20 class reunion ideas for a memorable get-together

You may not be able to go back to the good old days—but you can pay them a visit from time to time. Whether you’re still best friends with your old classmates or haven’t seen them since the last dance at Senior Prom, a class reunion is a great way to bring everyone back together to relive all of those youthful memories.

Paperless Post can help you throw a class reunion that will have everyone looking forward to the next one. From class reunion invitations to themes and activities, we’ve collected our favorite class reunion ideas for high school, college, and any other graduating class.

What is a class reunion?

A class reunion is an event where alumni of a high school or college can gather and catch up years after graduation. Class reunions are typically planned and hosted by the student council or class president and can either be formal events or casual parties. They usually are only for adult alumni and their spouses or dates, but some reunions do include the whole family.

Common class reunions happen 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 years after graduation, though some schools celebrate reunions every five years for even more networking opportunities. The formality tends to increase over the years—10-year class reunions are often more casual meetups, while 20-year or 30-year class reunions tend to go bigger and bolder at larger venues.

Class reunion venue ideas

Most class reunions take place in the same town as the school, giving alumni an opportunity to revisit their roots. We’ve compiled some ideas for class reunion venues that can accommodate your graduating class and their dates while still leaving room in your budget.

1. Your old school

 

Hosting a class reunion at your old stomping grounds adds a nostalgic touch to the event. The school gymnasium or multi-purpose room makes an excellent reunion venue, and evokes all those memories of school dances past! For classes with larger guest lists, consider hosting in an outdoor space like the football field or the quad.

Talk to your school’s administration at least six months before your reunion—if not earlier—to make sure the space is available and your reunion doesn’t conflict with current school events (or other reunions!). You can also offer to donate some of the ticket proceeds to the school for letting you host the event there.

2. Golf course

For a fun class reunion idea, consider hosting it at a community or private golf course. Alumni can spend the day chatting on the green and then enjoy a night of catered meals and dancing in the clubhouse.

If you’re hosting during a busy golfing season—namely summer or fall— consider booking your event 6–10 months in advance. Ticket prices may have to be higher for an event like this, but some golf courses include rounds of golf in their event packages, which can be a nice incentive for the cost.

3. Ballroom or banquet hall

Ballrooms or banquet halls are popular venues for class reunions, especially if the event is on the formal side. You can see if the hotel can cater your event—or even stock the bar. Many hotels also offer room blocks when you book one of their ballrooms, making it convenient for out-of-town alumni to stay and celebrate in the same place.

If you’re holding a reunion during spring or summer, book the venue a year in advance—as weddings are also popular during these seasons. Once your venue is booked, remember to add information about the dress code and hotel blocks when you send out invitations.

4. Event space at a museum

 

Does your graduating class share a passion for science, art, or natural history? Host a class reunion at a local museum where guests can mingle in an event space before viewing the museum’s exhibits after hours.

Some museums offer tours or special activities for bigger events, especially if guests are graduates with degrees in the same field (biology degrees at a science museum, for example). You’ll probably need to bring in catering, but some museums do include tables and chairs for events like reunions.

5. A local park

For a more laid-back, family-friendly class reunion, consider hosting at a local park. Set up some grills and let the student council show off their barbecue skills, or make the event a potluck so each family can bring a dish to share.

Making your class reunion an outdoor party is a good solution for larger graduating classes or reunions that don’t have time to book a venue in advance. However, you may want to check the park’s restrictions on music and group sizes before finalizing it as your event venue.

Class reunion theme ideas

The fun of a class reunion is seeing old friends and classmates—but a theme makes everything better! Try one of the following ideas for class reunion themes and decorating tips for an even more special celebration.

6. Your graduation year

 

Take a trip down memory lane with a graduation year reunion theme. Create a playlist with popular songs from that year—or better yet, hire a tribute band to play those songs live as your guests rock out!

Encourage guests to dress as they did back then, whether it’s bell bottoms from the ‘70s or mesh hats from the ‘00s. Bonus points for going all out with hairstyles that reflect the old trends, as well. For fashion inspiration, include a Photo Gallery Block in your Paperless Post invitation with pictures from the yearbook. When it comes to decorations, hang up posters of popular movies or bands from your graduation year.

7. Homecoming

 

Let guests relive the thrill of Homecoming night with a dance-themed class reunion. Set up a red carpet outside for guests to feel like VIPs and have them take pictures against a backdrop with their dates—it’s Homecoming 2.0!

Decorate with balloon arches in your school colors for the ultimate school dance feel. For a fun yet sentimental touch, hang up old pictures of your classmates at past school dances alongside decorative streamers and garlands.

8. Luau party

You don’t have to graduate from a school in Hawaii to say aloha to your old classmates at a luau party! Let guests know that the dress code is island-style (think floral shirts and dresses) and match your classmates’ attire with tropical décor.  Play Hawaiian music to set the mood and set up tiki bars and string lights for a tropical ambiance. You could even host the event at a nearby beach if you’re close to one, where you can end the night with a bonfire and piña coladas.

9. Diamonds and denim

Also known as “dressy casual,” a diamonds and denim theme lets guests pair their comfortable clothes with a little extra sparkle. This theme is a great 10 or 20-year reunion idea, as younger alumni may prefer dressing more casually for the event.

Decorate your party space with gold and silver décor for a glitzy vibe. Then, add personalized party supplies with your school name and graduating year for an extra touch.

10. Costume party

If your graduating class always had a great sense of humor, make your class reunion a costume party (complete with a costume contest at the end of the night, of course). Just add the costume dress code to your invitation, so no one feels left out!

Provide specialty party supplies like party wigs, and hand out plastic trophies to costume winners. Or, if you’re hosting your reunion in autumn, consider making your event a Halloween party instead.

What to serve at a class reunion

Whether you’re having your event catered or making it a potluck, find inspiration with these ideas for food, drinks, and desserts. Remember to ask attendees about any food allergies or intolerances by enabling Guest Questions on your Paperless Post invitations.

11. School color cocktails

 

All hail the green and gold—or blue and silver, or black and red. Serve drinks in your school colors, such as blue sapphire martinis from The Spruce Eats or red strawberry daiquiris by Delish, for some alumni school pride.

12. Coffee bar

Staying up late isn’t as easy as it was back in the old days. Set up a coffee bar for guests to enjoy cappuccinos, lattes, or drip coffee so they can party all night long. It’s probably a good idea to keep decaf on hand, too, especially for guests who have to wake up early the next morning.

13. Passed hors d’oeuvres or finger foods

Everyone loves a good appetizer platter. Have servers bring out trays of elegant hors d’oeuvres, such as stuffed mushrooms by Love and Lemons. You can also set up a table for more casual apps, like pepperoni pizza rolls by Ahead of Thyme.

14. Plated meals

 

Unless your reunion is more of a cocktail party, guests will probably expect a meal—and unlike your school days, cold pizza won’t cut it. Provide plated dinners for each guest or have a buffet available for them to build their own meal.

If your venue provides catered meals, enable Guest Surveys on your Paperless Post invitation to give recipients meal options to choose from. Or have everyone contribute to a potluck dinner—just add a Link Block to your invitation with a link to a sign-up sheet.

15. Bite-size desserts

Let each guest indulge their sweet tooth without interrupting their mingling! Have servers pass out bite-size desserts like chocolate macarons by Southern Living or miniature pumpkin cake towers by Taste of Home. You can also set up a dessert table with cupcakes or a donut wall for guests to visit once dinner is over.

What to do at a class reunion

Now that everyone’s made it to the reunion, it’s time to get them talking. Keep the party going with a few engaging but easy-to-plan class reunion activities that everyone will enjoy.

16. Icebreaker questions

Thanks to social media, your guests likely know a lot about each other’s lives already. So move the conversation beyond “What do you do?” and “How many kids do you have?” with fun conversation starters. Pass out cards with questions or keep them handy on nearby tables, then let the conversations flow.

17. Catch-up slideshow

 

Create a 21st-century yearbook with a catch-up slideshow for your graduating class. Include open-ended Guest Questions in your invitation to find out what your classmates have been up to, or ask them to submit a slide that sums up their life. Put the slideshow together and have it run on a screen in the background so every guest can catch a glimpse.

18 . Escape room

Get everyone working together with a class reunion escape room! Place puzzles and clues across the room for participants to solve, and have them work in teams to see who escapes first.

You can also make this a murder mystery game if it’s more fun—or if your class has a lot of former theater kids.

19.  Dance contest

Sure, you did the best “Macarena” back in 1996—but can you still do it? Have guests put their skills to the test with a dance contest featuring your class’s most popular songs and dance moves. Extroverts get their time to shine, and introverts can sit back and watch the festivities unfold.

20. Classmate memorial

If your class has sadly lost any of its members over the years, honor their memory during your reunion. Some class reunion memorial ideas include:

• Tribute videos
• Posters for classmates to sign and send to family members
• Donations in their classmate’s name to their favorite charity

How to plan a class reunion

 

Planning a class reunion is similar to planning any big event. It’s about collaboration, organization, and communication—all of which you can achieve with a solid planning committee and guest management tools by Paperless Post. Just follow the quick tips below to get started.

• Work with a committee of volunteers: Though reunions are typically hosted by a class’s student council, a reunion committee can involve anyone interested. Ask for volunteers on social media or on your event’s save the dates. Then, add all the volunteer co-hosts to your Paperless Post invitation so they can receive the same updates and messages you do.
• Set a budget: Most reunions are paid for with alumni ticket sales—but some classmates may not be comfortable spending a fortune, so set a reasonable budget that lets you plan a great party without having to make ticket prices too steep.
• Reach out to everyone: Don’t worry if you don’t have every classmate’s email address. Paperless Post gives you the option to send your invitations via text or shareable link, allowing you to post your class reunion invitations on social media and reach as many guests as possible. You can also use Group Sending to send an invitation to each member of a friend group or family—then just one of them can RSVP for everyone.
• Talk to last year’s class: You don’t need to reinvent the wheel for your class reunion! See what venue, food, and activities last year’s class used for their event. If it all worked well, try some of those ideas at your reunion.
• Time it right: Start planning your reunion a year in advance so you can book a great venue and plan everything to a tee. The best time to send invitations is around eight weeks in advance of the event. Send save the dates three to four months in advance to ensure everyone has time to plan their travel.
• Manage your guests: After you send your online class reunion invitations with Paperless Post, use our guest management tools to track RSVPs, tag guests into categories, and communicate with them as needed. Once you download our app, you can also check guests in as they arrive on the big day.

Paperless Post gets the party started (and organized)

Save time and energy when you use Paperless Post for your party planning. Whether you’re hosting a class reunion or other school event, our customizable invitations and guest management tools make it easy to stay organized—giving you more time to actually enjoy the party! We have event management handled, so all you need to worry about is getting enough name tags for everyone!

 

Class Reunion Invitations