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Office Party Entertainment Party Ideas for 2024

If budget constraints mean you have to host your next work party in the office during 2024, you’re not alone. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t create a memorable day or night. Making an office party enjoyable is a simple recipe: just mix together food, drinks, entertainment, and music. Below are some of our suggestions for the best office party entertainment ideas:

1. A Magic Office Party

Bringing a magician to the office will leave your colleagues in awe, no matter their age. Some of the best magicians can be inexpensive to hire, providing astonishing entertainment. Hiring a magician could be part of a wider-themed ‘magic’ office party or a standalone surprise for your colleagues. Our favourite magicians start at just £100 per hour for up- close magical action.

2. Bring in a Musician or DJ

Music is crucial for any party, and while you could play your favourite Spotify playlist, a live acoustic musician or DJ can significantly enhance the atmosphere. Musicians and DJs can often bring their own equipment, allowing you to relax and enjoy the music!

3. Host a Murder Mystery

A murder mystery is a popular office party activity and can be as immersive as you like. Some go all out, asking people to arrive in full character, while others keep it thematic, with the story unfolding in the background over the evening . You can either download a murder mystery template online and run it yourself or hire an inexpensive expert host.

4. Cocktail (or Mocktail) Making with Stand-Up Comedy

This engaging activity is highly popular and can be organised either independently or with the assistance of a professional event planner! The event is inclusive, catering to non-drinkers by offering a mocktail experience alongside the alcoholic options. Choose recipes online and let everyone take turns showcasing their favourite flavors and techniques, or enhance the experience by bringing in a professional mixologist. To add an extra layer of entertainment, consider featuring a stand-up comedian performing as drinks are being made. It’s truly a recipe for a good time!

5. Office Party Bingo

Bingo, traditionally associated with the older generation, has experienced a revival among the younger crowd thanks to a host of exciting new bingo venues across the UK. This is a game you can host in the office with a simple online Bingo machine, or for an extra dose of enthusiasm, hilarity, and cold hard cash prizes, consider calling on the experts at Dabbers Bingo! 

6. Spice up the Party with a Photobooth

A photobooth is a great way to capture memories and add flair to your office party. Available in various shapes, sizes and themes, photobooths can easily be added to any event, whether at a hired venue or in your office. It’s a surefire way to foster team bonding, conversation and create lasting memories. They are more flexible and competitively priced than you might imagine and are a great way to avoid any photocopier embarrassment! 

7. Culturally Themed Party

Considering the diverse backgrounds of colleagues, a culturally themed party provides an opportunity to mix, learn, and appreciate local traditions, food, and music from around the world. With a small team, the party could be as simple as a traditional meal, game, and music. For larger groups, consider hiring musicians and cooks from the specific culture. Popular themes include Mexican Fiesta, Bollywood, Italian Masquerade, Vegas Nights, Greek Toga Party, Oktoberfest, Hawaiian Luau and All American.

8. Casino Nights

Casino nights are immensely entertaining and always popular with the office crowd – who doesn’t want to win a bit of extra cash? As with a lot of our suggested events, it can be set up in-house, but we recommend letting the experts handle it. Conveniently, we can arrange the hire of all the expected accouterments of a casino night, including roulette wheels, blackjack tables, croupiers, and more!

9. Games Night

This one is very simple, we all love board games and most of us own them. Invite everyone to bring their favourite board game. For optimal enjoyment, choose games that can be played fairly quickly – Monopoly might be a no-go. To prevent any inter-office disputes, our favourite board games for groups are Cluedo, Articulate, Monopoly Deal, Balderdash and Secret Hitler. Take it up a notch by hiring a gameshow host, buzzers & much more to turn your night into the UK’s favourite Saturday night shows – think Countdown, Family Fortunes, Taskmaster, 8 Out of 10 Cats and more!

10. Art Class or Life Drawing

Consider outsourcing this official social event to the experts for the best experience. Have an art teacher attend your office to allow your team to enjoy some ‘sip and paint’. Supply your own alcohol and snacks at supermarket prices whileyour team receives artistic instruction from a professional. To spice it up, why not try Neon Life Drawing? This is an extremely popular office party option for creative teams.

11. Office Quiz

A pub quiz is a British classic and an excellent way to get the team together, but not all pub quizzes are created equal! Depending on how interactive you want it to be, ask your office team to contribute a quiz round each, or alternatively, purchase a quiz online. If you’d like to spare your colleagues from the responsibility of being quiz master, then Bookado will bring one of our hilarious quiz masters to you, starting from just £200.

The Best Office Party Ideas – Away from your Workspace

If you lack the appropriate office space to host a party, fear not, as there are literally hundreds of venues to choose from. Below, we’ve rounded up our favourite venues for your office party. A reminder: the quickest way to be paired with venues that suit your requirements is through our Event Planner.

12. Flight Club

Flight club is immensely popular for good reason. If you’re unfamilar withthe concept, it’s a highly enjoyable and interactive version of the old pub classic, darts. In Flight Club’s own words, they’ve reinvented the game of darts, and we wholeheartedly agree. They’ve developed a host of fast paced multiplayer games designed to keep you and your peers on your toes, all while enjoying drinks and food with convenient and attentive table service, wrapped up within a fantastic atmosphere.

13. Electric Shuffle

Shuffleboards and their variations are currently undergoing a revolution, and Electric Shuffle is a prime example. Similar to Flight Club, Electric Shuffle uses clever tech to monitor the tables, accurately tally up the scores, and enable a host of different games. The atmosphere is, well, electric. As above, you can expect a great bar, music, and food all for you to enjoy.

14. The Hoxton “Apartment” Spaces

The Hoxton Spaces offer a unique concept for group hosting. With multiple locations around London, you can essentially rent out various event spaces to cater for your exact needs. Tastefully designed spaces include a large kitchen in the style of a country house, meeting rooms, a relaxing lounge, or a dining room – whatever you require. To top it off, you can completely customise the space. All spaces come with a pantry for hot drinks and snacks, but if you prefer full catering, their partners at Soho House can dish up whatever food you’d like. In the evening, this can flip to a private bar if you wish, and rooms for the night can be provided should logistics and the evening activities dictate!

15. Mr Fogg’s Bars

Bars are good, but they’re even better when themed. Mr Fogg’s bars, located in several locations around London, offer an immersive Victorian-themed day and night of entertainment. Inspired by the Jules Verne novel “Around the World in 80 Days”, you’ll be transported back in time to enjoy exquisite cocktails and drinks made from exotic ingredients inspired by Phileas Fogg’s famous adventures from around the world.

16. Sports Day Activities

Organising a sports day is a straightforward task. Find a pleasentgreen open space (of which there are plenty in London) and bring along a standard equipment list. Including spoons, eggs, hessian sacks, cones, a picnic, and if you desire, alcohol. This offers an easy-to-organise and cost-effective solution to keep the whole team entertained, with rewards and forfeits tailored at your discretion.

17. Skylight Rooftop Bars

If you’re seeking a gorgeous vista and backdrop for your work party, consider what Skylight Bars have to offer. With lofty bars dotted around the capital in prime locations, you can enjoy your soiree and beverages amidst one of the world’s finest cityscapes. The menu boasts great food, and the bars can cater for private events. If the weather turns a little nippy, there are igloos to huddle in and continue the merriment, or enjoy the spacious indoor areas which feature games for your group to enjoy.

18. Immersive Cocktail Experiences

Similar to Mr Fogg’s, there are a variety of other themed and immersive experience cocktail bars scattered around London. Our favourites include Alcotraz, in which you’re tasked with escaping prison and smuggling illicit moonshine to your fellow inmates. Avora offers a themed cocktail experience with an out-of-this-world feeling. Moonshine Saloon is a Western-themed bar set in the gold rush era of America. The sheriff is in town, on the lookout for any would-be moonshine smugglers. If you think you’re above the law, bring a bottle of your own liquor for the saloon’s barman to mix up.

19. Sixes Social Cricket

While we’ve covered a few themed bars with traditional pub games, Sixes aims to change the game with a clever take on the peaceful village pastime of cricket. Using innovative technology, Sixes enables you to quite literally smash it out the park. Whilst your ball may not go the physical distance everything is captured by cameras. The practicality of this in central London is immeasurable, and, of course, there’s drinks on tap and food as you require it!

20. The Crystal Maze: LIVE

Create lasting memories with a team day out in a quest to escape the challenging Crystal Maze. While Richard O’brien isn’t on hand to help you navigate, a host of maze masters will point you in the right direction or playfully ridicule you as your teammates point you in different directions. Across various zones, including Aztec, Medieval, Industrial, and Futuristic, your team’s goal is to collect as many crystals as possible to spend as much time in the crystal dome. Harmonicas are optional!

21. Quirky London Bars

Blame Gloria, The Escapologist, Nikkis Bar, Tonight Josephine and Bar Elba

The Adventure Bar Group boasts an impressive portfolio of stylishly decorated cocktail bars, including Blame Gloria, The Escapologist, Nikki’s Bar, Tonight Josephine, and Bar Elba. With 13 different locations to choose from, you’re spoilt for choice. The expectations and encouragement for the evening to transform into mayhem with loud music and dancing make it the perfect setting for an out-ofoffice get-together. Check out the different brands and locations on their site to see how well bars can be done.

22. Thames Boat Party or Trip

For decades, a Thames river cruise on a party boat has been a firm favourite in the corporate world as a literal vessel for letting your hair down. Today is no exception, and at Capital Pleasure Boats, you and your colleagues can take in all the wonderful sights along the Thames whilst dancing the night away. Customise the cruise with DJ’s, bands, singers, or any entertainment you see fit to entertain your fellow workmates for a night they definitely will not forget.

23. Immersive Escape Rooms with AIM Escape

Escape rooms, a sweeping trend across all cities, are popular for good reason. They offer a truly immersive team-building experience that appeals to all. AIM Escape stands out with five games to choose from in London. Their conveniently central location ensures that when the game is over, you’re in a good place to keep the night going. Explore the variety of games and puzzles AIM Escape has to offer for an unforgettable experience.