Birthdays are a special time of year to get together with your friends and family and celebrate the day you entered this world. Birthdays provide a great opportunity to see people you may not get to see as often as you like because of hectic schedules and other responsibilities. The experiences you have together at times like these provide wonderful memories to look back on and reminisce upon with that person later in life.

Birthdays plans can get quite expensive when you’re trying to plan a summer birthday bash that you, and all of the guests, will enjoy. The important thing to remember while you’re weighing out your options is to focus on the people and sharing your birthday experience with them. You don’t need to go out to a fancy, expensive restaurant or choose an activity that calls for visitors to spend a lot of money to celebrate your birthday. Some of your family and friends may not be able to afford going out to such a swanky place.

How about instead of having your friends and family decline your invitation because of financial reasons, you plan a birthday celebration that everyone can participate in!

Beach Bum Birthday – First off, pick which one of the beautiful Long Island beaches you’d like to have your bash at. Set up carpools so the cost for parking at the beach is less and everyone in the vehicle can split the price. Then pick an area of the beach to set up camp, a spot where everyone can lay out their blankets, coolers, and big beach umbrellas. You can spend the day having fun talking on the sand, jumping in the water, or playing a game of beach volleyball.

Movie Mania – Summer is the time of big blockbuster movies but it is also the time of year when there are lots of movies playing in the local communities. Places like Jeanne Garant Harborfront Park in Port Jefferson, Coopers Beach in Southampton, and Eisenhower Park in East Meadow show free outdoor movies. Bring some blankets and fold up chairs, stop by the nearest supermarket to pick up some snacks, and enjoy watching the movie together out under the stars.

Party In The Park – Local parks provide plenty of space to hold an outdoor birthday bash. Gather everyone at your favorite park, find the picnic area and set up all of your provisions. Some parks have grills available right in the picnic area so you can host a barbeque and make yummy grill recipes right there in the park. After everyone eats you can start a game of touch football, throw around a Frisbee, explore the other areas of the park, and open presents.

Animal Antics – If you’re an animal lover then you can’t miss out on a birthday party spent with animals. The Wildlife and Ecology Center in Holtsville offers free admission and they house a wide variety of animals which visitors can see, learn about, and pet during their stay.

Check out our Calendar of Events for other free and inexpensive things coming up near your birthday!