20 Fun 40th Birthday Party Ideas

Celebrate the Big 4-0 with Magic, Style, and Unforgettable Moments

Turning 40 is a milestone that deserves a serious celebration - and no, we don’t mean serious in the boring sense. Whether you're planning a party for yourself or surprising someone else, a 40th birthday should be fun, stylish and full of wow moments.

Here are 20 exciting 40th birthday party ideas - each one ideal for incorporating a close-up magician, cabaret magic show or full-scale illusion performance to make the night truly unforgettable.

1. Glamorous Casino Night

Transform your venue into Vegas! Poker tables, roulette wheels and a cabaret magician moving between guests with stunning sleight-of-hand tricks - it’s the perfect high-roller experience.

2. Vintage Hollywood Theme

Roll out the red carpet and have guests dress like old-school stars. Add a stage magic show for full showbiz glamour and mind-blowing illusions that feel straight from a movie set.

3. Garden Party with Magic & Cocktails

Perfect for spring or summer birthdays. Serve cocktails, fire up the BBQ, and let a close-up magician mingle between groups while everyone relaxes in the sunshine.

4. Masquerade Ball

Elegance meets mystery. Guests arrive in masks, and a magician adds theatrical flair with magical reveals, levitations, and vanishes that fit the mystique of the night.

5. Pub Takeover with Close-Up Magic

Hire a function room in your favourite pub and bring in a magician to entertain at tables. It’s relaxed, personal, and full of magical surprises with every drink.

6. 1980s Throwback Party

Dig out the neon and leg warmers! Combine retro décor and music with a magic show that cleverly integrates Rubik’s Cubes, cassette tapes, and other 80s nostalgia.

7. Private Dining Experience with a Twist

Book a private chef or venue, then surprise guests with table-to-table close-up magic between courses. It’s luxurious, interactive, and memorable.

8. Fire & Ice Themed Event

Decorate with dramatic lighting and cool colour palettes, then bring in a magician to perform fiery flash productions or icy mind-reading acts for extra impact.

9. Roaring 1920s Speakeasy

Think jazz, flapper dresses, and prohibition cocktails - plus an illusionist performing smoky, mysterious magic right under your guests’ noses.

10. Comedy & Cabaret Night

Host a full-on cabaret evening with a mix of comedy, live music, and a magic cabaret act in the middle to wow and amuse your audience.

11. Murder Mystery with Magic Clues

Combine interactive theatre with close-up magic! The magician can double as a character - performing tricks that may or may not be part of the mystery…

12. Luxury Tipi or Marquee Party

Throw a beautiful tented party in your garden or countryside venue. Add a magician who performs intimate magic at each seating area as the night unfolds.

13. Cruise or Boat Party

Hire a private boat for a river cruise and bring along a magician to perform close-up illusions on deck or a stage show inside the cabin.

14. Dinner & Illusion Show

Transform your 40th into a theatre-style experience with a sit-down meal followed by a full illusion show featuring large props, mind-blowing escapes, or levitations.

15. Wine or Gin Tasting with Magic Pairing

Elevate your tasting night with magical “pairings” - each drink matched with a themed trick performed by your magician host.

16. Arabian Nights Theme

Silks, lanterns, and Middle Eastern cuisine - add a magician who can perform magic with ropes, scarves, and dramatic flourishes for a mystical atmosphere.

17. Black & White Party with Mind-Reading

A simple yet classy visual theme, made unforgettable with a magician performing sophisticated mentalism and psychological illusions throughout the night.

18. Karaoke & Magic Mash-Up

Not just for the mic-lovers! Keep non-singers entertained with a roving magician while others take to the stage. A great way to involve everyone.

19. Magic & Movie Night

Hire a projector, watch your favourite film with friends, then enjoy a themed magic show. Imagine Harry Potter, Now You See Me, or The Prestige with live magic added.

20. Studio 54 Disco Party

Go full glam with disco balls, glitter, and dancefloor vibes. Then surprise your guests mid-evening with a flashy, high-energy illusion set that feels right out of a Vegas nightclub.

Ready to Add Real Magic to Your 40th Birthday?

At Slightly Unusual, we offer close-up magicians, cabaret performers, and illusion shows tailored to your party’s style, venue, and theme. Whether it’s 10 guests or 300, we’ll help turn your 40th into a night of unforgettable wonder.