17 IDEAS FOR A 50TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Turning 50 is a fantastic cause for celebration, an important milestone in life that should be celebrated with close friends and family. At the grand age of 50, parties should be about style, sophistication and all the unadulterated luxuries to make your day extra special. So if you’re planning a big bash to mark the event, here are 17 fantastic ideas for a 50^th birthday celebration to make your milestone birthday one to remember.

Is there anything more glamorous than partying in a castle for your birthday? And we think that Ireland is one of the most magical locations for a castle celebration. Make a statement for your big 5-0 and invite all your friends and family to a rented castle for a night to remember. Stay overnight in our featured Grand Historic Irish Castle (sleeps 27) or our 18^th Century Irish Castle (sleeps 30) that was designed for entertaining, and you’ll have the perfect space for hosting on a grand scale. We can organize all your catering to ensure you have a 50th birthday party to remember.  We have some wonderful entertainers who can really make your birthday party special by entertaining all your guests.  While you relax and enjoy the company of your friends and family, we will make sure you have fabulous 50th birthday party decorations, wonderful food and drinks with superb entertainment giving you the happiest of birthdays.  Our grand historic castle offers wonderful coastal walks and our featured 18^th castle in Ireland was built for entertaining, has extensive private gardens and is on the banks of the Shannon Estuary – so there will be plenty to do for all your guests.

Looking to impress your guests? Book one of our big country houses or manors in the stunning Cotswold region and you will have the perfect party pad to call your own for the whole weekend. If you’re looking for a country getaway for your 50^th with walks, outdoor activities and unbeatable scenery, there’s nowhere quite as fabulous as the Cotswolds. This region is also famously flat so when it comes to nature trails and hikes, you’ll find the terrain to be perfect for all ages – if you have more elderly guests or families with children, the Cotswolds is an ideal destination.  Cornwell Manor sleeps up to 24 guests and features a heated pool, sauna and tennis court.

If you need an excuse to dress up and indulge in a little bit of wholesome role play, a murder mystery could be the perfect way to celebrate your 50th with a party theme.  A murder mystery dinner with your friends and family offers a superb activity to keep everyone amused, an activity that will provide non-stop entertainment and have everyone on their toes all night. Organized murder mystery events will usually include drinks on arrival, a three course meal and overnight accommodation – or you can contact our team about finding the perfect house hire to host your murder mystery event.

Festival lovers will have so much fun creating their own backyard festival and it’s a fantastic way to celebrate your 50^th birthday if you love good music, great food and great company all rolled into one. If you’ve always been an avid festival goer, a garden festival with your close friends and family is a memorable and intimate way of doing what you love best. All you need is a bar area, some tasty burgers (and someone on burger duty), some music and some cute party decorations to create that fun festival atmosphere. And don’t worry if the weather isn’t perfect. Ask your guests to turn up in their wellies and waterproofs to get into the British festival spirit and help you to have a fun 50th birthday.

Tea parties are fun if you’re a fan of Earl Grey and cupcakes. But they’re even better when they involve a little bit of a tipple like champagne or gin. Whether you host a gin tasting / gin making event in your back garden with teacup cocktails or hire out a venue to create a cute setting with bunting, fabulous party decorations and tables, there’s so much fun to be had with a gin tea party. It’s a refreshing summer spirit and is great for mixing in tea-infused cocktails such as Earl Grey Martinis, Long Island Iced Tea, Green Tea Bellinis or Tea Infused Gin Sours.

For foodies, there’s nothing more exciting than having a private chef for you and your guests. With our luxury accommodation here at Loyd & Townsend Rose, we can offer a number of staffed services including butlers, maids, concierge and chauffeurs plus we can also arrange for a top chef to come and cook for your entire party, with a bespoke menu designed for your particular celebration. If you want to create the perfect night of birthday party food, wine and entertainment for your 50^thbirthday, find out more about how we can arrange for a chef to come to your dream accommodation. We only work with the very best chefs who use locally sourced produce wherever possible and many of our featured properties and country houses come with their own kitchen gardens so you will have access to the most delicious, home-grown, organic ingredients.

If you still consider yourself a big kid, a fun fancy dress party could be a great way to celebrate your 50^th with the entire family. Pick your favorite decade – whether it be the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s or 90s – and bring back a wonderful feeling of nostalgia as you look back on your life so far. Fancy dress is suitable for all ages and you can even hire a large country manor or stately home complete with catering service and house staff to give your special event the edge. Your guests will love the exclusive party location and you can add a whole range of fun elements including a sweet shop, a self-service bar, a buffet spread, a fun photo booth, games and activities or a chocolate fountain for those guests who have an incurable sweet tooth.

Throw a private wine tasting party with an expert sommelier and you can enjoy a few drinks with your loved ones whilst learning something new. If you’re after something grown-up and sophisticated for a select number of your best pals or family members, a private wine tasting event could be the way to go. Enjoy wine tasting with a private chef in one of our exclusive houses or hire a personal sommelier for your own house party / dinner party. It will definitely impress any wino or foodie guests on your invite list.

The Lake District is one of the most famous lake regions in England, but the lochs of Scotland also have a lot to offer. Including that feeling of total seclusion, a place that feels like it’s all yours. So if you want to celebrate your 50th birthday bash with an outdoorsy weekend break away from the usual tourist footfall of the English lakes, why not spend some time exploring the beautiful lochs of Scotland? Aldourie Castle, with stunning views over Loch Ness, sleeps 24 people in 12 bedrooms & 12 bathrooms – or why not stay in our featured Kinross House which offers incredible panoramas of Loch Leven? Whatever it is you’re after, we can help you find the perfect accommodation with amazing lakeside views and make your birthday wish come true and ensure that you have a special and happy birthday with your loved ones.

The game of Boules may invoke visions of elderly men playing with their retirement home buddies, but according to trend experts, it’s actually the game of the moment for hipsters everywhere. It’s become a huge trend with people of all ages in cities such as Paris and London with some of the hottest celebrities getting involved in this revived classic sport.  Boules clubs have been flourishing and celebs such as Diane Kruger, Joshua Jackson, Karl Lagerfeld, reality stars from Made In Chelsea, actress Nathalie Emmanuel and Johnny Depp have all been spotted getting competitive with this French bowling game. It’s easy to build your own Boules pit in the garden, so it’s the perfect celebration event and fun idea for summer birthdays.

If you’re looking for an intimate getaway with your closest family members or your best friends, book a stay in a beautiful chateau in the Loire Valley region of France. The best time to visit is during the spring and summer seasons when the weather is hot but this region is also spectacular in the autumn and winter, so it’s fantastic for all year round travel. Don’t miss all the beautiful castles in the area (there are so many to explore), the fantastic vineyard tours and wine tasting opportunities, or the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud which is the biggest medieval abbey in the whole of France. If you’re looking for somewhere extra special to stay, why not take a look at one of our featured chateaux, the beautiful, Chateau de la Barre, which runs as a boutique hotel or is available for complete private hire.  Staying here would be a fabulous 50th birthday idea.

Fishing fans can get away from the stresses of everyday life in the Norfolk Broads. If you’re turning 50 this year and want to spend your birthday in a relaxing setting with close friends enjoying your favorite sport, make way for the beautiful Norfolk Broads, where you will find numerous fishing lodges and vacation cottages on private fishing lakes. To fish on the Broads, you will need to obtain an Environment Agency Rod License (which can be applied for through the Post Office) and all fishermen must ensure that they have permission to fish on privately owned land as well as waters controlled by local angling clubs. You can also enjoy a fishing boat trip on the Broads and some fisheries can also provide fishing lessons to help beginners.

If you’re passionate about wine, a wine tasting tour in London could be a great way to see in your 50^th birthday with friends and family. With a number of vineyards near the city and many wine tours leaving London daily, you will be spoiled for choice. Some great wineries close to the city not to be missed include London Cru, Nyetimber in West Sussex, Biddenden Vineyard in Kent, and Ridgeview Estate near the village of Ditchling.

Hire casino equipment such as Roulette tables, Blackjack tables, Poker tables or Dice / Craps tables which come complete with a croupier for your house or rented venue and transform an ordinary space into a glamorous casino for a night of drinking, dressing up and gambling with your best pals. Most hire companies will include delivery and setup in their prices and you can give each guest a few chips on entry. Under the private gaming provisions in the Gambling Act 2005, you can turn your 50^th birthday into a real gambling affair as long as your party stays private and within your private (or privately hired) premises or if you don’t want to gamble with money, you can always offer prizes to your guests instead.

If you want to go all out for your big 50^th bash and you have a big guest list, you’ll probably need plenty of space. Private islands such as Osea Island in South East England, Orsa Island in Scotland and Inish Beg Island in Ireland offer private hire so you can celebrate in style and have complete privacy for your big birthday.

Your guests will be in awe as they drive up to Scotland’s striking Glenapp Castle. You can arrange for catering to be provided, so you will have nothing to worry about. If you want to make a weekend of it, then there will be plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained. Explore the 36 acres of land, play croquet or tennis and there is even the option to go fishing!

Dazzle your friends and family and go for a Great Gatsby themed party in a grand house or manor. A Great Gatsby soiree is fantastic if you love the 1920s and we have so many properties that are suitable for hosting such a grand event. Make sure there’s plenty of champagne flowing and stock up on 1920s champagne saucers (champagne flutes are so circa 1970s) and don’t forget to hire a good 1920s band to make the party atmosphere totally electric. Take a look at some of our featured properties to find the perfect Gatsby party venue.