50th birthday ideas

[Smileatalltimes]

What type of big birthday celebrations have you been to and enjoyed?
For my upcoming 50th I'm considering:

1. Party in local quirky venue with dance floor, serving pizza.
2. Gathering in pub function room, background music but no dancing, serving pizza.
3. Dinner out with around 12 close friends, but they won't all know each other.
4. Night out with a few girlfriends to a 90s event.

Party would be around 50-60 guests but I'm worried about atmosphere as most of our friends are couples and don't know each other. I'd like a dance and some of my friends would but many wouldn't.

I’ve been to…

Big party - didn’t know everyone, but know a group of around a dozen really well, and that was good fun.

Dinner for around 20 people - lovely, but I knew everyone

City break holiday with a group of friends - great fun

Of your options, I think option 2 would be awkward if people don’t know each other. Is it that they don’t know each other at all, or is it just that they don’t socialise together. Are there small groups of people that know each other well.

i didn’t want a party for my 50th so I had a series of smaller events with different groups.

If people don’t all know each other but you want a party, I’d go option 1, or stick with option 4. I was so nervous about having a party with friends who don’t all know each other and nearly bottled it, but it worked out fine. Music helped. I think option 2 would be a bit awkward.