How to Host Your Own Olympics Cocktail Party

Gather your squad and get ready for a record-breaking cocktail party.

Hello Tokyo! The Olympic Games are finally here, and it’s another excuse to celebrate. So get in the party drinks, crack out the party games, and pump up the party spirit.

Here’s how we throw an Olympics-themed party, ready-to-pour cocktail style.

Get in your cocktail delivery

Let’s start with the important stuff. You could juice your own fruit and mix your own cocktails, but you’ll be wasting precious minutes of party time – you don’t want to miss Shirley’s soon-to-be-legendary egg and spoon race moment. If we’ve learned anything this last year, it’s to make the most of every second together, so why not let us do the hard work for you? Stock up your home cocktail bar with ready-made cocktails, and use your extra time to perfect your ping pong technique.

In honour of the Tokyo Olympics, you’re going to need a cocktail collection that’s dazzling enough to rival the opening ceremony. How about serving up Gold Lychee Martinis? Or if you’re having a big do, check out our bundles. This is how you become the gold medalist in cocktail party hosting.

Hit the chart toppers

There’s nothing wrong with some classically-cheesy, sports-themed songs (We’re thinking Queen’s Bicycle Race, Lorde’s Tennis Court, and Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger for starters). But whatever music you go for, make it something upbeat. No-one runs a marathon to ballads.

Choosing music in the spur of the moment can be an Olympic sport in itself, so take the pressure off and load up a playlist in advance. Check out our Spotify playlists, or create your own mix that you know your buddies will love.

Everything but the Olympic torch

When you’re setting the tone, a few decorations go a long way. Make some Olympic Rings from coloured card and display them somewhere prominent (and where’s more prominent than above your cocktail station?), string up flag bunting, and theme anything else in the colours of the Olympic flag (that’s blue, yellow, black, green, and red, by the way).

If you’re feeling ambitious – go for it! How about a gold medal cake? Or an Olympic torch centrepiece? It’s your party after all! But don’t feel pressured to spend hours and hours turning your house into an Olympic stadium – once your guests see your cocktail box delivery, they’ll be ready to party, whatever your decorations look like.

Team spirit

Ready for some healthy competition? Divide your guests up into teams and get ready to take on the party games (if not at an Olympic-themed party, then when?!).

Pick a few nations for your guests to represent, and sort the teams ahead of the day. You want a mix of abilities and strengths, plus teams of people who you think will have fun together. Pop everyone’s names up on a board, and ramp up the tension with a big reveal.

Let the games begin

You don’t have to have games at your Olympics cocktail party, but we’re here for it if you do.

Not everyone loves physical activity, so it’s probably best not to start with a heptathlon (unless we’re talking about a box of SixMix cocktails). You could give your guests options, and let them nominate team members for different challenges.

Before you get stuck in, head outside (unless you do actually have a stadium), and do the usual health and safety chat, especially if you’ve already broken into the cocktails. Try setting up a discus throw using a frisbee, a relay race where the method of transport is a space hopper, or a hula hooping competition (rhythmic gymnastics at its best). How about a sports trivia round? Or get your guests to fill out a list of competing nations on a world map – blindfolded.

Your games will likely take longer than you think, but it’s best to have a few in reserve.

And the winner is…

It wouldn’t be an Olympics party without a closing ceremony. Award medals to the winning teams and whip out some secret prizes. How about a box of Gold Lychee Martini cocktails for the top performances?

We’d love to see your Olympics cocktail party pictures, so don’t forget to tag @boxtails_uk on Instagram. Happy partying!