Casino Night party

Bring the high-stakes energy of Monte Carlo to your venue without the risk of your guests having a bad start to the new year. Casino games with play chips for prizes throughout the night mean friendly competition, glamour and fun.

Set the scene
Have a clear idea of what you want the evening to achieve and the balance between playing and pouring. Encourage guests to accumulate the most play chips or chance their arm on certain roulette wheel numbers, for prizes.

Stay simple
Roulette is easy to understand, allows a dozen people to play at the same time and encourages light-hearted rivalry. Or create your own wheel of fortune with ‘on the night’ prizes or money-off tokens for return visits. Try to have one big prize to help with the marketing.

Casino cuisine
Las Vegas is famous for its extravagant buffets, steak and seafood as well as an all-you-can-eat culture. Combine all three with ticketed areas for easy-to-prep sushi, sliders and pasta. Make sure you budget wisely to match the ticket cost.

Magic moments
As well as casino-themed decorations, red carpets and giant playing cards, magicians and jazz bands add to the ambience and offer added value once the guests have ‘cashed in’ their play chips.

Countdown
Keep the party spirit alive with a midnight countdown featuring a balloon drop and confetti shower. Then clear the games away and start the new year with a party.

Enchanted drinks
You might not be able to offer the real thing, but colourful cocktails based on Wonka’s Fizzy Lifting Drink – and Loompa Lager or Tequila Salt – will fit the bill. Try Grandpa Joe’s Sparkling Soda with fruit for the designated drivers too.

Golden glow
Use the golden ticket concept in pre-event marketing and invitations. Maybe two lucky numbers drawn at 8pm get a quantity of free drinks for the night. Tempt other lucky winners back with special treats or discounts on future visits.

The Great Gatsby Roaring Twenties party

Few eras screamed opulence and elegance like the 1920s, so take your guests back to the days of classic cocktails and decadence, with jazz, feather boas and the Charleston to recreate the golden age of devil-may-care America.

Beat the ban
Prohibition stopped liquor sales in the States, but the spirits still flowed freely at underground venues and private parties. Make your bar the naughty but nice place to be – an ‘underground’ event with a dash of defiance as we say goodbye to 2023. The Old Fashioned, a simple mix of bourbon with bitters, sugar and soda, is a sure-fire winner, while the Gin Rickey – a blend of lime, soda and gin – was the cocktail of its day.

Land of the free and easy
Exude opulence and create the perfect atmosphere with vintage jazz posters and feathers galore. Encourage guests to wear flapper dresses and dapper suits to quick-step back in time. Award whisky in a brown paper bag for the best outfits.

Whisky a go go
During Prohibition whisky smuggled from Canada was a lifeline. It’s easier now, so create a whisky tasting station with some of your bestsellers. 

Get in the zone
Remember: your party isn’t meant to be happening. Encourage your doormen to add to the atmosphere by making each guest’s entry clandestine. Transform part of your place into a speakeasy with password entry and subdued lighting for a slightly more chilled area.