The ’50s are still one of the most cherished decades in U.S. history. There are ’50s diners all over the place, movies set in the ’50s and many “vintage stores” that specialize in ’50s poodle skirts and leather jackets.
Bring the ’50s back by having a soda fountain-themed party!
In the 1950s, the soda fountain was the neighborhood hangout. Teens gathered there after school while the younger set enjoyed the sweet treats available for a dime. It wasn’t just for kids; adults stopped by to get the latest gossip from the soda jerk (the guy behind the counter) over a cheap sandwich and cup of coffee. These fell out of favor with the public as freezers became more prevalent in households.
Decorations:
Color – Pick a color scheme you’d see in a ’50s themed diner, like black and white with either teal or pink as accent colors.
Ceiling – Hang old records, acquired from local thrift stores, from the ceiling. Add streamers where needed to fill the blank area in between.
Walls – Hang Norman Rockwell pictures (found in magazines or online) here and there, along with memorabilia from the ’50s.
Tables – Keep it simple, with disposable tablecloths from the local party store.
Plates and Utensils – For easy clean-up, use paper plates and cups from your local party store. If you really want to get into it, you can find authentic service pieces at restaurant supplies store or your local rental house.
Menu:
The simplest version of this idea is to lay a spread of ingredients on a table or counter and let people make their own treats. Since this takes some self-control and cleaning up after themselves, on the guests part, this is a good choice for an “all adult” or “Family only” party.
The more complicated version includes a “soda jerk” behind the counter, making the treats to order. You or a family member can dress in the typical uniform (black pants, white dress shirt, white apron, paper hat and bowtie) to play the role.
To keep it simple for the soda jerk, create a menu with a limited number of treats to be made. The menu of any soda shop included lots of sweet treats, like ice cream floats, sundaes, simple scoops of ice cream and ice cream sodas. Look online for ideas of what to include in your menu. There are still some soda fountains in business today and many have Web sites with menus, such as those at http://www.thepopshopusa.com/menu.html and http://www.marvsclassics.ca/menu.html.
Make sure to include some of the all-time favorites, such as banana splits and hot-fudge sundaes, along with some new inventions of your own! Recipes and instructions can be found online with a little research.
The most important thing to decide on, food-wise, is the ice cream. It’s is going to go into almost everything you make, so make sure the ice cream is quality stuff. Make sure to pick different flavor – not everyone likes chocolate.
And don’t forget the most important part – the whipped cream and cherry on top!
Set-Up:
If you have an island or bar setup in your kitchen, use it. Otherwise, to save the soda jerk’s back, you might want to consider putting a table on wooden blocks or bricks to raise it to counter height.
Locate the menu in an area where everyone can see it, or create a paper menu people can browse while standing in line.
Lay everything out in an assembly line, with bowls at one end, followed by ice cream, sauces, toppings, fruit, whipped cream, nuts and cherries.
Entertainment Ideas:
Play music from the ’50s in the background.
Show TV programs from the ’50s (i.e. Happy Days, I Love Lucy, etc.)
Have dance lessons, where guests can learn the popular dances of the ’50s.
