Hosting an Elvis party to celebrate the King of Rock and Roll is perfect for
* a birthday party
* a party for fans to commemorate Elvis’s birthday (January 8) or death (August 16),
* or a party for old or young Elvis fans anytime
Maybe you grew up listening to Elvis records or yelling at one of Elvis’ concerts. Maybe you’ll enjoy watching one of the King’s movies on late-night TV. Or maybe your child likes 1950s rock and roll music and emulating Elvis’s famous dance moves. An Elvis-themed party will liven up any group. There’s nothing like straight hair, a little karaoke and a lot of hip swaying to send your guests home smiling.
invites:
Send your Elvis-loving guests an invitation in the shape of a musical note or guitar. Be sure to tell them if they should dress as Elvis or in 1950s clothing: poodle skirts, ponytails, leather jackets, white T-shirts, etc.
Elvis party decoration:
Who better to greet your guests at the door than Elvis himself! Place a 5′ poster of the King on the front door or inside the front entrance. Give each guest a pair of Elvis glasses or, if you’re going all out, a black Elvis wig to wear.
Hang the LPs from the ceiling. Cover the “dance floor” (the floor of a living room or game room) with colorful balloons. Place posters or pictures of Elvis, Elvis movies, Elvis album covers, jukeboxes, guitars, microphones, or 1950s memorabilia on every wall. As a centerpiece, how about an inflatable standing microphone, an inflatable musical note or a guitar piñata?
(Or maybe you want to base your party on a particular Elvis movie or song, say “Blue Hawaii,” using tropical decor and having a luau.)
Activities:
Record Rolling: Have Elvis party guests see how far they can roll an LP across the floor (a hard surface). The winner receives a prize such as: a rock & roll bandana, Elvis window decorations or a “Blue Hawaii” car shade.
Freeze Frame – Play Elvis songs and get your guests dancing. Stop the song suddenly and have your guests “freeze” in that dance pose. Then the person who is “it” (perhaps a person wearing an Elvis wig) chooses the person whose pose most closely resembles Elvis’s and then puts on the wig and is “it”.
Jailhouse Rock: Teach your guests the dance steps of the 50s, such as the twist or the swing. You can even invite a dance instructor or friend to help you teach. Then allow plenty of time and space for your guests to try out their new moves!
Elvis Karaoke – Set up a karaoke machine ahead of time. For an extra touch, surround it with musical note lights. Have a wide selection of Elvis songs for guests to choose from. You can sing for fun or have a contest; the winner is the one who gets the most applause or the one who throws a few Elvis dance moves.
You can also choose to award a prize to each entrant: “Most Elvis-Like”, “Most Fun”, “Most Creative”, etc. (certificates, plastic trophies, or the same awards you used in the Record Roll game) Guitar Pinata – Fill a guitar pinata with a delicious candy mix, then blindfold guests to see who can break it!
Food:
Serve your guests one of Elvis’ favorites: peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Or bake sugar cookies in the shape of guitars or musical notes and let them decorate them. Paired with Elvis sunglasses, send your guests home with a gold crown or silver guitar necklace, a rock and roll bandana, or perhaps an Elvis “Born To Be King” CD.
Elvis party favors:
Paired with Elvis sunglasses, send your guests home with a gold crown or silver guitar necklace, a rock and roll bandana, or perhaps an Elvis “Born To Be King” CD.
By trying these ideas, you will throw a wonderful Elvis party. Have fun!