5 Social Event Ideas to Try For Your Next Party
A social event is defined as an event characteristic of people forming groups. This can refer to events, shows, social functions and parties, contests and competitions.
With this social event definition in mind, possibilities abound! Whether you’re hosting a birthday party or celebrating your work team, spicing up a party with something new and unique is always a good idea.
From bar crawls to themed parties, to cooking competitions, here is our ultimate list of social events ideas for an incredible party. Once you have an idea of the type of party you want to throw, check out our list of San Diego party venues.
Yacht Party
Yacht parties are one of the fancier types of social events, but they most certainly make a splash. Begin by selecting the date of your event and setting the budget. Is it a warm afternoon summer yacht party you’re envisioning or a dreamy winter wonderland on the water? You can fine-tune your number of attendees and get to work on your creative vision from there. If this is a team-building yacht party for work, give it a fun theme to get colleagues out of their usual office clothing — boat attire, anyone? Choose what sort of food you’ll serve, like tray-passed appetizers or a full seafood buffet spread. Then, nail down the tunes. You can hire a DJ or go with a good nautically-inspired dinner party playlist. Depending on your sailing skills and the size of your yacht, you can rent your yacht with a captain or choose to sail solo. Once your route is planned and your vintage champagne is stocked, you’ll be all set!
Bar Crawl
A bar crawl is fun, festive and one of our favorite social events ideas for exploring a city. Before you begin, plan your route and map it all out for a fully immersive experience. You’ll want to choose a spot that has a good amount of bars to choose from, is easily walkable and has good transportation options to and from your starting point. If your group is a big one, give the locations a call beforehand so they can be set up with the right amount of staff to serve you. Sometimes, this means they’ll work with you for special cocktails — like a Matrimonial Margarita for a pre-wedding bash or a Thirsty Thirty drink for a birthday party. Give your group a theme, so you stand among the crowd and a hashtag to tie it all together on social media. With a bar crawl, remember to pace yourself. Enjoy each place for what it is and take things slow. Including food in between stops is always a good idea. Maybe after stop one you grab tacos — after stop two it’s the local ice cream shop you’re after — and by stop four you might be grabbing a cheeseburger or a burrito before you head home.
Masquerade Party
Masquerade parties are magical, mysterious and one of the most unique social events ideas. To get started with the planning, pick a theme and encourage attendees to pick their outfits (mask included, of course). Once you have your venue, you can get started with decor. Think candles, feathers, twinkle lights, drapes, glitter, and sequins. When they began in the 15th century in Venice, Italy, Masquerade balls were an elegant affair, so guests will be dressed to impress. The fine-details of decor should be just as beautiful. With food, you’ll want to make sure that your bites are mask accessible — meaning they can be consumed when you’re wearing a mask. Opt for gourmet finger foods and a fancy dessert, like a chocolate fountain or a spread of chocolate-covered berries. For music, create a playlist with classical masters like Mozart, Beethoven and Vivaldi. If your budget allows, you can even consider hiring a string quartet or a solo instrumentalist to set the mood.
Fashion Show
Throwing a fashion show is another one of our most festive social events ideas. Whether you’re hosting it at a venue or a home, find your runway first! This will be the spot where the models stroll up and down, showcasing their meticulously planned outfits. For a full fashion show party, get your guests involved. Set up a wardrobe station, a prop station, and a makeup station. The makeovers can have someone offering manicures, pedicures, hairstyles, makeup, and temporary tattoos. The wardrobes and props can be an assortment of fancy, funky and free-spirited. Let guests use their imaginations and run wild with the idea. If your theme is a fun one, rather than a serious, professional fashion show, guests will enjoy playing the part and becoming part of the party. Have a food and beverage station set up or start a sit-down dinner service right before or after the show begins.
Cooking Competition
Types of social events where a little healthy competition is involved is always an exciting experience. A cooking competition means you’ll be throwing it down in the kitchen. You’ll need a few judges and a good amount of ingredients for your chefs to get creative with. One way to do this is to have each participant make an appetizer, main or dessert. You can leave it at round one or go through the rounds of each course until the final winner is crowned. Although it’s fun for guests to try whatever the participants create, make sure you have additional food and drink on hand to feed the crowd! A buffet is a good idea, as it keeps the attention towards the superstar chefs and allows guests to graze as they please.
When you’re putting together a party or brainstorming about fun types of social events, it’s important to remember a few key things: food, drinks, decor, music, and people.
Once this combination comes together, your event is bound to be a hit. When you need an extra hand with the food, reach out to Eco Caters. We offer organic catering that includes everything from lunch catering to private events.
Plus, we’ve been known to throw a fabulous fashion show, masquerade party, and cooking competition ourselves.
From all of us at Eco Caters, thanks for reading! Contact us today to customize your menu and fine-tune your creative vision.