How to Host a Cocktails and Coloring Party

Why Cocktails and Coloring Make a Great Party Theme

Everybody enjoys coloring, and every able-bodied person can do it. Very little effort is required to color beyond fine motor skill. Choosing colors is the extent of creative input. The design is already provided; one needs only color within the lines. It’s such a simple and, yet, such a therapeutic and enjoyable activity. While coloring and enjoying a drink is a delightful pursuit that anyone can do solo (as a party of one), a coloring party is a great way to spend time with friends.

Similar to a puzzle party, a coloring party is an happy retreat after a stressful or tiring week. It’s easy to chat with friends while coloring since it’s a mindless activity. Kicking back with cocktails is always enjoyable, and conversation can range from frivolous to deep to silly. Whether your guests are outgoing or shy, coloring is a comfortable way to casually socialize.

A close-up coloring party scene of a coloring page with abstract ocean-themed shapes and swirls that is partially colored in vivid blues and purple, with the blue and purple colored pencils resting across the page — Photo by Jul Chi

This isn’t your typical party where you need to deck out your space in decorations or fill your kitchen with food for twenty. Whether it’s just you, five of you or many more, a cocktails and coloring party is a delightful occasion for any time of the year, in any weather, and for no other reason than to enjoy time together! So get out your crayons and a piece of paper and let’s start party planning.

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How to Throw a Cocktails and Coloring Party

1. Set Up Space for Coloring and Get Coloring Party Supplies

A row of colored pencils in various colors, in rainbow order, are lined up against a blue background — Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán

The first things you need to acquire, after securing a party date and minimum guest count (see Preparation Checklist for Your Cocktails and Coloring Party section below), are coloring books or pages and materials like markers, colored pencils, and crayons. Have at least a couple different mediums as people’s preferences may vary. One may prefer markers; another may want colored pencils.

You could provide a coloring book for each guest, or buy one large coloring book and let guests choose individual pages to pull out. An alternative is to purchase a digital download and print pages from there. There are lots of fun and creative options! Here are just a few:

You’ll want to have enough flat spaces on which guests can color. Maybe everyone sits around your table and colors, or perhaps on the floor around a coffee table. You could alternatively provide a large, hard-backed book for each person to use as a hard surface over which to color so they can cozy up on the couch or a rug. There are options here – just make sure you’re prepared either way and have a plan for where/on which surfaces people can color.

2. Prepare Crafty Cocktails (and Snacks)

Four narrow wine glasses are arranged in a row and hold drinks (from left to right) in bright red, orange, blue and green, against a stark black background. A perfect lineup for a cocktails and coloring party — Photo by George Desipris

The best foods for a coloring party are finger foods that aren’t too messy so that guests can graze and snack on them periodically while coloring. Easy snacks like popcorn, chips, cheese slices/cubes, crackers, nuts, and raw veggies are good staples. It’s best practices to also offer tortilla, pita or bread bites with a couple of hearty dips like guacamole, bean dip or hummus to effectively fill stomachs. While a coloring party isn’t necessarily a dinner party, you always want at least a couple heartier options if also serving alcohol.

It’s easy to spend a lot on food, but you can always budget by inviting guests to bring snacks to share. Most people are happy to contribute (see 5. Guest Participation). But regardless, be aware of any invited guests’ dietary restrictions and provide at least one or two decent food/drink options for them as well.

Here are some fun and easy cocktails to inspire your friends with their rainbow of colors:

Red carpet cocktails
Mandarin orange champagne cocktail
Jamaican yellow bird cocktail
Green Hawaiian cocktail
Carolina blue cocktail
Indigo-colored fruit tingle cocktail
Purple mist cocktail
Rainbow mimosas (guide to creating colorful cocktails)

3. Amp Up Creativity and Playfulness with Good Music

A woman's hand is seen coloring in the center of a mandala outline on a sheet of paper with a blue colored pencil — Photo by Karolina Grabowska

Music is always a good idea at a coloring party. Decent music can improve our mood and set the energy level. Play anything fun or pleasant to get creative juices flowing. Melodically complex music such as that by singer-songwriter Joanna Newsom is engaging and most conducive for creativity. Cheerful, simple tunes such as Beatles songs are helpful for relaxed playfulness. There are so many options. As long as the music isn’t stressful or makes people want to cover their ears, you can’t go wrong. Whatever you and your guests enjoy – any genre or style – play it!

4. Add Colorful Scents

Everybody loves walking into a place that smells good. While nobody will notice if there are no smells, people will notice a pleasant smell for sure. Lighting a nice-smelling candle is a great way to set the atmosphere – and you get to enjoy it beyond the party, too! To stay in theme, opt for a colorful candle like this pastel rainbow candle with multiple scent options. Or check out this rainbow layered candle that has a different scent for each color layer!

Close-up view of six colored pencils, each consecutive color of the rainbow, resting on a white piece of paper above each color swatch drawn on the paper to form a rainbow pattern — Photo by Javier Gonzalez

5. Establish Guest Participation

Guest participation involves the extent (if any) to which you ask your guests to participate in your party. For example, you may request that people bring a dish to share. It’s up to you, but make any participation expectation clear from the initial invite. Of course, always choose your guests mindfully and with their interests in mind. Prioritize friends who you know would most enjoy coloring and cocktails! But welcome friends who don’t drink, too – you can easily fix a mean mocktail version of any cocktail with some flavored seltzer waters and other non-alcoholic staples. Your cocktails and coloring party can be a good outlet to socialize for anyone!

Checklist of Items You Need

A group of crayons are seen close-up with pink, purple, gray, and a couple reds and oranges in the front row — Photo by Anthony-📷📹🙂

These are the things you need for this party:

Coloring book(s) and/or printable downloads
Coloring materials such as crayons, colored pencils, markers, oil pastels, etc.
Stiff books (or cardboard) for guests to use behind coloring book/paper as a hard surface
Snack foods and ingredients for cocktails
Music/playlist and speakers
Colorful scented candle (optional)

Preparation Checklist for Your Cocktails and Coloring Party

Four markers with fine point tips in black, yellow, pink and blue rest across a white sheet of paper with each color scribbled on the paper, with its cap standing on end above the colored scribble — Photo by Ge Yonk

1. First, confirm that people can come on any chosen date:

Choose party date/time, and preferably alternative date(s) as well
Choose guest list and establish minimum number of guests you’d like (to make it worth your effort)
Six weeks out, confirm guests’ interest in the party and availability on chosen party date(s)
If your preferred minimum number of guests confirm interest and availability, have them secure calendar date for your awesome cocktails and coloring party!

2. Then, proceed with the fun planning:

Schedule time on your calendar for each step of party prep (securing and/or making food/drinks, etc.)
Create invitations with all the details and send them out four weeks before the party
Order supplies (coloring books/materials, paper plates, etc.) three weeks out so they arrive in time
Or shop for any supplies you don’t order online, as well as non-perishable food/drinks
In your planned time slots, acquire perishable food/drinks early enough in advance to prepare in time
In your planned time slots, clear space as needed for coloring (and/or gather hard books)
In your planned time slots, prepare food/drinks (depending on how long things keep)

3. Day of Party (in your amply planned time slot):

Prepare any foods/drinks that are too fresh to do any earlier
Set out coloring books and supplies
Prepare ambience (music and candles)
Get dressed in a comfy cocktails and coloring party outfit
Once everything’s ready, meditate or do any preferred self-care to get in a good head space if you aren’t already. You want to be centered, relaxed and happy so that you can enjoy your own party, too!