A Nautical Theme Party

Get ready to set sail for a good time by hosting a nautical theme party. Whether your event is onboard or in your home, a nautical party theme is guaranteed to be both classic and fun. Read on for our favorite ideas for invitations, activities, food, and party decorations.

Nautical Theme Party Invitations
Great invitations can help set the tone for your event before it even starts. Invitations for a nautical theme party should reflect the level of formality you are hoping your event to have. Is this a sit down dinner with full regalia or a backyard lobster bake? Whichever type of event you decide to hold, send great nautical invitations to get people excited for your party.
Here are some suggestions for nautical themed invitations you can make:
An Invitation with a Little Extra -- Add a touch of sand or a few tiny shells as ocean confetti to any invitation for an extra special surprise. You might also address your envelopes to "Shipmates ________ & _________"
Invitation in a Bottle -- Write your party information on a piece of white or eggshell colored stationery, roll it up, and insert it into a
clear bottle . For an extra touch, add some sand and small shells . If possible, seal the bottle with a cork. These invitations should be hand delivered or mailed in padded envelopes.
Nautical Party Invitation Wording -- Wondering what to say on a nautical party invitation? Consider these options:
- "Anchors Aweigh! Join us for a Nautical Theme Party to Celebrate ________."
- "Ahoy, Mates! Join us for an Ocean of Fun"
- "Fun Ahoy!"
**General Invitation Tips** -- If you choose to make your own invitations, don't forget to include the date, location, and time of your party. It is also helpful to put the host's name, RSVP by date, and either your phone number or email.

Nautical Party Decorations

There are lots of great options when decorating for a nautical theme party. The traditional colors a for nautical party theme are blue and white, with accents of red and gold, but other colors can work well too. to accessorize, start by thinking of things you associate with ships, the sea, and the shore. Here is a list of things that can make great nautical party decorations:
Here is some tableware from Shindigz that would be perfect for a nautical theme party:
 Nautical Deluxe Party Kit

Nautical Theme Party Activities
Depending on what type of party you are hosting, you might need a few activities to keep things rolling along. Here are some ideas:
Music -- Great music can set the tone for your party. At a nautical party, you might consider playing Caribbean style music, Jimmy Buffett music, reggae, or making your own nautical theme playlist. There are lots of great songs out there about the ocean. Here's some sailing music to get you started:
- The Southern Cross -- Crosby, Stills, and Nash
- Sailing -- Christopher Cross
- A Pirate Looks at 40 -- Jimmy Buffett
- Orinoco Flow -- Enya
- Son of a Son of a Sailor -- Jimmy Buffett
- Sailing Life -- Eric Stone
- White Flag -- Dido
- Sitting on the Dock of the Bay -- Percy Sledge
Dancing -- If you have music, why not have dancing? Designate an area for couples to sway the night away. Make it even more special by hanging twinkle lights or setting up tiki torches .
Tug of War -- Use a thick ship rope for a classic bout of Tug of War
Beach Blanket Bingo -- Play bingo, elaborating on the name a little to fit your party theme!
Fishing Game -- If your party is one where you are giving out awards or favors, set up a fishing game to make it fun. Fill a kiddie pool with coded envelopes containing a paper clip or other magnetic piece of metal. Then tie a magnet to a string and a fishing rod, broom handle, or yard stick. Have your guests "fish" for a favor, and award them the prize that corresponds to the code or number inside the envelope that they hook.

Nautical Party Favors
Here are some ideas for nautical party favors that go well with a nautical party theme:
- Rope Sailor Bracelets
- Monkey Fist Rope Keychains
- Lifesaver Candies
- Nautical Wine Glass Charms

Nautical Theme Party Food and Drink Ideas
The best choices for food at a nautical theme party involve seafood. Here are some of our favorite menu items:
APPETIZERS
- Shrimp Cocktail
- Clams Casino
- Clam Chowder
- Lobster Bisque
MAIN COURSE ITEMS -- Accompany any of these with a green salad and some crusty bread, and you will be all set.
- Stuffed Flounder
- Shrimp Scampi
- Pasta with Pesto and Shrimp
- A Lobster Bake!
DRINKS
- Punch served in a bowl with toy boats floating on top
- Blue Ocean Punch -- Dissolve a packet of blue Jell-o in two cups of hot water. Mix in two cups each of sugar, cold water and pineapple juice. Freeze until just before use, then mix with Sprite or ginger ale for a bubbly ocean-blue treat.
Hope you found some helpful nautical theme party ideas on this page. Enjoy the party!

If you enjoyed these nautical party ideas, you might also enjoy these parties:

Share Your Party With Us!
Have you hosted or attended a great party recently? We would love to hear about it! Tell us about your party and what made it special. We'll post it here to share with all our readers. Plus, your party will automatically be entered in our next party submission contest!
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