Celebrate Shark Week with a Jaws Themed Party
Lauren Miolene
Editor
Transport your party guests to the island of Amity this summer with an epic Jaws themed party! Dive into the Shark Week excitement by taking inspiration from Spielberg’s iconic 1975 summertime thriller for a one of a kind celebration.
Whether you’re looking to plan a Jaws themed birthday party, seasonal pool party, or just want to add to the annual Shark Week festivities, we’ve got all the ideas, live entertainment, and food and drink inspiration you’ll need to make this summer get-together fin-tastic.
Keep reading for Jaws themed party ideas…
Ocean Wildlife
Although you might not be able to have ascual sharks at this Jaws themed party, you can book an animal handler to bring other types of oceanic wildlife. Surprise guests with creatures like starfish, crabs, and turtles so guests can learn more and pose for photos.
Face Painter
Book a face painter to transform guests into sea creatures and beachgoers for your Jaws themed party! Imagine the fun as kids and adults become ferocious sharks, colorful fish, or even brave scuba divers, ready to face the great white. Get ready to see smiles (and maybe a few scary glares) that will make your party unforgettable!
Photo Booth
As Chief Brody said, “Smile, you son of a–” You’ll definitely want to capture all of the fun at this Jaws themed party with an oceanic photo booth. Set up an underwater background, hold up beach themed props, and get ready to smile!
Stilt Walker Lifeguard
Picture this: a towering stilt walker cruising through your Jaws themed party, dressed as a lifeguard on shark patrol! Book a talented stilt walker to surprise guests, mingle, and pose for photos as they glide across the crowd. This is a unique Jaws theme party idea that you’re going to want to book ASAP!
Live Band
If live music is more your taste, you’ll love the sound of a band performing at your Jaws theme party. John Williams’ music for Jaws is one of the most well known movie soundtracks in history. Consider booking a live band to cover all of the suspenseful tunes from the film.
DJ
A guaranteed way to get the party started is with the help from a professional DJ. Book this live entertainer to play the hits from the movie as well as other shark related songs like “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid “Shark in the Water” by V.V. Brown, and “Fins” by Jimmy Buffett.
Jaws Themed Party Food Ideas:
Lobster Rolls
Amity Island is set in New England, so if you want to eat like the locals, serve lobster rolls for a fitting Jaws themed party food option. If you’d rather not clean lobsters before the event, book a caterer to whip up hot and buttered rolls or a classic lobster salad option that guests are sure to enjoy.
Sushi
Can you think of a better Jaws themed party food than sushi? Include all of the classics like spicy tuna rolls and shrimp tempura, but also include less fishy options like sweet potato rolls and avocado so everyone will be able to enjoy.
Seafood Dip
You can never go wrong with a chip and dip combo for a party, it’s a classic for a reason. To transform this staple snack into a Jaws themed party food, whip up a bowl of seafood dip using ingredients like cream cheese, crab, and fresh herbs that will accent the appetizers perfectly. Serve with crackers, veggies, or breadsticks that guests will want to sink their teeth into.
Shark Cake
You’ll definitely want to serve some sort of cake for a Jaws themed birthday party. Frost your cake or cupcakes, cover with crushed vanilla wafers, and accent with blue frosting to create a beach scene. Add a plastic shark in the water or create a fin using a piece of a cookie for the perfect Jaws touch.
Shark Bait
Keep the Jaws themed party food and dessert simple by mixing up a big batch of shark bait. You’ll need fresh popcorn, white chocolate chips, and blue candy melts to drizzle over the popped kernels. Garnish with Swedish Fish, gummy sharks, and eat at your own risk! Check out Kara Creates for recipe inspiration.
Salt Water Taffy
If there was a perfect candy to add to the spread of Jaws themed party food, it’s salt water taffy. Fill candy bowls throughout the venue with the individually wrapped pieces so guests can grab when they want something sweet.
Jaws Themed Party Drinks:
Bartender
Obviously, you’ll want to book a bartender to mix up some killer drinks at this Jaws theme party. Your bartender can keep the party swimming along smoothly, ensuring everyone's glasses stay full while you enjoy the thrill of the festivities. So, whether you're on land or sea, having a skilled mixologist onboard will make your Jaws themed birthday party jaw-droppingly awesome!
Beer
Drinking a few beers at your Jaws theme party is the perfect way to honor Quint and the crew's shark hunting adventures aboard the Orca. Just like in the movie, where beer fueled their adventure, having a variety of brews on hand adds an authentic seaside vibe to your celebration. Whether you're cracking open chilled cans or savoring craft beers, this casual beverage makes one of the best Jaws theme party ideas.
Shark Attack Punch
Picture a vibrant blue ocean colored punch that packs a punch of tropical flavors like pineapple juice, coconut rum, and a splash of grenadine for that dramatic "blood in the water" effect. Garnish each glass with gummy sharks swimming ominously among ice cubes, ready to surprise your guests with every sip. For a delicious mocktail, just skip the rum.
Great White Russian
This isn’t your typical White Russian, it's a Great White Russian that’s perfect to incorporate into your Jaws theme party ideas. This cocktail blends together vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream to create a refreshing beverage with a burst of energy. To give it that Jaws inspired touch, float a shark shaped gummy candy on top, making it look like a menacing predator cruising through your drink.
Ocean Water
To create a delicious ocean water drink as a fun Jaws party idea, you’ll need lemon lime soda, blue raspberry syrup, and fresh lime—that’s it! Add a few pumps of the syrup to glasses of soda, and garnish with a lime wedge. You can always swap the soda for lemon lime seltzer for a less sweet option.
Seaside Sangria
Summer and sangria go hand in hand, so why not add it to the list of Jaws themed party food ideas? Choose your favorite red, white, or rosé wine and add your favorite fresh fruit and juice. You can never go wrong with making a big batch of sangria for any event.
Jaws Themed Party Decor:
Balloon Decor
Balloons are an important decor detail for this Jaws theme party. Fill your space with different shades of blue and white balloons to turn your venue into a bubbly ocean scene. Get creative with green streamers to look like seaweed and maybe even a few mylar sharks. Depending on the scale of your event, you can even hire a balloon decorator to bring your vision to life.
No Swimming Signs and Flags
Recreate the feeling of oceanic adventure by decorating your Jaws theme party with no swimming signs and flags. This will help set the scene and add to the beachy ambience.
Amity Island Sign
Welcome guests to your Jaws party theme with an archway made of beach balls, PVC pipe, and an Amity Island sign. This will act as the perfect entryway and help set the tone for the celebration.
Fishing Nets
Create an oceanic backdrop that will decorate your space as well as provide the perfect background for photos using fishing net. String blue lights throughout the material and fake seaweed to make it feel like guests are on the ocean floor.
Seashells
The next time you visit the beach, bring home a few seashells to use for summer party decor. Add the shells to floral arrangements, tablescapes, or as accents to the food table to help bring the ocean to life.
Life Preservers
If you’re on a boat, life preservers are nearby. Decorate your venue with life preserver accents that will add a pop of color and double as pool floats during the Jaws party theme.
Jaws Themed Party Activities:
Poolside Movie
Watching the actual movies is mandatory for a Jaws theme party, we don’t make the rules! Rent an outdoor movie screen, book a food cart to make some fresh popcorn or serve ice cream, and set up comfortable seating to get the outdoor movie party started. Bonus points if you watch it while floating in the pool, but swim at your own risk!
Limbo
Obviously, guests will want to steer clear of sharks while at this Jaws theme party. Customize the classic limo party game with a shark cutout to encourage guests to go low and avoid any potential encounters.
Water Slide
The more water at a Jaws theme party, the better. Whether this is an adult celebration or a kid friendly Jaws themed birthday party, guests of all ages will enjoy sliding down a refreshing water slide to cool off. Browse The Bash for local party inflatables to book for your get-together.
Diving Contest
If hosting at a pool or lake, set up a designated diving spot where guests can show off their athletic abilities. Form a panel of judges or set up obstacles like beach balls and life preservers for guests to avoid while they jump in.
Shark Teeth Scavenger Hunt
Finding a shark tooth on the beach is rare, so recreate the excitement at your Jaws themed party. Purchase a few replica shark teeth, hide them throughout your venue, and watch as guests try to track down the lost items.
Volleyball
Divide guests into teams and play a few rounds of beach volleyball for some friendly competition. If you can’t play this on the beach in the sand, use either a traditional volleyball or beach ball to help create the beachy feel.
Find more themed party ideas here on The Bash.
