The 90s are all the rage right now, so why not throw a party celebrating this iconic decade? Whether you’re an older Millennial wanting to be nostalgic or just appreciate this decade, I have some awesome 90s birthday party ideas for you to try.
90s Birthday Party Ideas for Decor
Set the stage with these iconic decoration ideas for your party.
Set Up a Photo Booth with a Polaroid Camera
Set up a photo booth in your space and include a Polaroid camera so everyone can take photos and remember this special day.
You can find sets with an instant camera and tons of paper to print out photos.
Get creative with your booth’s background. Add all the things you love about the 90s. Or you can use a kit from Amazon to make it even easier and include this photoshoot backdrop.
Don’t forget to add some props, like the ones in the Pin below:
Related: Fun Indoor Birthday Party Ideas for Rainy Days
Install a Balloon Archway
It doesn’t get much more 90s than this balloon archway, which is a play on the iconic 90s festive pattern you found on everything, from carpets to bus seats.
To make this archway, you’ll need tons of black balloons and colorful spiral balloons.
Go big with the design to really wow your guests and create a dramatic entrance no one will forget.
Hang CD Strings
The late 90s were all about listening to music on CDs. Make them part of your decor by stringing them together and hanging them from the ceiling. Another option is to buy CD garland that’s easy to hang anywhere.
You can hang these against a wall or over a doorway to create a dramatic entrance to your party.
Set Up a 90s Pac-Man and MTV Backdrop
How cool and colorful is this backdrop? It’s perfect for taking photos, or you can set up a food bar here if you want.
You’ll need a few things to bring this display to life:
- Letter balloons to spell “Back to the 90s”
- Pacman and Mrs. Pacman displays
- Rubik’s cubes and a boombox
- MTV logo
- Disco balls
- Silver wall backdrop
- Diamond ring and boombox balloons
Hang 90s Themed Garland
One of my favorite 90s birthday party ideas is to hang adorable garland like this, which features all of the things we love about the 90s: troll dolls, Ring Pops, Game Boys, old wireless phones, CDs and more.
You can hang this across the food table or up on the wall along with your other neon 90s decor.
What to Eat
Serve your guests food and treats from the 90s that everyone will love.
90s Birthday Cake
How awesome and colorful is this cake? You’ll need a skilled professional baker to make this, but you can easily find most of the add-ons online.
You can find many of these cake toppers on Etsy.
But you’ll need to get your hands on some vintage candy, like Push Pops, bubble tape, PEZ and candy necklaces.
Lunchables Charcuterie
What’s the most iconic food of the 90s (for kids)? Lunchables. Recreate them at your party by creating giant Lunchables boxes with cutouts for trays of:
- Crackers
- Sliced cheese (pepperjack and colby jack are great choices)
- Cured meats like salami and pepperoni
Guests can build their own little Lunchables plates and relive the nostalgia.
Bagel Bites
Frozen bagel bites were every kid’s favorite after-school snack. Get fancy and serve them toasted on a three-tier serving tray.
You can even add a cute cassette tape label that says “bagel bites.” Serve these with Capri Sun or soda to relive the good-old days.
Mini Catdogs
CatDog was a popular cartoon in the 90s. These pigs in a blanket are a fun play on this show and one of the most creative 90s birthday party ideas in the food department.
They’re especially perfect if you’re planning a Nickelodeon-themed 90s party.
You can make your own mini catdogs with:
- Cocktail sausages
- Crescent rolls
Wrap the crescent dough around the sausages, bake and enjoy.
Another option is to buy premade pigs in a blanket.
Serve them plain or with little cups of ketchup for dipping.
Retro Candy & Snacks
Set up a candy and snack bar filled with vintage candy from the 90s, like:
You can find most of these candies in stores or online. Add whatever other ones you want to your display.
Put them on display in cute plastic or glass jars.
Related: 31 Unforgettable and Fun 21st Birthday Ideas
Funfetti Dunkaroo Dip
Dunkaroos are a classic 90s snack, and the dip is the best part. Recreate this at home and serve it with Teddy Grahams or animal crackers to make it the ultimate snack.
To make the dip, you’ll need Funfetti cake mix, Cool Whip and Greek yogurt. Mix the cake mix, yogurt and Cool Whip together in a bowl until smooth. Place in the fridge overnight or until you’re ready to serve.
Don’t forget to add some sprinkles to the dip!
Fast Food Bar
Fast food was different back in the 90s, but it’s easy enough to recreate and serve. You can follow any recipes you like, but be sure to add:
- Hotbogs
- Hamburgers
- French fries
- Chicken nuggets
You can find some containers and wrappings that will make your setup look like a blast from the past. Start with the red and white, checkered food boats that I’m sure you remember. Retro-style fast food baskets and let’s not forget about these French fry liners.
Party Popcorn
Do you remember party popcorn? Why did we ever stop making these? Filled with all of the bad for you ingredients that may give you heartburn these days, you’ll make this popcorn with:
- White chocolate wafers
- Pretzels
- Chex Mix
- M&Ms
- Plain popcorn
- Sprinkles
Line a baking dish with all of the ingredients. Then, melt your candy melts in the microwave and drizzle it over your ingredient mix in the baking dish.
While the chocolate is still melty, add your sprinkles and M&Ms so that they “stick” to the rest of the ingredients. Add the goodies into their own bowls and serve.
What to Jam Out To
The 90s had a lot going for it, especially music-wise. Some of the all-time greats were Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Oasis, Backstreet Boys, N’Sync, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Michael Jackson, TLC, Tupac and so many others.
You and your friends have your own musical tastes, so your vibe may be closer to Guns N’ Roses, while others will play Busta Rhymes and Jay-Z.
Below are a few playlist ideas that will help you get started:
Hip-Hop and Punk Playlist
Hip-Hop and Punk have to be at the topic of musical 90s birthday party ideas because they defined the era. Funktion Events has a playlist that will bring you back, with top songs, including:
- Smells Like Teen Spirit
- I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing
- Wonderwall
- Everybody Hurts
- Parklife
- Good Riddance
- Iris
- Black or White
- Juicy
- No Scrubs
90s Pop Icons
Pop queens and kings were crowned in the 90s. You can make a fun playlist with songs from names, like:
- Britney Spears
- Spice Girls
- Christina Aguilera
- Lauryn Hill
- Mariah Carey
- Whitney Houston
- Backstreet Boys
- N’Sync
Your preference will depend on what time of the 90s you want to recreate. The early 90s were dominated by singers that have some of the widest ranges of all time, such as Whitney and Mariah, while the end of the 90s saw a rise of boy bands, Britney and Christina.
You can add songs to your playlist, such as:
- Baby One More Time
- I Want It That Way
- Wannabe
- Livin’ la Vida Loca
- Vogue
- Genie in a Bottle
- Believe
- Say My Name
Aqua – Barbie Girl
You’re going to die laughing when you hear this song again from Aqua, called Barbie Girl. If you need to jog your memory, it goes a little something like this: I’m a Barbie girl in a Barbie world. Life is plastic. It’s fantastic.
I don’t know why, but this super strange song stuck in everyone’s mind at the time.
You’ll notice the sugary pop vocals and your friends will laugh. Of course, you can go over the top with a Barbie theme, but playing the song once or twice will more than do the trick.
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Hits of the 90s
While I realize there are a lot of great songs that probably deserve a higher spot than some on this list, these are still great options:
- No Scrubs – TLC
- Thong Song – Sisqó
- Say My Name – Destiny’s Child
- So Anxious – Ginuwine
- Maria Maria – Santana x The Product G&B
- Big Pimpin – Jay-Z x UGK
- Where My Girls At – 702
- (You Drive Me) Crazy – Britney Spears
- Back At One – Brian McKnight
- Heartbreaker – Mariah Carey x Jay-Z
- Satisfy You – Puff Daddy x R. Kelly
- Still D.R.E. – Dr. Dre x Snoop Dogg
- What A Girl Wants – Christina Aguilera
- If You Had My Love – Jennifer Lopez
- Bills, Bills, Bills – Destiny’s Child
- My Name Is – Eminem
Recreate the 90s how you remember them best. Sprinkle in music, themes and foods that bring you back to a simpler time.
