Summertime is the right time for stargazing, and we don’t just mean the boys from Twilight. Cue the dramatic music, because 2010 is the perfect year to cook up your own, little space odyssey. An intercom message from the crew captain oughta get the attention of your guests. Create an audio file with a message detailing the mission, flight time, departure location, and required safety attire, then get to work on a party of epic proportions.
Creating Space
Outer space is dark, dark, dark, so the key to creating atmosphere at your space party is to make it as black as you can, and that’s where black craft roll comes in. Paper over windows and walls to create a vacuum of light, then sprinkle in star dust with glow-in-the-dark paint (to avoid a cartoony feel, only use pre-cut star stickers if you must). Snap on a few black lights, and you’ve got a bleak but beautiful background for your interplanetary adventure.
If you want to add some dimension to your space decorations, search out a substitution for moon rocks; portable waterfalls and fountains (with the water kept off) could do the trick and usually rent for under $50. Garden or fish tank accessories would also work. Finally, carefully-hung, realistic space toys (that one’s for you, Star Wars fans) can be a sign of intelligent life, especially when seen through the window of a do-it-yourself shuttle cockpit.
Make a cockpit in a small nook – even a bathroom – by spray painting angled cardboard with a silver sheen, affixing plastic pieces for buttons and controls, and securing an iphone or ipad as the monitor. Don’t forget to cut a hole for the window and to set the scene outside with more black paper and star paint.
Astronaut Ice Cream
A lot of science museums and centers still sell a token bag or two of vacuum-sealed space food in their gift stores, so definitely grab a bit for the crazy friends who’ll be blasting off with you. For everyone else, go with snacks that point to your theme more creatively. Set out a spread of Little Debbie Star Crunches, bleu cheese and star-shaped crackers, slices of star fruit, and blue martinis with glowing ice cubes. The ice cubes are expensive at about two dollars each, but they do triple duty in drinks, as decor, and as party favors.
In Space, Everyone Can Hear Your Music
There’s no question, loads of galactic music already exists out there for would-be astronauts. For your space party, take full advantage of soundtracks from space movies (ET, 2001, 2010, Star Wars, Star Trek), but make sure to use the well-known themes sparingly, so your space capade doesn’t just turn into a John Williams lovefest; you want space to feel otherworldly, not familiar. Consider also spinning some Holst (The Planets) and just a couple songs about rockets, space, and flight, so things don’t get too heavy. “Rocket Man” by Elton John might get people singing halfway through the night.
Suiting Up for Space Travel
An outer space party opens the door on a world of costume ideas. People can come as famous space characters (Princess Leia, Spock, Judy Jetson), astronauts, or aliens, or as something of their own creation. As always, give some creative ideas for costumes in your party invitation, but be prepared to just see what happens, too.
Photo credits: everystockphoto.com, science.nasa.gov, disboards.com
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