Countdown! The 5 best New Year's party ideas for your bar or nightclub

We’ve said it before: New Year's Eve gets a bad rap. So much pressure is
placed on hosts to have the perfect party. And that can be stressful.
However, when pulled off correctly, a killer NYE party can often go down in
history. So for bar owners eager to throw an NYE party for their customers,
it’s important to have a solid plan in place. No half-stepping it: this is the
biggest business night of the year, so make it count!

We’ve put together 5 creative ideas, tips, and thought starters for
turning your bar or nightclub business into THE place to be on New Year's
Eve. Check out our checklist below:

1. Make it a karaoke party

Did you know that New Year’s Eve is the most popular night of the year for
karaoke? Something about the magic in the air that lowers everybody’s
inhibitions and sends them searching for a microphone.

There truly is no better time to set up a space for karaoke in your bar or
nightclub than on December 31st (but ideally, maybe a day or two earlier).
Putting together a karaoke night, with a dedicated host for the evening (a KJ or a "karaoke jockey"), is the best way to turn your venue into a must-see
NYE destination for food, drinks, and fun.

One of the best things about karaoke is that there are plenty of ways to do it. If you are opting for a hosted karaoke evening, KJ's are essential for not only operating and managing the technical equipment but also guiding the crowd
throughout the evening, making sure that everybody is safe and engaged all
night. Whatever sized space you’ve got available in your bar or nightclub,
adding a makeshift stage should be minimally invasive and cost-effective. Move some of the seating around if it’s in the way and set up in a spot that offers cool vantage points and killer acoustics, if possible.

Or, if a help-yourself karaoke party in your venue is more the vibe, self-
service karaoke machines are just as effective as bringing people together.
Simply install a compact karaoke station (maybe near the bar or at the rear
of the venue) that guests can walk up to, then let them check in and rock out for as long as they wish, while still leaving room for other guests to enjoy the
rest of the space. Self-service karaoke booths are a perfect complement to
the overall karaoke concept and installing one on New Year’s Eve, in
particular, is the perfect business move. If you happen to notice that
the self-service booths bring a lot of additional revenue, then it might be
worth turning your venue into a year-round karaoke castle.

With Singa Business, you’ve not only got one of the largest music libraries at
your disposal (we’re talking thousands upon thousands of popular tracks to
sing along to, from many of today's biggest singers) but also a high-quality and reliable system with seamless features and different options to choose from. Learn more about Singa's versatile suite of karaoke solutions for businesses, and explore the latest enhancements we've introduced.

No matter what type of venue or setup you’ve got, Singa can be
incorporated seamlessly and effortlessly.

2. Everybody loves a theme night

Another surefire way of attracting audiences to your venue is by turning the
setting into a committed and fabulous theme. After all, everybody loves a
theme night. There are dozens, if not, hundreds of broad and niche NYE
party themes to choose from (you know your customers, are they the type
of crowd who would encourage friends to dress up as 1920s flappers? 1970's
disco divas? 2050's cyborgs?)

Let your creativity run wild. Whatever theme you land on, incorporate it into
the menus and the décor. For formal a black-tie theme, have everybody
show up in period dress snazzy suits and ball gown dresses and have a
crew of waiters passing around canapés and champagne all night. Deck the
place out with grand decorations in golds and silvers. For a time warp theme,
encourage guests to show up in finery from their preferred decade:
bellbottoms and jeggings, or powdered wigs and pantaloons.  

3. Capture the memories and hand out the mementos

If you’re hosting a party, it’s only natural to have some party favors on hand.
It’s not only a nice touch, but it’s also a savvy marketing opportunity to
promote your business to remind people to come back (after all, on the
morning after NYE, a lot of people tend to forget what they got up to the
night before).

A few of the new year’s-themed party favors business owners can offer to
guests include:

• Celebratory hats, glasses, accessories, and other wearables
• Commemorative shot glasses or champagne flutes for the first few
  guests who RSVP
• Party crackers with deluxe prizes inside
• A goody bag filled with, among other things, coupons, and vouchers for
  future visits to the venue

And, to top it all off, bars and nightclubs can purchase or rent a photo booth
and have their business logo watermarked on all snapshots captured.

4. Liven things up a bit

For business owners who don't want to spend the evening playing host, one
thing you can do is hire a live act to entertain audiences for the night.
Illusionists, DJs, stand-up comedians, or a good old-fashioned live singer with
band on a special night like NYE, people expect to see something they
wouldn't normally see on any other night. And your choice(s) doesn't have to
break the bank.

In fact, you could easily dip into the local talent pool and
audition for some great options before selecting and advertising your
headliners. You'll not only manage to attract a crowd, but you'll endear
yourself and your business to the community. It's a win-win.

5. Save the dates

Okay, hear us out with this one. But how cute would it be to say that you met
the love of your life on New Year's Eve? Shared a kiss at midnight? Met up
New Year's Day for brunch? And so on...? People love that kind of stuff. And
that's why a speed dating icebreaker party is a great idea. These types of
events not only bring new customers together but also provide an escape
from all of the mind-numbing, right-swapping dating apps out there. Set it up
early in the evening, maybe 6 or 7 pm just enough time for potential
singles to connect, find some commonalities, and then stick around for a
disco-themed dance party.

There you have it! Some cool tips and ideas for throwing the most awesome
New Year’s Eve party at your bar or nightclub. Get inspired, get stocked up,
and get ready to bring the new year in with a bang! For more thoughts on how to make the most of your business, check out our blog right here.