How to Host a Delicious Ice Cream Theme Party for Adults

Everybody Loves Ice Cream…So Make it a Party!

Ice cream is one of summer’s quintessential treats. It brings back memories of vacations, birthday parties, awkward dates, and pool time. You won’t find many people who willingly refuse an ice cream party. That makes this the perfect party to host in the middle of the summer heat. Also known by its old-fashioned moniker, ice cream social, an ice cream theme party embraces the age-old and simple joy of sharing a sweet treat in the summer. There isn’t a whole lot to it, but let’s make sure you don’t miss a beat and host the tastiest ice cream party yet!

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How to Throw an Ice Cream Theme Party

1. Decorate to Create an Ice Cream Scene

An ice cream theme party is sweet and simple, so you don’t have to get too fancy with decorating. After all, everyone’s only coming for the actual ice cream and socializing! Still, it’s fun to decorate in a playful ice cream-themed scheme. A traditional ice cream colour palate embraces pastels like pink and yellow. Think of rainbow sherbet as visual inspiration. But if you’re open to a variety of decorative styles, you can find plenty of inexpensive party supplies – especially when shopping for seasonal themes, such as ice cream party, in the summer months.

Five waffle cones with different coloured scoops of ice cream, including colourful cotton candy, lay flat on a white surface surrounded by sprinkles — Photo by Courtney Cook

Here are a few ice cream theme party decorations that will surely sweeten up your space:

2. Prepare Ice Cream and Toppings

Four glass dishes with one scoop each (chocolate, vanilla, mango and banana) are arranged in a row on a blue surface covered in sprinkles — Photo by Caro PS

You’ll want to buy (or make homemade ice cream!) enough ice cream to feed the amount of guests you’ll expect. Make sure you buy from a quality brand that you already like or that you know is good. Don’t buy the cheap stuff in a huge plastic tub. It’s made with mostly air as a filler to make it look like you are buying more for less (helpful knowledge from friends who work in food plants), but it’s a much lower quality with unsavory ingredients. Buy from a decent brand with quality ingredients. Besides, you’ll likely have plenty leftover to finish over the following weeks, so it helps when you actually like it! The only components store-bought ice cream needs are milk, cream, sugar, maybe tapioca and natural gums, and natural flavoring like vanilla. There are even recipes to make your own ice cream without an ice cream maker!

Please be aware of any guests with dairy sensitivities or allergies (as with any party/gathering where you’ll serve food). If anyone can’t have dairy, make sure you also provide plenty of dairy-free ice cream and/or sorbet for them to enjoy as well! Keep the dairy-free options and serving spoons separate in a designated area so that they aren’t cross-contaminated with dairy ice cream.

Ice Cream Toppings

Six ice cream cones topped with alternating vanilla and strawberry ice cream scoops lay flat on a white background with sliced strawberries scattered on the surface above the strawberry cones, and small white flowers scattered on the surface above the vanilla cones. Serve sliced strawberries and other fruit toppings at an ice cream theme party to make the ice cream treats especially decadent and refreshing — Photo by Kenta Kikuchi

As far as ice cream toppings go, there are endless options. Many people love to add even more sugar to their sugary ice cream with candies and sweets like crumbled Oreo cookies, chocolate chips, crumbled graham crackers, mini peanut butter cups, and more. Just remember, you’ll be stuck with whatever leftover toppings so unless you can pawn off leftover cookie crumbles to a guest, choose things you can personally stomach! Here is a modest list of a few ideas to get you started:

Sprinkles
Chocolate syrup
Caramel syrup
Maraschino cherries (or regular sliced/pitted cherries)
Chopped bananas
Chopped strawberries
Raspberries
Chopped nuts
Chopped basil
Chopped mint
Chopped rosemary
Bailey’s (why not?)
Sea salt flakes
Ice cream cones (waffle cones and sugar cones are the tastiest)
Mini pretzels

Close-up photo of three homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches (chocolate cookies sandwiching vanilla ice cream covered in chocolate chips), a delicious alternative to plain ice cream cones/bowls at an ice cream theme party! — Photo by Henry Geddes

While there isn’t much more in the way of refreshments that you’ll need for an ice cream party, make sure you have things to drink – at the very least, decent water (filtered if the tap quality is low). Beverages like sparkling water, lemonade, and juices are refreshing options as well.

3. Plan a Fun Party Playlist

Create a fun music playlist for a playful ice cream theme party vibe! Anything summery and sugary is perfect. Whatever type of music you and your friends love is sure to please. There is no one-size-fits-all – your choice of tunes depends entirely on your taste. But music is so very tied to a party’s mood, so don’t just flip on the radio and hope for the best. Plan your fun ice cream playlist with some thought!

4. Add Enticingly Sweet Scents

Five white ceramic bowls arranged in a row each hold different coloured scoops of ice cream alternating in yellow, chocolate, blue, vanilla, and red — Photo by Courtney Cook

What’s almost as delicious as eating tasty ice cream? Smelling it! You can fully immerse your guests in an ice cream theme party by burning mouthwatering scented candles full of sprinkles and other ice cream treats. Check out these options here:

Pink sugar rainbow ice cream candle
Ice cream scoop candles (available in multiple scents)
Sundae-shaped/scented candles (available in multiple scents)
Ice cream dessert-shaped/scented candle (available in multiple scents)

5. Plan Ice Cream Games

Games aren’t necessary to keep a party exciting, but they’re always a fun option! Besides waiting to see who can make it to the end of the party without having dripped ice cream on their clothes (winner gets the best dressed award), check out these printable downloads that will keep everyone on their toes:

Checklist of Items You Need

A quintet of five white ceramic bowls arranged in a circle each hold different coloured scoops of ice cream alternating in red, vanilla, blue, yellow and chocolate — Photo by Courtney Cook

These are the things you need for an ice cream theme party:

Ice cream theme party decorations
Plenty of ice cream and serveware
Ice cream party toppings and drinks
Ice cream party playlist
Ice cream scented candles
Ice cream theme party games

Preparation Checklist for Your Ice Cream Theme Party

Sundae decoration with pink base and vanilla, yellow, chocolate and green 'scoop' layers with a red cherry on top, with a striped straw sticking out — Photos by Mike Bird and Dovile Ramoskaite

A dessert dish holds three scoops of rich vanilla and a silver spoon sticking out of the top scoop — Photos by Mike Bird and Dovile Ramoskaite

1. First, confirm that people can come on any chosen date:

Choose party date/time, and preferably alternative date(s) as well
Choose guest list and establish minimum number of guests you’d like (to make it worth your effort)
Six weeks out, confirm guests’ interest in the party and availability on chosen party date(s)
If your preferred minimum number of guests confirm interest and availability, have them secure calendar date for your sweet ice cream theme party!

2. Then, proceed with the fun planning:

Schedule time on your calendar for each step of party prep as listed below (securing and/or making food/drinks, etc.)
Create invitations with all the details and send them out 4 weeks before the party
Order any party supplies and decorations 3 weeks out (so they arrive in time to prepare and set up)
Shop for any party supplies/decorations you don’t order online, as well as ice cream and any non-perishable toppings/drinks
In your planned time slots, acquire perishable toppings early enough in advance to prepare in time
In your planned time slots, set up decorations
In your planned time slots, prepare/chop toppings (depending on how long things keep)

3. Day of Party (in your amply planned time slot):

Prepare/chop any toppings that are too fresh to do any earlier
Set up any quick/easy last-minute supplies and decorations (if not up already)
Prepare ice cream party ambience (music, scented candles)
Get dressed in your favourite ice cream theme outfit
Once everything’s ready, meditate or do any preferred self-care to get in a good head space if you aren’t already. That way you’ll be feeling good and ready to serve your ice cream-hungry guests!