The buzz. Energy. The loud, crazy antics of a party.
Who doesn’t love dancing til the wee hours filled with adrenaline and the rush of being in a surging crowd?
If you’re ready to throw the biggest party of the year, check out our ultimate guide below. Your guests will love a glow party, and we have all the tips and tricks you need to make it a success. Read on.
What Is A Glow Party?
A glow party, or a black light party, is an event where the room is completely dark and the lights are ultraviolet lights. The room is lit only by glow sticks and other neon items like lava lamps.It’s a unique idea and one that most of your guests have probably never experienced. Bright objects like white shirts glow bright, and it makes for a memorable night.
The ambience can be spooky or futuristic or techno and disco like, depending on what you’re going for. The way you arrange the party will determine the vibe your guests feel when they arrive.
Why Throw A Glow In the Dark Party?
You may want to throw a glow party if you and your friends are feeling stuck in a rut with your regular activities. If you don't want to go bowling, see a movie, or hit the usual shopping spots, a new idea could be the very thing to bring the fun back.You might even meet someone new at the party. Encourage everyone to bring friends, and invite as many people as possible to fill up the space and the dance floor.
If it's a time of year when there aren't very many other reasons to throw a party, this is the perfect excuse. You don't need a holiday to center this on or any special occasion to throw a neon glow party.
Party Supplies
You'll need all kinds of supplies for your party. Lucky for you, most of them aren't too expensive and they can make or break the party, so it's totally worth the expense.Lights like these LED color changing neon lights are perfect for your next rave. You'll also need lots and lots of black light bulbs. Replace all the bulbs in the party rooms and bathrooms with ultraviolet light bulbs.
You have to darken the venue all the way or the glow effect won't be right. Even if you're having this party at night, you'll still want to darken the windows so that no light pollution gets through from outside lights or stars.
You'll want several rolls of aluminum foil if your house has lots of windows. Instead of trying to acquire enough blackout curtains, which don't work all the way, use aluminum foil to darken the windows. This way, there won't be light gaps around the edges of the curtains.
Encourage guests to wear white shirts, along with glow-in-the-dark makeup.
Make glow jewelry available to your guests, like glow necklaces and bracelets. These can usually adapt to the wearer's preferences, stringing two or more pieces together and separating them again to change it up.
Use glow-in-the-dark paint to splatter paint jars or other decorations. When the black light shines on these items, they'll have a cool glow effect that doesn't compare to their look with the lights on.
Decorate with glow sticks to add to the mood. Use them for decor. For example, you can float them in vases of water or float them in the punch bowl to make it glow. You can even put them inside balloons before you put helium in them, so that the floating balloons add to the glow factor.
How To Throw A Glow Light Party
Determine the level of mess you're going for. If you plan on throwing glow paint, you need to find a venue that's used to big messes. Empty concert venues with cement floors are great for this or any place that's okay with accidental paint splatters.If you only plan on using glow sticks, neon lights, and other lights like lava lamps, you can use your own home for the party space, as long as you can eliminate all lights.
Choose the Music
You can make your own playlist if you have the right kind of sound system. Make sure to include hits that everyone knows and loves to dance to. If there's a specific theme you're using, include songs that go with the theme, too.For instance, if you're going for a spooky theme, then Halloween-type songs would be appropriate, as long as they are upbeat enough to encourage guests to stay on the dance floor.
If choosing the music isn't your forte, then you may want to hire a DJ. They can bring any sound equipment you need, and the right DJ will know how to get the crowd on the dance floor and how to keep them there all night. For the right mood, hire a professional to help make your party a hit.
And if a pro isn't in the budget, let your friends design the playlist. They'll be able to add to it throughout the night as the mood strikes them.
Make sure you check on whether you have any noise ordinances in your neighborhood. They may be posted on signs throughout the streets, or it may be less obvious. You can check with the county city building or other local government offices.
If there is a limit on how loud the music can be, you have a couple options. You may be able to get a variance. It's at least worth asking what the process is to apply for a variance.
There's nothing worse than having the cops show up in the midst of the best party of the year. If a variance on the noise ordinance isn't possible, instead of throwing a rave with the quietest music anyone has heard all year, it's best to choose a different venue.
Design Activities for Your Guests
Dancing is a great activity, and you'll probably have people on the dance floor all night long. But not everyone likes to dance, and you want to make sure everyone has a good time at the party.Show A Video
Make your own video or show someone else's video. It can be a short promo clip or a longer film, whatever fits with your party theme. These really pop in the dark, and if you use a large TV and keep it off until it's time to show the movie, it will have a great surprise factor, too.In the dark, people may not see your TV screen, so cordon it off with ropes or place furniture in front of it so that people can't bump it or knock it over. If it's mounted on the wall above their heads, this won't be a problem.
You can also use a projector if one's available. Again, you'll need to make sure that an area in front of the wall is roped off or separated so that the projector isn't trying to play a video through people's heads. But this way, you won't have the problem of it falling and breaking.
Use Paint
Try paintballing in the dark with special glow paintballs. Make sure you let guests know ahead of time about this activity. That way you don't have to supply all the material (enthusiasts will want to bring their own).You're also off the hook for messy clothes if someone gets splattered and they knew about the activity. They'll be responsible for wearing an outfit that's okay to get paint on.
Another fun glow paint activity is to throw glow paint. You can throw it at each other, or against a canvas. You'll love results, and someone will be excited to use the painting in a creative way later.
Maybe you can donate it to a local coffee shop, or auction it off at a charity gala.
If you can find a large drum like a timpani for a good price, even if it doesn't sound great, people will love hitting it when it's covered in paint. The paint splatters everywhere. The head of the drum and the ends of the mallets glow well, too, because they're white.
The Social Event of the Year
With the right tools, any party can be a rocking success. If you can harness the music, activities, and decor that make a glow party a hit, your next event can be everyone’s favorite.From hiring help to DIYing your rave, guests will love your unique idea and attention to detail.
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