50th Birthday Party Planning Tips
Celebrating a 50th birthday soon? Or organising one for your wife, husband, partner, friend, family, etc. Jasmine Sparreboom, the Functions Manager at The Normanby Hotel has years of experience planning momentous events like a 50th. Here are some tips to make the event fun and easy to plan.
Feel free to tap into her knowledge bank. And if you’d like more information about having your 50th Birthday party at The Normanby Hotel, email us, call (07) 3831 3353 or scroll to the enquiry form at the bottom.
How many 50th birthday parties have you helped plan?
The 50th birthday party is my favourite birthday event to help plan. It’s such a huge occasion and everyone always seems to have a good time. In many cases it has a reunion feel to it too. There are always a lot of people who have travelled far to be a part of the celebration so the vibe is very energetic.
Why do you think The Normanby Hotel is such a popular place for 50th birthday events?
The Normanby Hotel has been an icon pub of the Brisbane scene for over 130 years. It feels right for people to want to celebrate their own history in a venue with it’s own special history. People also like the ease of access of The Normanby. It’s not a hassle to get here, being just outside of the city but close enough to make it convenient. The bonus is our parking on-site for about 80 cars. And having a variety of spots to choose from gives people options. We can cater for parties of all sizes, big, small and in-between.
Which room at The Normanby is best suited for a 50th birthday party?
The Public Bar and The Lounge Bar are our most popular spaces for a 50th Birthday party. They’re our biggest spaces and great for a cocktail party. What makes both of these rooms ideal is their openness, allowing people to move around easily, making it good for mingling. And they have outdoor undercover balcony space, to give people some fresh air.
- The Lounge Bar can have up to 100 guests comfortably
- For a smaller space, I recommend the Valentine Room (50 guests) or the Cabana deck if you want it outside (60 guests)
- For a super casual, outdoor party, we have the Garden Bar (40 guests)
For information about all our spaces, download our functions package.
I’m looking for something private and intimate.
We have two very private rooms in our upstairs area. The Valentine Room accommodates up to 50 guests. Or for something really intimate, we have The Nicholson room, for 20 guests. This is a dining room set up with its own private balconies.
What are some ideas to make a 50th birthday party fun?
- Create a slide presentation with photos – ask people attending for some old photos, especially fun, party ones
- Make up your own playlist of songs from back in the day – get people reminiscing through music
What’s the best food for a 50th birthday party?
I always recommend small, bite size pieces that are easy to handle with a drink in your hand. Most of our food menus and platters are designed with this in mind.
Nibbles like sliders (our #1 choice!), pizzas, mini meat pies and sausage rolls, mini quiches, chicken skewers work really well.
Do you have gf and vegetarian options?
Yes, we always include gf and vegetarian options. We can do gf and vegetarian pizza. Our arancini and spring rolls are gf. And if you have other dietary requirements just let us know.
How much food should I order?
Each platter feeds 6-8 people which is roughly 2-3 pieces each.
Should I do a bar tab or a drinks package?
For a 50th birthday party I recommend a drinks package. You then know how much you’re spending and for how long. After that time people can then order their own drinks at the bar.
Download our Food & Beverage Packages to see all we have on offer.
Can I play my own music?
You can create your own Spotify playlist. We have the sound system to easily hook that up. Make it at least 4 hours long. Or we’ve done Spotify playlists for many parties if you aren’t sure what is the best for an event. Let us know some of your favourites and we can add it to the playlist.
For a tip on your playlist, include hit songs of the 90s – the guest (or you) were in their early 20s and probably hitting the dance floor. Here are a few I can recommend:
- U Can’t Touch This – MC Hammer
- Vogue – Madonna
- Common People – Pulp
- Live Forever – Oasis (this is an appropriate song given the milestone age)
- Gonna Make You Sweat – C + C Music Factory
- Ooh Aah… Just A Little Bit – Gina G (yes that was a hit then…)
- Groove Is In The Heart – Deee-Lite
- Macarena – Los Del Rio (noooooo…please don’t do this one….)
What information do you need from me?
- Budget
- Timing especially arrival time
- Number of guests
- Bar tab or drinks package
- Which food platters
- What time you want to come and decorate (if you are doing to decorate)
And let me know who the birthday is for so we can put up signage around the venue to help direct people.
When should I book?
If your birthday is in the first 6 months of the year, book at least 2 months out.
If it’s the second 6 months, especially closer to the end of the year, book at least 4 months out to secure your date. We get very busy with functions as the end of the year approaches…
Can I have speeches?
Of course! You’ll probably have many who would love to say a few words off the cuff. We have a wireless microphone and AV system for speeches. Let us know and we will set it up and show you how to use them.
Do you have parking?
Yes we have parking for about 80 cars on site. It’s right next door to the hotel. For directions, the address for parking is 18 Kelvin Grove Rd, Kelvin Grove.
I have some more questions.
Please email us or call (07) 3831 3353. Or send us an enquiry with our event form below.
Booking your 50th at The Normanby Hotel is easy and affordable. We have a variety of spaces to work for you. Please email us or call (07) 3831 3353. Or send us an enquiry with our event form below. We can help plan your next fun event without any hassles or stress.
