Learn how to throw an awesome Olympic Theme Party with these easy tips! You'll love these helpful ideas for party decorations, food and snack ideas, and party games. I've also got you covered with free printables to give your party a cohesive look. You can use these ideas to host an Olympics Viewing Party or throw a birthday party any time of year!
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I've always loved the Olympic Games! When I was a kid, you could find my family glued to our TV during the Olympics. We never missed an opening ceremony, loved hearing athletes' stories from around the world, and we had a blast cheering on our favorite competitors throughout the Games. The Olympics are always so inspiring, and I still look forward to watching them!
This year, I'm sharing my love for the Games by throwing an Olympics Party! I had such a great time setting up this party, and I can't wait to share my ideas with you!
You'll find everything you need to host your own Olympic Theme Party here, from decorations to food and so much more! These party ideas are simple, yet so fun and festive. Keep reading for all my tips!
Olympic Theme Party
Whether you're entertaining a group of rowdy kids, or your adults friends and family, this guide covers everything you need to plan a memorable Olympic Party!
Here's what you'll find below:
- Decorating Tips - Helpful ideas and step-by-step instructions for creating an unforgettable party.
- Food + Snack Ideas - Delicious and easy to make Olympic-inspired food and snack ideas.
- Party Games - Fun ideas for keeping your guests entertained (both children and adults).
- Free Printables - The cutest party invites, bottle wrappers, cupcake toppers, and more, all perfect for creating an amazing party!
Decorations
For my party, I went for a glitzy, colorful theme with a gold backdrop, paired with vibrant elements that reflect the Olympic Ring colors. The table turned out so cute, and the party decorations couldn't be easier to set up!
Keep reading for step-by-step set up directions. Plus, learn how you can make the different DIY projects and crafts that give this party its unique look.
1. Set Up Backdrop + Tablecloth
Start by attaching your backdrop to the wall (if you're using one), then cover your table with a tablecloth. Here's what I used:
- This fun gold fringe curtain has an adhesive strip at the top, which makes it a snap to attach to your wall. The curtains comes in tons of colors, so you can easily customize your decor.
- I'm not a fan of plastic tablecloths. They always look so cheap, plus they're not exactly environmentally friendly. So I was excited to find this inexpensive white cloth tablecloth, which comes in various sizes. I love that I'll be able to use it for future parties, too! TIP: I used my steamer to easily remove the wrinkles when I took the tablecloth out of the package.
- This international flag table runner is so colorful and totally on theme. Perfect for the Olympics!
2. Add Banner + Podium
Next, add any other decorative elements or large serving plates to your table. I taped a "Go For Gold" banner to the tablecloth (underneath the table runner). It comes in a two piece set, so you can string the other one up somewhere else in your home!
The podium was a cynch to create, too! You will need three boxes that are similar sizes, but different heights. Wrap the boxes in white paper (I used this craft paper), just like you would a wrap a present. Print out the podium numbers (find the files at the end of this post), cut them out, and attach them with double sided tape.
3. Hang DIY Olympic Rings
I created my own rings by wrapping 6-inch foam rings (use a larger size, if you have more space) with crepe paper (you need blue, black, red, yellow, and green), which I attached with clear tape. Then I attached the rings together with small strips of packing tape on the backside (a few staples or clear string are another option). The rings aren't super sturdy on their own, but once hung to the wall, they hold together perfectly!
You can attach the rings to the gold fringe backdrop with permanent double sided tape, or you can use Command strips for a less permanent situation.
Other Ideas for DIY Olympic Rings:
- Paper Fan - Hang colored paper fans to represent the rings. Tip: Party stores often sell individual fans in different colors.
- Balloons - Use one balloon for each ring. This balloon set has all the colors you need.
- Painted Rings - Instead of wrapping the foam rings in crepe paper, coat them with craft paint.
- Paper Plates - Cut a ring from five paper plates, then paint the rings with craft paint.
- Paper Pom Poms - Hang these paper pom poms to represent each ring. TIP: I have a easy tutorial for Tissue Paper Pom Poms if you'd like to make your own!
- Paper Lanterns - This paper lantern set has all the right colors, plus some extra flag decorations you can also use.
4. Add Food
Once your decorations are set up, add the food just before the party starts. I like to gather all my serving pieces, then create a plan for where they'll go ahead of time (take a photo so you don't forget!). That way you're not scrambling to fit everything on your table as guests arrive.
Food + Snack Ideas
There are so many fun Olympic food ideas. You can really get creative!
- Choose foods from the host country. This is one my favorite Olympic activities! I research typical foods ahead of time, then create a meal plan based around the host country's popular dishes. For example, when South Korea was hosting, I made a few different banchan (small side dishes), Bibimbap, and a kimchee pancake. For the Milan Olympics, you could do Italian food. I'm planning to make Pizzoccheri, a tradition Lombardy dish!
- Use your favorite foods, but add a little Olympic flair. It easy to turn your fave appetizers and treats into Olympic Snacks! You'll find some easy ideas below.
- Do a combo. Of course, you can always pair your go-to snacks with some of the host country's typical foods, too!
Cupcakes
To create the Olympic Cupcakes, start by baking your cupcakes, then frost them. To keep things simple, I used a store bought white cake mix and cream cheese frosting (of course, you can always make them from scratch). I recommend using gold cupcake liners to match the theme. Then add the decorations:
- Olympic Rings - Arrange M&M'S candies on the cupcakes to represent the rings, which are blue, black, red, yellow, and green. I used brown M&M'S for black, but you can buy a separate bag of black M&M'S if you prefer.
- Olympic Torch - Print out the Torch Toppers (find them at the end of this article) on white cardstock, then cut them out. Tape a toothpick to the backside with clear tape, then push the toothpick into the center of the cupcake.
Gold Medal Cookies
These cute cookies were so fun to make! I made the dough and glaze from my Stamped Cookies recipe. Then I rolled out the dough, cut out circles using a 2 ½-inch round cookie cutter, and transferred the cookies to a parchment lined baking sheet. Next, I poked a wide hole with chopstick, then chilled the cookies for 30 minutes (this helps them hold their shape), before baking as directed in the recipe.
After baking and cooling the cookies, I dipped the tops in a yellow glaze (I used this food coloring), then rolled them in yellow sugar sprinkles. Once the glaze was dry (this takes a few hours), I added the striped ribbon. So cute, right?
Veggies + Dip
For this snack, I added Dill Dip to mason jars, then filled the jars with bell peppers, carrots, and cucumbers sticks for dipping. To decorate the jars, I attached the Olympic Flame Printable to the Plain Bottle Wraps (all files are at the end of this post) using permanent double sided tape. Then I attached the wraps to the jars using clear tape.
Tips: Use small 8-ounce mason jars for this, otherwise it will be hard to reach the dip. To avoid getting the bottle wraps dirty, add the dip and veggies to the jars before attaching the wraps.
Olympic Rings Fruit
This snack couldn't be easier to prepare! Simply fill white cereal bowls (or larger bowls) with fruit. I used blueberries for blue, blackberries for black (black currants or dried Mission figs would also work), raspberries for red (you could also do strawberries, cherries, or pomegranate seeds), pineapple for yellow (try mango, starfruit, or golden kiwi instead), and grapes for green (kiwi, gooseberries, and green starfruit could be used).
Tip: Substitute veggies, such as bell peppers, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, pea pods, or green or black olives for the fruit for a savory version of this snack.
Drinks
Wrapping your drinks in the printable bottle wraps is a fun way to coordinate your Olympics tablescape. I've created six different messages, so you can choose your fave, or use a mix.
Use clear tape to attach the wrap to the bottle, wrap it all the way around, then attach the other end with more tape. Tip: Use double sided tape if you don't want the tape to show.
Plates + Napkins
Don't forget to add plates, napkins, serving utensils, and silverware to your table. These cute star-shaped plates (which come in multiple colors) and these stars and stripes napkins coordinated with the party theme perfectly!
Food Labels
If you'd like to label your snacks, download the printable food labels (at the end of the post), cut them out, then fold them in half. You could also use the labels as place cards for a sit down meal.
Party Games + Activities
To make your party even more fun, plan to have some Olympics Party Games. Depending on the season (and the game), these can be enjoyed indoors or outdoors. Here are some fun games to try:
- Board Games -A geography themed board game (like The World Game or Race Across the World) would be the perfect party addition!
- Trivia - Quiz your guests with an entertaining trivia game, such as Guess in 10 Countries of the World or Weird Sports Trivia.
- Jigsaw Puzzle - Set up a beautiful puzzle, like this awesome 1000 Pieces World Map!
- Mad Libs - These Olympics Mad Libs are sure to crack everyone up! There's a special Winter Games Mad Libs version, too.
- Active Games - Challenge your guests to a relay race, 100 meter dash, long jump, three-legged race, break dance competition, frisbee throw (mock discus throw), cartwheel contest, ring toss, croquet or backyard mini golf, ping pong, volleyball, or swimming pool race. These DIY Backyard Games would be fun, too!
- Photo Booth - Create a photo booth area for your guests to make memories! Gather sports equipment from around your home, some small flags, or these funny sports photo booth props. You could also set up a giant map photo backdrop. I recommend using a ring light with stand so everyone can easily take their photos.
Free Printables
I hope your enjoyed these Olympic Theme Party Ideas! Make sure to grab my free Olympic printables, too. You'll find party invitations, bottle wraps, a torch bottle wrap (print the torches + the plain bottle wraps for these), torch toppers, podium numbers, and food labels. These printables are an easy way to give your party a pulled together look!
Download the printable files by clicking on the images below, or by clicking the linked text underneath the images. A few notes:
- For best results print the PDFs at full size on white cardstock paper.
- If you don't have a good printer (I finally ungraded a laserjet printer, and I love it!), bring the files to your local FedEx Office store. The print quality is much better than most home printers, and you can even order online, then pick up in store (a great way to save time).
- There are two invites for both the summer games and the winter games: a fill in version (print it out, then write in the details): and a Microsoft Word version (customize the party details in Word, then print).
- The Word version of the invites has a text box under "Let's go for the gold!". Click on the text box, and you can personalize all the details.
- Planning to mail your invites? These high-quality envelopes are the perfect size!
