I remember the very first birthday party that I threw. It was my eldest child’s 1st birthday, and I didn’t plan any of it. My mother, Mama Resourceful, along with my sisters, pulled it all together. I just came up with the theme of Sesame Street. I thought it was a great party, especially since it was before Instagram with all of its “Look how great my party is” glory. Fast forward to present day and 17 kid parties later, you could say I am pretty experienced at how to throw a fun party on a budget. Not to mention finding cheap or free party locations.
Franchises Are Not Cheap Or Free Party Locations
This post is not about the typical birthday party franchises such as bounce houses, skate rinks, kid’s game zones, etc. Given the pandemic, a lot of these places may not even be available at the moment. Those places are great because you show up! There is no prep work and no cleanup. The problem with them is that they are expensive! Not to mention that you may have to pay for additional food, adhere to strict rules, and when your time is up, you have to leave immediately.
So I have come up with some great cheap or free party locations. What do you mean by cheap, Nikki? Great question because what might be cheap to me may be expensive to another and vice versa. Cheap to me, would be less than $75. These can be for any birthday, milestones, or the ones in-between. I tell my kids they should be grateful to be celebrating with a party because it is a privilege, not a requirement. Free also doesn’t mean less fun.
A City Park Pavilion
It’s the apparent option, right? I paid $75 to rent a park pavilion on a Saturday during the peak summer season. Most parks have a free or even lower rate during the week. My sister reserved her park for my son’s first birthday for free! It was during the week in the summer. If you’re willing to take the risk, you could plan to use a pavilion if no one is renting it. However, if someone has rented it, you will have to move. Check your local park for their rates and free days. The down-side of this location is that it’s not an excellent option for winter parties unless you like cold lol!
Movie Theater
Disclaimer!!! This suggestion is for when things return to a new normal given the social distancing we are still adhering to. So while movie theaters have a birthday party package, I have always thought about having my kids invite five or six of their friends to watch a movie. They could see a matinee (because it’s cheaper) and they can each have a drink, popcorn and candy! That doesn’t sound cheap, Nikki! When you look at it in terms of the location, you pay around $7 for the ticketed seat. The popcorn and drinks would be considered your party food budget. Okay, what about cake and ice cream Nikki? Where will we have that? So I thought about that too. Go for dessert afterward. Just remember to bring the candles!
Your Home
Remember when we used to throw birthday parties at home and kids had the best time! I think those days are coming back as many of our go-to party places have suffered unfortunate losses and have had to close permanently. If you aren’t too particular about children roaming through your house or happen to have a child-friendly room or backyard, keep the party at home! I have been throwing parties at home for the past four years, and it is great! The only downside is the cleanup, but it’s still a free party location!
The Beach
This suggestion can be a fuss-free option if it is planned right. Let the sand and surf be your decorations. Bring your food and cake in a well-iced cooler or purchase soft serve ice cream instead of cake. If you are close to the water, then I am jealous! I would have all my parties at the beach. And when I say close, I mean no more than a two-hour drive. That’s worth the trip for me!
The beach is a good option for those in-betweener children who act like they don’t like to do anything. I call it the “whatever phase.” You ask what they want, and they respond, “Whatever.” Then they probably wouldn’t like a beach party either, Nikki. Very true but their friends might like it, and the point of having a party is to invite friends!
A Community Center
A community center is not a free party location, but community centers can offer nice spacious rooms. My family and I have used community centers for plenty of gatherings. I like that the space is simple and easy to decorate. I will say that most community centers don’t want you to stick things to their walls, so you have to be creative in your decorating. My suggestion would be balloon columns and arches! Lots of them!
Your Church
Are you an active member of your church? Does your church have a fellowship hall? This idea may not apply to most large churches, but in smaller churches with less than 200 members, you may want to ask if you can use the fellowship hall for free. It is more comfortable to ask if you are a good steward at your church and giving of your time. Do you volunteer to teach, help with hospitality, serve in a ministry? My friend hosted a baby shower for my second child at our church. She and her husband were the music ministry leaders, so I would say they were active members! And we made sure to clean up afterward.
Your Job
Does your job have a space that employees are allowed to use? What about your spouse’s job? You or someone you know may work in a place where there is a space used for company gatherings. It never hurts to ask about using the space, especially if you are a responsible person, which I’m sure you are. I had my daughter’s party at my office. It was the perfect, free party location! All I had to do was ask permission and make sure to clean up afterward. The down-side will be if you damage the room. You could put your job in jeopardy or be the catalyst for eliminating that privilege. What I am trying to say is don’t hold a rave party at your job. Take that to the park!
None of these suggestions for cheap or free party locations are brand new. I’m not here to reinvent the wheel. I want to remind you that there is a wheel! Sometimes we forget that we have these simple places to throw a party because there have been so many party franchises that have popped up over the years. Now we have to look for alternatives given our current “new normal.”
Do you have any additional free party locations? Please share them in the comments! If you know someone who is planning a birthday party and needs some budget-friendly sites, share this post.
