70th Birthday ideas for men
BY A PROFESSIONAL PARTY PLANNER
Ideas include:
Straight Outta My Sixties
70 AF
The Man, The Myth, The Legend
Manly Men Doing Things That Men Do
Keep Calm I’m Turning 70
The Silver Fox
Jack Daniels Whiskey Bash
Rhythm & Brews
Party Like Gatsby
Old Lives Matter
and more!
affiliate disclaimer
This post contains affiliate links so I may earn a small commission on any products purchases at no extra cost to you.
i’m matt james
professional event planner
welcome
CONTENTS
ON THIS PAGE
01 PARTY THEMES AND DECORATION PACKAGES
A selection of 70th birthday party themes and ‘out of the box’ party decoration packages for men.
02 More 70th BIRTHDAY PARTY IDEAS
Tips and suggestions for how to make the party as personal as possible.
03 GROUP ACTIVITY IDEAS
An alternative to a 70th birthday party; get a group together for an activity or experience.
in this section
01 PARTY THEMES AND DECORATION PACKAGES
the idea
THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND
What man doesn’t consider themselves a legend—at least in their own minds! So why not indulge them for one day of the year?
These fabric tapestries, below, available here, are an easy way to create a simple backdrop to a dessert or buffet table. I’ve arranged the text towards the top of the backdrop to allow space to position a table in front, as in the mock-up image above, but you can click on the blue ‘customize’ button to reposition the text however you like and change the name and/or colors.
I’d suggest hanging a metallic curtain, available here, in the same accent color as the text behind the backdrop to fill an entire wall. I always recommend concentrating the majority of decorations around a buffet / dessert table to create a focal point in the room.
Complete the look with a fitted table cover, available here, for a clean, modern feel and a few bunches of helium balloons either side and you won’t really need many more decorations.
Depending on your color scheme, I think balloons often look best when arranged in groups of three different colors, rather than two, for a softer, less candy-striped feel. You can buy them by color here, along with balloon weights and helium tanks, or check out some of the three-color balloon bouquets available here (just browse individual seller’s stores for your desired color bouquet).
Alternatively, if you’re on a tighter budget, you can create a smaller backdrop using a 3ft x 5ft banner like the one below, available here in vertical or horizontal.
Remember: If you use the tapestry as a backdrop for a dessert / buffet table to create a focal point for your decorations, it can also double as a photo booth backdrop later on. Just move the table out of the way once people are done eating and there’s enough blank space under the design for people to gather for photos; which will make a nice heading for all the shots.
You can also roll-out the same design across all your other party supplies, such as paper plates, beer and wine bottle labels, and paper napkins. Check out the full range here.
Below are some other products you can apply the design to, such as invitations, guest books, T shirts, and mugs. But you can also transfer the design to over 1,000 different products; everything from stickers and gift tags, to baseball caps and bags.
Just click on any of the products in the collection, such as this one here, scroll down to ‘Transfer this design onto another product’ and click on ‘View All Products’. Once applied to your chosen product, you might then need to use the blue ‘customize’ button to resize the design to the best fit for the product.
As you can see from the tapestry example below, you can also change the colors. Finally, although not part of the same collection, I also came across these The Man, The Myth, The Legend balloons and temporary tattoos, available here, and these cake toppers, available here, that you could also include with your decorations.
the idea
Through the years
A fun way to celebrate a 70th birthday is to adopt a ‘Through the Years’ theme by customizing party supplies with cute, funny, and embarrassing old photos of the birthday boy at different stages of his life.
These ‘Through the Years’ custom photo tapestries are great for decorating large areas and can be used as a dessert / buffet table backdrop. Check them out here.
Alternatively, use these vertical banners to decorate the entrance to your party. Find out more here.
Other ‘Through the Years’ style banners include these ‘Then & Now’ photo banners, available here, or these custom face garland banners, available here.
You can take same approach with other party decorations, such as these custom photo balloons, available here, and these photo collage invitations, see here.
These custom photo party hats are a fun party favor / ice-breaker to hand out to guests on arrival, check them out here.
You can also customize party plates with old photos, available here, scatter custom photo confetti on table tops, see here, or use these custom photo ‘This Kid is Turning…’ stickers to personalize napkins or party cups, available here.
These personalized paper napkins can be a fun way to include fun facts about the birthday boy/girl. There are options available with or without photos and you can customize the text and colors Check them out here.
THE IDEA
THE SILVER FOX
George Clooney, Anderson Cooper, Jon Stewart, Harrison Ford, Richard Gere….. if he’s feeling a little sensitive about his graying hair, what better way to remind him that he’s in pretty good company than by celebrating his 70th birthday with a Silver Fox party theme?
These fabric tapestries, available here, are a quick and easy way to create a backdrop to a dessert or buffet table that will create a focal point for your party decorations. The great thing about this design is that you can easily change the style of hair to resemble the look sported by the birthday boy. Just click on the blue ‘customize’ button, then select ‘icons’ on the far left hand side, and type ‘hair’ into the search box to choose the style you want.
As before, I’ve concentrated the design in the top half of the tapestry to leave space for a table in front, but if you prefer to have the design more centered, just click ‘customize’, then ‘select all’ from the ‘edit’ drop down menu in the top left corner to drag the design to your desired position. You can also change the colors and text according to your preference.
Complete the look by hanging a metallic foil curtain, available here in various colors, behind to fill an entire wall, along with a fitted table cover, available here, for a clean, modern look, and a few bunches of helium balloons either side .
I think balloons often look best when arranged in groups of three different colors, rather than two, for a softer, less candy-striped feel. You can buy them by color here, along with balloon weights and helium tanks, or check out some of the three-color balloon bouquets available here (just browse individual seller’s stores for your desired color bouquet).
Alternatively, if you’re on a tighter budget, you can create a smaller backdrop using a 3 ft x 5 ft banner like the one below, available here.
Remember: If you use the tapestry as a backdrop for a dessert / buffet table to create a focal point for your decorations, it can also double as a photo booth backdrop later on in the evening. Just move the table out of the way once people are done eating and there’s enough blank space under the design for people to gather for photos; which will make a nice heading for all the shots.
The same design can be applied to a range of party supplies, such as paper plates, napkins, beer and wine bottle labels, to theme the rest of your party. Check out the full range here.
Below are some other products you can apply the design to, such as invitations, guest books, T shirts, party hats, and mugs. But you can also transfer the design to over 1,000 different products; everything from stickers and gift tags, to baseball caps and bags.
Just click on any of the products in the collection, such as this one here, scroll down to ‘Transfer this design onto another product’ and click on ‘View All Products’. Once applied to your chosen product, you might then need to use the blue ‘customize’ button to resize the the design to the best fit for the product.
Below are some examples of how you can customize the design to include a beard if sported by the birthday boy. You can check out a collection of products here that features the design below or you can swap out the style of beard for a different one by clicking on the blue ‘customize’ button, then selecting ‘icons’ on the far left hand side, and typing ‘beard’ into the search box to choose the style you want.
THe idea
PARTY LIKE GATSBY
If you’re looking for something a little more sophisticated, a chic 1920’s / Great Gatsby theme never goes out of style—and it’s a great opportunity for everyone to dress up smart, drink champagne, and dance on the table (ok that last bit’s optional!).
There are lots of different Gatsby-style invitations available here, but my personal favorites are these printable ones pictured below. Just buy the digital file here, have it customized with your party details, and the artwork will be sent to you via email. Then just upload it here to have it printed onto invitations and shipped to you
In terms of decor, my advice is to concentrate the majority of your party decorations around a dessert / buffet table in order to create a focal point in the room.
You can buy digital files for Gatsby-style backdrops, such as the one above available here, but it can sometimes be difficult to find printers that can print them large enough, so an alternative would be to use one of the fabric tapestries available here or here. Complete the look with a gold metallic foil curtain, available here, and a black or gold fitted table cover, available here, for a clean, modern feel.
Remember: If you use the tapestry as a backdrop for a dessert / buffet table to create a focal point for your decorations, it can also double as a photo booth backdrop later on in the evening. Just move the table out of the way once people are done eating and people can gather in front of it for photos; which will make a nice background/heading for all the shots.
One of the things that typically sets a professionally-planned party apart from everyday ‘at home’ events is the attention to detail. It’s the clever little touches that tie everything together and give it a slick, professional look and feel that will create talking points that guests remember.
Often it’s just simple things like a welcome sign / banner at the entrance, personalized wine and beer labels, or food tent label cards on a buffet / dessert table that help elevate the party decor and make it feel more special—which is particularly fitting for a milestone birthday celebration.
For a Gatsby-theme you can buy these custom party signs as digital files, available here and then upload them here to have them printed as posters. These look great when put in a frame and displayed at the entrance to your party to welcome guests.
Also, check out these stylish personalized wine labels, available here, beer bottle labels, available here (along with lots of other cool Gatsby party accessories), and food tent cards, available here, to help you style your party like a pro.
These Gatsby-style printable signs are an easy way to add decorative touches to your party that will reinforce the theme. Check out the full range here. You can either print these yourself at home, or upload them here to have them professionally printed and shipped to you.
I always like to dot these around a party in places that guests will congregate, such as buffet tables, bar areas, cloakrooms, bathrooms etc. These look great in ornate or gold colored frames, which you can sometimes pick up cheaply here. Alternatively, you could display them on bars and buffet tables using freestanding acrylic sign holders, available here.
If you want to give your buffet table a elegant and stylish look but still use disposable party plates, these premium plates and cups look stunning and would work well for a stylish Gatsby theme, check them out here. Update: You can also pick these up here now too.
Alternatively, if you’re planning a sit-down dinner, these gold-painted laser-cut name place cards, available here, are only $5 each and would add a really special touch to each place setting.
For a fun party favor, these chocolate cigars can be printed with Gatsby-style labels or customized for any milestone birthday party. Check out all the options here. Once the party’s really got going, pull out these 1920’s / Gatsby-style photo-booth props, available here, to liven up your party photos.
Another fun way to decorate is to use these letter balloons to spell out your own phrases and slogans. You can buy these individually here (be careful about buying these on Amazon as there are lots of bad reviews about the cheap quality where they don’t stay inflated).
Update: I also came across some more letter balloon options, such as different colors and script style fonts, available here. Alternatively, you can buy the Gatsby-themed phrases shown below as a set, available here, along with these Art Deco style Mylar balloons. Finally, the latex Let’s Party Like Gatsby balloons are available here.
the idea
CHEERS AND BEERS TO 70 YEARS
There are plenty of guys who’d be more than happy to just celebrate their birthday with a few cold beers, so why not say ‘Cheers & Beers to Seventy Years!’
This design (customizable for any age) comes as digital files only, which you can print onto a number of different products. For example, the digital artwork for the invitation pictured below, available here, can be uploaded and printed onto a standard 5″ x 7″ invitation here. Similarly, the 3′ x 5′ banner pictured below, available here, can be uploaded and printed here.
Check out the full range of printable designs here, then check out compatible products to upload the designs to here (just remember to double check the products are available in the same sizes as the artwork designs before purchasing).
Other printables in the same collection include gift tags, coasters, candy bar wrappers, etc or for a T shirt with a similar design see here.
While not part of the same collection, there are several ‘Cheers & Beers to 70 years’ fabric tapestries, like the ones pictured below, available here and here that you can use as a backdrop to a dessert or buffet table when decorating.
They’re not customizable with the birthday boy’s name, but they’re still a cost effective way to decorate for a party—plus they can double as a photo booth backdrop for taking pics later in the evening.
Alternatively, there are two that are customizable for any age; the one with the two models in the picture below, available here, and the brown and orange one, available here.
As with the previous themes on this page, I’d suggest hanging a metallic foil curtain behind, available here, to fill an entire wall and using a fitted table cover, available here, for a clean, modern look.
Complete the scene with a few bunches of beer balloons, such as the ones below, either side of the dessert / buffet table. Check out all the options here.
There are lots of other ‘Cheers & Beers’ themed party products available, from banners, cake toppers, and photobooth props to party cups, plates, and napkins, many of which can be customized for any age. Check out all the options here.
Ok, so now you’ve decorated your Cheers & Beers party, it’s time to move on to the main event: beer tasting!
This beer tasting tableware kit, available here, would double as a great 70th birthday gift for a beer lover and can be used to taste different beers at the party.
Alternatively, you pick up printable tasting kits and scorecards for a beer tasting here.
Check out my ‘Party Food: Beer’ Pinterest board here for tips on pairing different beers with cheese, along with some beer-themed party food ideas such as the Beer Mac & Cheese, Bacon Beer Cheese Dip, and Beer Candied Bacon pictured below.
You can even extend the beer theme to the birthday cake with a traditional cake topper, available here, or one of these cool edible beer bottle cake toppers made of sugar, available here with your choice of brand label.
Ok, so he might not be the type of guy that’s very fussed about flowers or candy, but these are a couple of cute ideas to add a little wow-factor to your buffet / dessert table display.
Check out this tutorial for the Beer Mug o’Blooms, which couldn’t be simpler. You just fill a beer mug, available here, with amber colored acrylic rocks, available here, and arrange some white carnations in oasis on top.
Alternatively, if he’s got a sweet tooth, fill the beer mugs with yellow jelly beans, available in bulk here, then top with some white ones for the foam, available here.
Finally, if you’re looking for a 70th birthday gift for a beer fan, there are loads of great personalized beer flight sets available here, including this quirky test-tube style one pictured below, available here.
the idea
Beers to you
If you want a more convenient alternative to the ‘Cheers & Beers’ printables above, this ‘Beers to You’ theme is a good ready-to-ship solution.
Update 2023: The seller of these items has temporarily ceased trading so the links below have been disabled. I do not know when or if they will return.
This personalized ‘Brew Tour’ photo backdrop, available here, is an alternative to the fabric tapestries which you can set up next to a bar or buffet / dessert table to use as a focal point for your party decorations.
Alternatively, check out the full range of ‘Beers to You’ party supplies, available here, which includes various banners, both horizontal and vertical, which you can use to decorate. Note that these can be customized for any age.
In addition to banners, there are a number of beer themed table covers, runners, and toppers—customizable for any age and some of which can be personalized with a photo of the birthday boy. If you’re going to include a photo, I always think it’s more fun to use an old photo from when they were a child that friends might not have seen.
The range also includes beer tasting equipment, such as tasting placemats and beer flight sets, as well as food presentation accessories, such as these tin buckets for snacks, which is a good way to add to the rustic ‘no frills’ style of a beer tasting.
the idea
JACK DANIELS
If he’s more of a whiskey fan, why not throw him a Jack Daniels themed bash?
The official looking backdrop shown below, which cannot be customized, is available here. Alternatively, there are a couple of similar ones available here that can be customized with the birthday boy’s name and your choice of text.
Remember: If you use a tapestry as a backdrop for a dessert / buffet table to create a focal point for your decorations, it can also double as a photo booth backdrop later on in the evening. Just move the table out of the way once people are done eating and people can gather in front for photos; which will make a nice backdrop/heading for all the shots.
If you’re not too fussed about customizing your backdrop, there are also a couple of other tapestries, such as the ones below, that use a similar style but the text is fixed so can’t be personalized beyond the month/year featured. Click here to see all vintage style wall tapestries.
There are a couple of Jack Daniel’s style invitations, available here, which can be customized with your own text.
There are also some Jack Daniel’s printable party supplies, available here, and various Jack Daniel’s style T shirts, available here and here, that would make a great 70th birthday gift for a whiskey lover.
For more Jack Daniel’s decorations, check out balloons here, or this cool pennant banner available here.
These printable signs are cost-effective way to decorate your party. Place them on bars and buffet tables or anywhere guests will congregate, such as cloakrooms and bathrooms. Check out the full range here.
Similarly, there are various printable welcome signs, labels, stickers, and centerpiece sticks that can be customized with the birthday boy’s name. Click on the images below to see each one.
There’s also a range of customizable plates, cups, napkins, and coaster that, while are shown in these examples for a wedding, can be adapted for a 70th birthday party. Check them out here.
Check out my Jack Daniel’s party food Pinterest board here for recipes such as the ones below for Jack Daniel’s Mac and Cheese, Jack Daniel’s Burgers, Jack Daniel’s Glazed Chicken Meatballs, Whiskey Pecans, and lots more.
For a quick fix, there are plenty of Jack Daniel’s seasonings, rubs, and sauces available to spice up regular party food—there’s even Jack Daniel’s chocolates, fudge, coffee, and nuts. Check them out here, or for Jack Daniel’s hampers and gourmet gifts see here.
I came across these cool Jack Daniel’s cupcakes online and while I couldn’t find the original source or recipe, you could easily create something similar yourself by using these customizable edible frosting sheet toppers, available here, with a shot of Jack Daniels on the side using these pipettes, available here.
Alternatively, check out these amazing edible Jack Daniels bottle cake toppers, available here.
the idea
CHEERS TO 70 YEARS
I just love how chic and sophisticated this color scheme is for a man’s 70th birthday. The range includes invitations, banners, door signs, centerpiece sticks, cake toppers, party signs, wine and beer labels, and lots more—all of which can be customized for any age.
Check out all the options here (see the full product list in right hand column by clicking ‘Learn more about this item’).
These banners, centerpiece sticks, cake toppers, and wine labels are just a selection of some of the products available.
The range also includes cupcake toppers, garland banners, gift tags, and food tent / name cards.
These centerpiece sticks can be customized for any milestone birthday.
the idea
70 AF
So he’s turning 70. There’s no point trying to hide it. Fly the flag and wear it with pride with this 70 AF party theme.
This design can be applied to a range of different products to kit out your party. To do this, click on one of the products that features the design, such as this T shirt here, scroll down to ‘Transfer this design onto another product’ and click on ‘View All Products’.
Once the design has been applied to your chosen product, you might then need to use the blue ‘customize’ button to resize the design to the best fit for the product. Note that I moved the 70 AF nearer to the top of the tapestry to allow space to position a table in front without it obscuring the design.
I’d suggest adding it to a ‘tapestry’, shown below, to use as a backdrop to a dessert / buffet table, which will create a focal point for your decorations. I’d recommend hanging a metallic silver foil curtain, available here, behind to fill an entire wall.
Complete the look with a fitted table cover, available here, for a clean, modern feel and a few bunches of helium balloons either side and you won’t really need many more decorations. You can buy them by color here, along with balloon weights and helium tanks, or check out some of the three-color balloon bouquets available here (just browse individual seller’s stores for your desired color bouquet).
Alternatively, if you’re on a tighter budget, you can create a smaller backdrop by applying the design to a ‘banner’ like the 3ft x 5ft one below.
Remember: If you use a tapestry as a backdrop for a dessert / buffet table to create a focal point for your decorations, it can also double as a photo booth backdrop later on in the evening. Just move the table out of the way once people are done eating and there’s enough blank space under the design for people to gather for photos; which will make a nice background/heading for all the shots.
You can also roll-out the same design across all your other party supplies, such as paper plates, beer and wine bottle labels, and paper napkins. Just follow the instructions above to transfer the design onto any product.
It’s these simple little touches that tie everything together that will give your party a slick, professional feel—and it’s the kind of attention to detail that guests notice.
In addition to party supplies, you can also add the design to some fun 70th birthday gifts, from guest books and T shirts, to baseball caps and mugs. While not part of the same collection, there are also various 70 AF balloons in black, gold, and silver, available here, which would also work well with this party theme.
There’s also a similar design, available here, in gold and black. Just follow the same instructions above to transfer it onto different party supplies.
If you go with the gold option there are lots of Seventy / Old AF party supplies available here, while, while not part of the same collection, you could probably still use together.
the idea
BEST 70th EVER
If you’re looking for a simple yet stylish look for your party, without it being too themed, this out-of-the-box Best Day Ever range is a great option—plus you can customize it with names, photos, and even by changing the colors.
Update 2023: The seller of these items has temporarily ceased trading so the links below have been disabled I do not know when or if they will return.
Check out the full range here, which includes invitations and this custom photo-booth backdrop, shown below, which would make a great focal point for your decorations.
Just line a section of wall with a metallic foil curtain, available here from the same supplier, and position the backdrop in the center. I’d recommend using either a silver foil curtain or one that matches whichever accent color you choose in the customization phase (shown here in pastel green, which you can change).
Alternatively, you could position this double width photo-booth backdrop (available here to customize with any age or color) behind a buffet or dessert table to create a display wall that will serve as a focal point. Because the text on this one is higher up, it leaves plenty of space to position a table underneath. Later in the evening, you can clear the table away and use it as a photo-booth backdrop to capture pics of all the guests.
On the other hand, instead of using a photo backdrop as the focal point, you could also use the 3 ft tall 7-0 numbers shown below, available here, as a centerpiece on a dessert or buffet table with the foil curtain behind them.
This design includes options to customize certain products, like banners and plates, with photos of the birthday boy, but remember, you don’t have to use a present-day photo. Sometimes, when celebrating a milestone birthday, it’s more fun to include an old photo of them as a young boy—especially as some friends probably won’t know what he looked like back then.
Some products, like the plates, come in packs of 8, so you could even order several packs, each with a different photo of the birthday boy at different stages of his life.
Remember you can also use the ‘customize it’ button to change the accent color in most of the products in order to fit with your preferred color scheme.
continue to page 2
more 70th birthday ideas for men
