Looking for Some New Graduation Party Ideas for Your 2024 Senior open house?

Your last year is coming to a close. After your graduation ceremony, it's time to party! Here are some of the best 41 graduation party ideas to make your celebration unique.

It's going to be hard to pick a date, what with all your friends choosing a date as well, in the same three months of summer. The summer only has so many dates to choose from. But that's only the beginning of high school graduation party planning.

Should you go the open house route or rent out a venue? What decorations will be unique and fun? And even after you've chosen a location and food, there are so many other details that may seem small, but make a huge difference!

Let's make your graduation party better than you could ever imagine! Check out some of these graduation party ideas.

1. Party in Your Backyard

People at a Party

This open house graduation party idea typically takes place on your family's property. It can be laid back and quite relaxing, if you have a large outdoor area.

2. Gather at the Beach

All ages can enjoy this party idea! Swim, play in the sand or take a walk on the beach. Pull some tables together and have a picnic- style graduation party.

Group of Friends Walking on Beach Shore

3. Have a Sky Lantern Send Off

 Sky Lantern Send Off

As was mentioned before, picking a date and time can be hard when your other friends are also choosing dates, but opting for an evening event should make that problem less of a problem and maybe even more memorable.

4. Hire a Food Truck

Another great graduation party idea is having a food truck at your party will be a definite crowd-pleaser. There are many different types of food trucks in our area to choose from.

Try these food trucks:

A Woman Eating a Kebab in Front of a Food Truck

5. Meet Up at a Park

river running through park with bridge

The shaded areas and entertaining play structures make this location convenient for families and large parties. At Iron's Park in West Branch you can reserve the pavilion or just use the picnic tables around the park. Rose City has a beautiful park with a playground right next to the Pavilion. You can call the Chamber of Commerce in each town to ask about the rules on reserving park facilities.

6. Play Movies on a Projector

Another of our party ideas is to could play a loop of your own childhood videos and photos, or a slideshow of your senior pictures. We've had movie parties and really had fun, but in the summer you need to wait until dark, which can be about 9:30 or 10 p.m.

Palm Trees Near Projection Screen during Nighttime

7. Rent Out Your Favorite Restaurant

Woman Drinking Wine

Best graduation idea for great food and no cleanup!

8. Use a Polaroid Photo Album as a Guest Book as a party idea

Have a table at your open house with an Instax camera, permanent markers, and a photo album to stick the pics and their messages in for a unique graduation party guest book idea.

Another option is to order a guest book with some of your own senior pictures added and space for guests to leave a message.

Teal and White Camera on White Table

9. Get Food Catered

catered buffet for a party

Here are some places to look for catering your graduation party. I recommend the Pale Blue! Very good barbecue!

10. Feature a Balloon Arch

You can find plenty of examples of balloon decor, like trendy balloon arches on Instagram for party inspiration ideas.

Side view of young bearded African American male in casual clothes standing near white wall and decorating room with inflatable balloons

11. Throw a Pool Party

People in Swimming Pool, pool party ideas

If you have a pool in your backyard, it would be great! You can also rent the pool at a hotel for your afternoon party. West Branch has a Quality Inn that has a pool.

12. Rent a Photo Booth

This is a fun party idea! Photo booths are very popular at parties. You can rent one or buy an inflatable photobooth and add your own camera.

Photo Booth Sign

13. Hang Up a Custom Banner

Personalize your banner to hang over your garage doors or entrance to your party. Just contact me and get one ordered!

14. Get a Slushie Machine

A Cup of Slushy on a Plate

Nice and cool drink party idea for a hot summer day!

15. Create an Epic Charcuterie Board

Charcuterie is a French word, and according to Webster it means, "a delicatessen specializing in dressed meats and meat dishes; also: the products sold in such a shop."

So, it's kind of an umbrella term encompassing dishes or boards made up of primarily meats & cheeses.

Food on Wooden Tray, charcuterie

16. Put Together a Potluck

Lunch table with potluck

This is a nice way to enjoy a variety of foods. It is economical and more focused on being with friends. It also takes some of the stress away from planning the menu.

17. Use a Retro Popcorn Maker

Everybody loves popcorn!

bags of popcorn for a party idea

18. Cotton Candy Machine

A Woman in Pink Shirt Eating Cotton Candy

Another fun party idea is cotton candy!

More Graduation Party Ideas to come!

19. Set Up Yard Games

From bean bag toss to yard pong to cornhole to badminton, there are plenty of activities to choose from.

Check out some of the fun outdoor games that are popular today.

Ring Toss Toy On Grass

20. Card & Board Games

Four People Playing Dominoes

Save a few tables just for card and board games. Put out some cards for euchre and rummy. Also, empty out your game closet onto a table. You'll have groups getting together and having a good time.

We love playing dominoes. It's a game a whole table full of people can enjoy.

21. Rent a Bounce House

There are two different places in our area where you can rent inflatables, including water slides:

Rent a Bouncy house

22. Feature a Custom Cake Display

Women Sitting on Couch eating cake, graduation party ideas

Your cake should be all about you and your interests. You can order one from Walmart or Miejer, but there are small businesses you could also support. These are private small businesses you can find on Facebook.

23. Large Yard Signs

Help your guests find your party with large graduation-themed signs on your lawn.

 Illuminated Lights on a Dark Background

24. Do You and Your Friends Enjoy Singing?

Woman in Sunglasses Singing in Microphone, karaoke party

Fun to do as well as to watch!

25. Coffee Station

Almost everyone loves coffee of some kind! Make a variety for everyone!

Coffee Signage

26. Make a Photo Display

Graduation Photos on Wall

From your missing-teeth-years to vacation destinations display some pics that share your life story thus far. You could also create a vision board of your plans and goals.

27. Have a Video Guest Book

There's always a friend or two who loves to video tape the crowd. Assign one or two friends to go around and ask questions of the party guests, interview them for their favorite memory or advice to the graduate. It doesn't have to be elaborate, just use a cell phone.

Photo of a Man Sitting in Front of a Camera

28. Send Instructions for a TikTok Dance

Happy People Doing a Conga Line

Your group could go viral with a choreographed clip to your favorite song!

29. Go Hawaiian

Have a Luau with all the trimmings and decor. Don't forget the limbo stick!

Young Man at a graduation Party Wearing Sunglasses and Hawaiian Flower Necklace

30. The Cat's Meow!

Woman Sitting On Chair painting child's face at a graduation party

Hire someone you know who is artistic and would like to do face painting. Everyone will enjoy getting a new identity.

31. Destination Theme

Moving out of state? Going to a certain college or university? Use the colors or themes for where you are going for your party theme idea.

32. Make it a Camping Weekend

If you have a big yard, invite all your friends to bring their tent or camper and spend the weekend. Have a bonfire for everyone to sit around. Make sure they bring their lawn chairs!

Tents Surrounded by Trees, graduation camping party ideas

33. Use a Roarin' 20's Theme

Man Surrounded by Women in 20s Inspired Dresses at a graduation party

Actually, any year would be a fun theme.

34. 70's Theme

The 70's theme is always a fun party idea to do. Some homework will be needed to see what the fashions were.

A man in a white shirt and orange pants at a graduation party

35. Black Tie Affair

A man in a tuxedo with a black tie at a graduation party

You'll need to rent a hall for this one. Set up your fancy lights and decorate to your hearts desire.

36. Create a Playlist

Ensure you have just the right vibe by approving each song that will play during the event. Pick out all your favorite music!

Group of People Raising Hands to music being played at a graduation party

37. Plan a Treasure Hunt

White Iphone 6 With Black Case geochaching graduation party idea

You've heard of Geo-caching, right? Do a variation of this and have people using their phones to find the treasure!

38. Visit a Theme Park

If you have just your close friends, this could be a fun adventure.

You may have to travel for this one though. If you book overnight at Great Wolf Lodge, you get discounts, but you can also just reserve a full day pass.

The Lakeside Resort in Houghton Lake has a large pool with slides and a lazy river. Not as much variety as Great Wolf Lodge, but more economical.

slides at a hotel pool

39. Hire a DJ

Man Wearing Black Crew-neck Shirt Playing Dj Turntable at a graduation party

There are a lot of DJ's in this area. Just make sure to call and schedule early. They are pretty busy with other graduations as well as weddings in the summer.

40. Pizza Party

Just about everyone loves pizza! And it can feed a crowd!

Sliced Pepperoni graduation party Pizza

41. Use Framed Photos as Centerpieces

Graduation pictures displayed in frames at a graduation party

Have your graduation pictures displayed on each table. If you need some 5x7 prints to put in frames, just give me a call!

42. Decorate Your Yard With Lights

If your party will last until after sunset, these lights can really add a neat ambiance!

Stringing up lights for a graduation party idea

Party On!

In conclusion, these are just a few graduation party ideas. If you have more graduation party ideas, please post them below. And I hope you have a safe and fun graduation party!

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