Sports is a great theme idea for a Bar Mitzvah.
For one thing, sports themed parties are popular, so you have many decor items already available to choose from for your sports themed Bar Mitzvah.
Also, you can choose a variety of color combinations (maybe your son’s favorite team) and still have a lot of decor items available to help you with decorating.
The bold colors and blocky designs associated with sports teams can make for an especially vibrant and fun event.
Parties can also take on themes from events associated with the sport your child loves too, such as the Super Bowl, March Madness, World Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs, etc.
Sports themed Bar Mitzvahs can incorporate a variety of sports in your party decor. Or, you can focus on the sport your child loves the best.
With this post, we’ll show you our top 10 picks for a sports themed Bar Mitzvah and provide you with ideas and inspiration for each.
1. Basketball Bar Mitzvah
Basketball is by far the most popular sports theme for Bar Mitzvahs in the United States. Basketball seems to be especially popular with boys and is most often the theme of choice.
It’s a great theme too because the orange color of a basketball and its unique texture means that it is a bold design theme. The colors used in a basketball Bar Mitzvah are often orange, dark gray (or black) and white. However, you can also use the colors from your son’s favorite basketball team as well.
Often basketball themed Bar Mitzvahs have an orange and blue color theme because those two colors contrast with each other and therefore the colors really pop.
Sometimes people will utilize March Madness as inspiration for this theme.
As you can see in the above basketball Bar Mitzvah decor example, actual basketballs and hoops are used as decor items. They are softened with orange flowers, candles, and blue and orange party lighting. Team jerseys, big-screen TVs, player silhouettes, balloons, LED lights, and sports fonts for table name cards can also add to the ambiance.
You can also get basketball photo backdrops, mini foam basketballs, paper basketball shaped lanterns, basketball themed balloons, and more.
Usually with Bar Mitzvahs, the party decor is in keeping with the theme, but the food and activities are often not in keeping with the theme.
However, a fun idea is to set up individual concession stands with different foods you’d find at a typical stadium or arena concession.
Also, sports-themed events sometimes have themed video games and other games to play in keeping with the theme. So, for example, with a basketball theme, there could be consoles set up where kids can play a basketball-themed video game for fun. Or, a carnival-style basketball game or two could be fun.
If you’re looking for some more inspiration, there are some wonderful real-life basketball Bar Mitzvah blog posts that can help, such as Matthew’s, Jake’s, or this one at the Waldorf Astoria.
There are many great invitation designs available for basketball themed Bar Mitzvahs.
For example, here are some basketball themed Bar Mitzvah invitations from Lemon Leaf Prints. You can find all of Lemon Leaf Prints basketball Bar Mitzvah invitations here.
2. American Football Bar Mitzvah
American football is also a popular sports theme for Bar Mitzvahs in the United States. It is the most popular sport in the United States, so it is not surprising that boys often choose it for their Bar Mitzvah theme.
Often times this theme uses Super Bowl for inspiration as well.
The colors most often used with American football Bar Mitzvah theme are brown, green, white and black. These colors are associated with the ball and the football field. However, choosing to use your son’s favorite football team colors works as well.
As with the basketball theme, American football Bar Mitzvah decor can utilize the ball, football helmets, scoreboards, player photos, and various other football related decor. And the theme can be softened with flowers, LED lighting, balloons, and vases.
Foam mini footballs, football themed paper cups, football photo backdrops, and football themed bowls all make great additions to your American football themed Bar Mitzvah celebration.
As mentioned previously, usually Bar Mitzvah celebrations do not choose to theme the food in addition to the decor. However, in keeping with the idea of tailgate parties, you could have some fun with the food.
Tailgate parties often feature foods such as sliders and subs, chili, cheese dips, potato salad, jalapeno poppers, nachos, wings, lemonade, and various easy to eat dessert squares, donuts, cake pops, and cookies.
So, as you can see, you could have quite a bit of fun with the food if you chose to go that route.
As with basketball Bar Mitzvahs, you could set up video game consoles so the kids can play football themed games. Also, a carnival style football game could be fun.
If you’re looking for some real life American football Bar Mitzvah inspiration, check out Ben’s and this one at the Royal Palm Yacht Club.
You can find some great invitation designs for American football Bar Mitzvah.
For example, the green, brown, black and white American football set shown above is showcased on My Jewish Party.
You can also get this football stadium Bar Mitzvah invitation set from Lemon Leaf Prints.
3. Baseball Bar Mitzvah (or Softball Bar Mitzvah)
Baseball is often thought of as America’s favorite sport, so it’s not surprising that baseball (and the variant softball) are popular themes for both Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah. Many children in the US play baseball and/or softball recreationally and watch the sport played professionally.
Baseball themed Bar Mitzvahs often utilize the World Series as inspiration for their theme.
Because of the all-American, patriotic feel to baseball, the colors used for many baseball Bar Mitzvah events are red, blue, and white. Red and white is especially prevalent because the ball in baseball is white with red stitching. Furthermore, red, blue and white are often used because those are the colors of the Major Baseball League logo.
But of course, as with the other sports themes, you can do a baseball theme in whatever colors you want. Again, your child’s favorite team colors could be chosen.
Decor items can include baseball gloves, bats, baseballs, uniforms, scoreboards, and other baseball related items. As with the other sports themes, sports related decor can be softened with flowers, leaves, and grass.
In the decor image above, the marquee lights saying “Max’s Dugout” add a fun party feel.
A baseball theme does lend itself well to concession style food (these concession banners would look great at any party) and baseball themed giveaways and favors. For example, this 80 piece Big League Chew individually wrapped bubble gum bucket and this 25 piece Cracker Jack pack are both a fun addition to any baseball themed party. Also, don’t forget the fresh-roasted peanuts. You can get nice baseball themed napkins, paper plates and Mylar balloons as well.
There is no lack of party decor and food ideas for a baseball themed Bar Mitzvah. There are plenty of carnival style baseball themed games you can rent and you can set up video game consoles. You can even buy simple, inexpensive games like the bean bag game shown above.
If you’re looking for some baseball Bar Mitzvah inspiration, this post showcases a variety of different celebrations with diverse styles.
There are many mix and match items available for the red, white and blue baseball Bar Mitzvah invitation set show above. This set is available from Lemon Leaf Prints.
This baseball trading card photo Bar Mitzvah invitation set is showcased on My Jewish party. Shown in blue and orange, it’s also available in red and blue.
This search links to all of baseball themed Bar Mitzvah invitation sets available on Lemon Leaf Prints. There you will find some sets available with non-traditional colors such as green/gray and blue/gray.
4. Soccer Bar Mitzvah
Soccer is the most popular sport worldwide. In the US and Canada, it is called soccer, while in other parts of the world it is called football.
Even though it is not the most popular sport in the US, soccer’s popularity worldwide makes it another great choice for a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah theme.
If your son or daughter is a soccer fan, then it can be a great choice for his or her Bar Mitzvah theme. The ball is black and white, so you can choose any colors to complement a black and white soccer ball color theme and pattern.
As with the other sports, you can be inspired by the major sporting event related to that sport. In the case of soccer, that is the World Cup.
Like most other summer sports themes, green is often a favorite color choice for a soccer themed Bar Mitzvah. However, as with all the other sports, you can also decorate in your son’s favorite team colors.
Israel’s team colors are blue and white, so you can do a blue, white and black themed celebration.
Decor items can include soccer balls, nets, scoreboards, grass, and other soccer related items. As with the other sports themes, sports related decor can be softened with flowers, balloons, and leaves.
Soccer themed Bar Mitzvah invitations from Lemon Leaf Prints come in a variety of colors and designs. Many of these designs can be customized for you in different colors. You can inquire with Lemon Leaf Prints customer support.
5. Ice Hockey Bar Mitzvah
Rounding out our top 5 sports related Bar Mitzvah themes is hockey. An ice hockey themed Bar Mitzvah is a fun theme.
Ice hockey is very popular in Canada, but is also rising in popularity in the United States.
It’s the only winter related sport in our Top 5, making it a great choice for a northern US winter time Bar Mitzvah, but it can also be a fun theme in the summer or in the southern US states.
If hockey is a favorite sport for your son, it makes for a great theme. In the case of hockey, hockey sticks, pucks, nets, scoreboards, and helmets can be used as decor for your theme. However, you can also utilize ice and snow, as well as the hockey rink.
By incorporating ice and snow, your celebration can have a winter wonderland feel. Think about how you can incorporate ice sculptures and icy blue lighting!
You can also use the Stanley Cup for theme inspiration. This real life hockey themed Bar Mitzvah does just that. They created a Stanley cup ice sculpture.
As with all the other sports themes, colors can be whatever you’d like and often favorite team colors are used.
A particularly popular decor idea with this theme is to create a dance floor that looks just like a hockey rink. As with the other sports themes, food can be themed by utilizing the idea of a concession stand.
Table and air hockey games can be rented to provide additional entertainment.
You can purchase all sorts of great items for a hockey themed celebration. For example, these Hockey themed Hershey Kisses are a nice addition to your party favors. You can also get nice hockey themed pennants, place mats, and napkins.
Other Popular Sports Bar Mitzvah Themes
In addition to these top 5 sports Bar Mitzvah themes, I’d also like to suggest a few other sports related themes that are still fun, but a bit more off the beaten path.
Golf Bar Mitzvah is quite popular as well. Often times, this theme features argyle and grass in addition to golf balls, clubs, and gloves. Colors for this theme are often green and white.
Golf clubhouses make a great venue. You could also hold your event at a mini-golf course! There are some wonderful indoor and outdoor courses that provide food as well.
Also, small mini-golf courses and putting greens can be rented for your celebration.
Golf is a great choice as a theme for either a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah.
Tennis Bar Mitzvah is also a fun choice for a sports Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah theme. With a tennis theme, tennis balls and rackets are used in decor.
Tennis ball green/yellow is bright and cheerful and goes well with grass green. It also looks great with a variety of shades of gray, blue and brown.
Like most sports themes, there are lots of decor items available to purchase for a tennis themed Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah. Consider setting up some table tennis games for fun! This is pretty easy to do, as there are great portable versions available.
Tennis themed Bar Mitzvah invitations from Lemon Leaf Prints come in a variety of colors and designs. Some are modern, minimalist designs, while others are designed to look like a sports magazine cover.
Bowling Bar Mitzvah is another great choice for a sports themed Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah. A bowling themed Mitzvah can be planned really easily because it can be held in a bowling alley depending on the size of your party.
Bowling alleys already have the food sorted, and your guests can bowl for fun. It is also possible to rent bowling alleys to have it as part of your theme at a different location.
But, don’t forget that lawn bowling is always an option as well. Often, lawn bowling facilities have clubhouses similar to golf courses where you can hold your celebration.
Skateboarding is also a great theme for a Bar Mitzvah if it appeals to your son. Skateboarding themes often feature urban graffiti looks like this graffiti skateboard themed Bar Mitzvah invitation.
If your son or daughter is into snowboarding or skiing, these are also great themes for a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah. A snowboard or skiing theme would feature winter decor items, such as snow, ice and mountains as shown with this snowboarding themed Bar Mitzvah invitation.
I hope you enjoyed this sports Bar Mitzvah post. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
About Shannon
Shannon is a graphic designer for Wasootch, a special occasion stationery and gift shop that specializes in unique and affordable wedding and bridal shower stationery. Interested in Shannon's designs? Check out her shop on Zazzle, her shop on Etsy or check out her designs on her new partner website Lemon Leaf Prints.