has become more main stream. Therefore, guests will absolutely be excited to be invited to this May cowboy party.
Graduation Party
Of course, graduation party time is in May. This is also when the college signing time comes to a close and students get excited.
There is something important to remember before the party… the gift wish list for the graduate. If you graduate is going off to college, be sure to set up a wish list of a registry of items they will need for their dorm room.
Guests will want to send the graduate off with a gift, so having a registry to make it easy is a great way to make it available. Amazon has a place to easily make a registry.
In addition, having a Venmo account set up is another idea for giving guests an easy way to give a gift to the graduate.
College Signing Party
While we are talking about graduation, let’s talk about a college signing party. Whether your student is signing for an academic scholarship, a sports team, or the band, having a great college signing table is important.
Celebrate the special occasion with lots of college themed logo items to personalize the event. In addition cupcakes dedicated to the student of honor are a must.
May Day
Since it is the month of May, one party idea that comes to mind is a May Day celebration. May Day is on May 1st and marks the beginning of Spring. However, depending on where you live, the season can look a little different.
The perfect May Day celebration should have lots of fresh fruits and vegetables since it is a season of blooming. Speaking of blooming, flowers are a special item to highlight in this party theme.
Scavenger Hunt
When it comes to good weather and outdoor space activities, a scavenger hunt is a great idea and a fun party theme.
These outdoor party ideas are ideal to go along with a scavenger hunt theme.
Hunt for clues at each scavenger hunt location. Kids love this theme and element of surprise when they find all of the clues and solve the puzzle.
Girls Night Gathering for Adults
Of course, a girls night gathering is the perfect party theme for any time of year. However, the May party theme is a fun time to have an adult girls night dinner party or combine this with a wine tasting night as well.
In addition to the wine tasting, here are some fun ideas for cooking classes for an adult girls night. Some fun ideas are making charcuterie boards together and learning to cook a delicious couple’s meal.
Great Outdoors Party
Did you ever see the movie The Great Outdoors? This movie is a fun way to celebrate the great outdoors with a movie night featuring the great outdoors.
An outdoor movie along with a campfire is one of the best party themes to have a casual party at home. Don’t forget the s’mores treats to go along with your campfire and movie.
One of the favorite themes for a great outdoors party is a camping theme. This theme is a great for the whole family to gather and have fun with elements of camping such as a backyard party games and even a camp fire to roast marshmallows.
The Great Gatsby
Why the Great Gatsby? In the novel The Great Gatsby, May serves as a backdrop to the extravagant Jazz Age parties that were hosted by Gatsby’s mansion.
So how can we make this into a party theme? Here are a few ideas:
Ask guests to follow a fancy dress code. Some examples of this is jazz style and jazz era theme, for example, roaring 20’s style.
Combine this with a mystery dinner party theme, and you have a winning combination.
Pool Party
With the warm weather coming in May, a pool party is the most refreshing classic party theme. Grab the beach ball, pool towel, and flip flops, and head over to the pool party.
It’s finally warm enough for a pool party! One easy way to plan a party menu for a pool party is to plan it around items for grilling.
When the party is outdoors, you will want to have cook outdoors as well to enjoy the party together. So grab the hot dog and hamburger buns, the grilling meat, and some great side dishes to boot!
Movie Night
Set up a movie night for an indoor or outdoor movie entertainment evening. Hosting a movie night is a really easy way to get guests together to celebrate your May party.
For an indoor movie, it’s easy to pop the movie up on the screen and make some popcorn.
However, an outdoor movie is not difficult but does require some special equipment like a projector and a movie screen.
For both indoor and outdoor movie, set up a popcorn flavor bar where guests can garnish their popcorn with popcorn flavorings and other items such as m&m’s, pretzel sticks, or even dried fruit like raisins.
Create your snack table with movie themed food ideas.
Treasure Hunt
A treasure hunt is a great party theme for an adventurous kids party in May. To create the treasure hunt theme, start by making a map with a variety of places on the map to find clues.
At the end of the treasure hunt, be sure to have something special for the group such as a treasure chest of toys or chocolate gold coin candies.
Summer Party
It’s like the Will Smith song, summer summer summer time…a summer party is one of the BEST themed party ideas. When kids are getting out of school for the summer, it doesn’t take much to get them excited.
A summer themed party is one to remember that will create memories for a lifetime. Not only that, but a summer party is a great way to get together before everyone goes on their separate ways.
Many kids are going off to summer camps and summer vacations, so it is the perfect party to send everyone off for their summer experiences.
Planning a Summer Party in May
How perfect is a summer party in May? A summer party in May will bring out the colorful setting of the birthday party.
Here are some great decoration ideas for a summer party in May:
- Palm Trees
- Sunglasses
- Beach Balls
- Flowers
- Watermelon
- Flip Flops
A summer party in May is easy to show the bright colors of summer like hot pink and bright yellow to represent all of the fun in the sun. In addition, the water and ocean themes are great ideas for summer themed parties. These ocean themed snack ideas using fresh fruit and more are perfect for your summer party in May.
The Barbie Beach theme is also the perfect theme for little girls birthday parties in May. The bright pink snacks and fun decorations are reminiscent of the Barbie movie. In addition, the Barbie movie theme is a cute idea for a movie night in May as well.
Spring Party Themes in May
May is the best time of year to for spring party themes. The weather is just getting warm enough to enjoy the outdoors with party themes in anticipation of the summer.
Here are some great spring party themes for kids to kick off the end of school season:
- Host a Treasure Hunt
- Summer Party Theme
- Ice Cream Social
- Spring Time Tea Party
- Beach Party Theme
All of these party themes are perfect for kids of all ages. May is the perfect month to have that almost mid-year celebration and enjoy the season of spring together.