Updated on: Aug 31, 2024
Putting the finishing touches on an Olympic celebration party? We’ve got you covered with menu ideas, games, activities, and even favors for your guests. It’s easy to put together a party when you have the help of a great list of ideas. Use our budget worksheet to help you manage your party expenses.
Olympic Celebration Menu Ideas
Every party needs food, and you can choose food that emphasizes your theme. Simply consider adding some creative tie-ins to the typical party foods everyone expects. Here are some ideas to add to give your party a real Olympic fee.
1. Sports Drinks
Athletes are known for drinking sports drinks and you can add an athletic feel to your party by offering a variety of flavors to your guests. By providing your guests with Gatorade, Powerade, and other sports drinks you can make them feel like they are part of the action.
2. International Dishes
Showing the spirit of international cooperation is easy when you incorporate food from the participating countries on your menu. Either choose your favorites or branch out and expose yourself and your guests to things you haven’t tried before. This article by the Food Network gives a few great ideas to help you plan your menu and to help serve your guests with different specialties or delicacies from different countries around the world.
3. Olympic Rings
One way to tie in decor and food is to create a beautiful display of “Olympic” onion rings. You can shape them on the platter like the official rings, or simply make a sign explaining the significance.
4. Cultural Cocktails
If your party has a primarily adult guest list, you can serve some interesting international cocktails. This can be as easy or elaborate as you like. An easy way would be to buy some international beers to offer in place of the traditional American fare. Or you can get creative and look up some unique cocktail favorites from around the world. Another tie-in is to serve alcohol popular in different countries like vodka from Russia and soju from Korea.
5. Gold Medal Cake
The best parties have great sweet treats. One way to tie into your theme would be to make a “Gold Medal” cake. Simply make a round cake, frost it in gold icing (use gold food coloring to tint your icing), and write USA or Olympics to finish off the look. For a larger party, you could make three and use silver and bronze frosting to make the set complete.
6. Award Winning Cookies
Another theme dessert option is cookies shaped like the Olympic medals. By using a cookie-cutter made to look like a medal, you can easily make individual treats or even great favors for your guests to take home.
Olympic Celebration Party Games and Activities
Source: Pixabay
What’s a party without some games and activities to entertain your guests? Even if you are hosting a watch party around a specific Olympic event, having things for your guests to do is always a good idea. By adding in some Olympic games of your own, you can even create an atmosphere of friendly competition of your own.
7. Olympic Photo Booth
Who doesn’t want to see themselves on the podium at the Olympic games? With this photo backdrop, it’s easy to set up a booth for your guests to feel like they are winners! Add some props like these medals and you have a fun activity that also doubles as a party favor for your guests to remember the event by.
8. Crazy Olympics
Create crazy activities in which your guests can compete. These can range from pie eating to who can balance an egg on a spoon the longest. After your guests compete, give them medals based on who came in first, second, or third. This might require some extra setup and clean-up, but your guests will have a blast and it will surely set your party apart from the rest!
9. DIY T-shirts
Have your guests make their own t-shirts to celebrate the Olympics! Set aside a table with a blank white shirt as well as stencils, fabric markers, and paints. Then, award the person who made the most creative shirt. If your guests are having trouble coming up with ideas, print out some Olympic pictures (of the torch, rings, etc.) and have them lying around at the table to inspire them!
10. Backyard Gymnastics
If you have a trampoline, you can set up your own version of backyard gymnastics. Simply let your guests go on the trampoline and show their skillful gymnastics routines. After each guest takes their turn on the trampoline, judge them to see whose tricks were the best.
11. Track and Field
You can set up your own track and field events for your guests to compete in. Either make sure they require some skill - like three-legged races or using a blindfold and a rope for a bigger challenge - or use the traditional Olympic events like relay races, high jumps, or throwing contests. Give the guests medals for first, second, and third place.
12. Marathon Events
If you want to keep your awards down to one set, simply plan a marathon or decathlon in which your guests can compete with relatively easy sports. For example, you can start with Frisbee throwing activity, move to slip and slide races, then go swimming and finish with a dance-off. Don’t forget to have your awards ready.
13. Re-enact your favorite Olympic events
Have the guests and the kids reenact their favorite Olympic event or moment! For example, they can take turns being the athlete and even the commenter. You can make this as fun as you want! Add some decorations to make it festive.
14. Host an Opening Ceremony Celebration
The opening ceremonies are one of the most exciting parts of the Olympics. This is the part that everyone looks forward to. This activity can also involve some fun decorations.
Olympic Celebration Favors
One of the most fun parts of the Olympics is cheering for your own country. If you want your guests to take the feeling of pride and inspiration home with them, offer them Olympic themes favors. Here is a list of some Olympic celebration party favor ideas.
15. Team USA
One way to foster that USA spirit is to give your guests Team USA swag. Shirts, flags, or banners of the USA sports team make great favor ideas! You can either make these yourself or buy them for your guests. Your guests will love the fact that they can support their Team USA in the Olympics.
16. International Flags
Another good idea is to foster the international spirit of the games by giving your guests stick flags from various countries that are competing in the Olympics. This is a good way to expose your guests to different countries competing. This can also be a way to let your guests know which table they belong to. Simply give each guest a flag of their own and have them find the table with a matching flag.
17. Olympic Memorabilia
Give your guests things by which to remember the Olympics! You can do this by handing them posters of Olympic athletes, or a compilation of music that was played throughout the Olympics. You can also give them stickers with Olympic logos.
Olympic Party Decorations
Source: Unsplash
This is your time to gear up and get crafty! You can make this celebration as fun and festive as you would like with both store-bought decorations and some fun DIY projects.
18. Olympic Torches
Some examples of creative and fun decorations can be making Olympic torches. You can do this by using a simple paper towel tube and decorating them like torches.
19. International Flags
You can use international flags as your decor on the walls. You can even have table cloths with International flags on them.
20. Olympic Rings
Use the Olympic rings as your color scheme. Blue, yellow, green, black, and red. You can use these colors in just about everything. Ranging from balloons, flowers, table decor, and some tinsel. You can get as crafty as you want with decorating your celebration.
21. Festive Plates
This is simple yet so fun. Begin with printing out any olympian, or Olympic appropriate picture. You can cut these into circles and paste them directly onto your plates!
Olympic Celebration: Conclusion
We hope this list of creative Olympic celebration ideas has made planning your party fast and easy. If you are looking to explore other possible themes for your birthday party or any event you are hosting, we have a great list here. We can also help you decide on the best gifts to give in order to make your celebration extra special.
Written by Marianne Vanderbeke and Shannyn Apolaro; Contributors: Samantha Shek, Marianne Vanderbeke, Anna Ross, Jack Leduc and Lilly Bernardis