24 Award Winning Oscar Party Ideas
Mary-Anne Desai
Contributor
We're proud to present the event of a lifetime—your Oscar themed party! We're gathered here today to celebrate every momentous achievement and share some Oscar party ideas the Academy would be proud of. Everything about the Oscars gets us excited, so we're thrilled to help you feel the same way with food and drink ideas, hilarious entertainment, dazzling decor, and much more.
If you need some help preparing your acceptance speech, setting up your stage, or finding the perfect attire, you've come to the right place. Here on The Bash, we have a range of vendors who are budget-friendly and provide services for one-of-a-kind events just like these.
So what are you waiting for? Let's start planning your Oscar themed party before the 2023 awards air on March 12th!
And your winning Oscar party ideas are:
An Oscar Worthy Venue
Banquet Hall
Modern banquet halls are ideal event venues for large and small social gatherings. You can explore plenty of banquet halls at your local community center, hotel, and more. These chic areas are known to feature smooth dance floors and space for your desired seating arrangement.
You can also add food stations with punch fountains and other glamorous decors. Another perk to booking a hall for your event is the atmosphere it provides, alongside tall ceilings, ambient lighting, and an award-winning echo.
Theater
Whether it's your local cinema with old-fashioned architecture, your university's spacious auditorium or a special movie theater, these venues can easily transport you and your guests into a world-class setting. They provide their own seating alongside tall ceilings and bold, muted backdrops.
These sophisticated event venues come with a range of perks like sound equipment, lighting, and room for as many friends as you choose. You can also hire your favorite entertainment, like bands, solo acts, and more, with the use of their dramatic stage.
Nightclub
As the sun starts to set and the moon comes up, your guests will feel like the stars they are. From ditching the queue to finding your reserved seat, these venues can make you feel like a VIP. Since the Oscars are usually a nighttime affair, the nightclub can be the picture-perfect setting with light shows and recorded music.
Usually city venues, these establishments often provide a vibrant atmosphere inside and out. Many nightclubs also offer private areas that you can book for the number of your choosing, alongside beverages, cuisine, and more.
Oscar Night Party Vendors
Photo Booth
Do you want your guests to travel back in time? A vintage photo booth can do just that with an endless amount of prints. Depending on the vendor, you can customize your photographs with your event's name, date, and theme.
If you desire a more modern photo booth, you can hire a 360 booth or a touch-screen booth for more interactive fun. These images or videos may be sent via social media, digital files, and more.
Comedian
An award show is nothing without a little slice of comedy. To ensure you and your guests laugh and smile all night long, why not spoil them with a talented comedian? Using The Bash, you can find loads of professionals near and far who specialize in various jokes for every event.
These may include family jokes, slapstick comedy, dark humor, observational humor, and sketch comedy. If you desire a sneak peek, you can enjoy a preview of their jokes online or in person before your party.
Emcee and DJ
While you're warming up or throwing on a costume change, an MC is a great idea to keep your guests entertained and amused while you're a little busy. MCs are known for being bubbly and friendly additions to events, big or small.
They can also present your next act or game while you enjoy your guest's company and relax—which sounds like a dream come true! Some MCs are also DJs with an extensive music catalog of pop, rock, country, and other international tracks to play throughout your event.
Photographer
Hire an expert photographer who can make your Oscar-themed party last a lifetime. These visual storytellers can blend in with the crowd and capture candid moments that you can treasure forever.
Once your Oscar party slowly comes to an end, these professionals can create short clips and full-feature videos and edit each scene to your liking. You can also receive albums, canvases, prints, and digital files to keep for years to come.
Mobile Bar
While you may have showstopping entertainment, don't forget to pair each magical moment with delicious beverages. Luckily, you can find mobile businesses that provide refreshments on the go.
They can park at your location, set up a sweet display, and serve chilled drinks to your guests. You can also find the full bartending experience with on-tap drinks and cocktails made from scratch. These services also provide polished glassware or recyclable cups, so you won't have to worry about a thing.
Oscar Themed Drinks
Champagne
Do you want a bubbly atmosphere? Well, it's time to pop the champagne and get your party started. Between the finest champers in the city to countryside classics, you can find a range of champagne to serve your adult guests.
Before serving, ensure that each bottle is beautifully chilled, so the taste and flavor comes through. At the same time, younger audience members may enjoy a cold bottle of non-alcoholic bubbly, like grape, apple, cranberry, or other fruit juices throughout your awards evening.
Wine
If you've watched the Oscars before, you'll know that the academy awards always serves wine from renowned brands and sponsors, like Russian River Valley Chardonnay or Francis Ford Coppola Wines. Luckily, you're hosting the event this year, so you get to decide what you and your guests will drink.
From exploring a range of brands to finally picking a bottle of wine, remember there are plenty of options for different people. Choose a variety from your favorite white, red, sparkling, non-sparkling, rosé, and even non-alcoholic.
Classic Cocktails
"Shaken' not stirred." Let's get your guests together for a delicious drink from a classic film. You can explore a range of cocktails from your favorite movies for your Oscar-themed party. James Bond's tall, timeless Vesper Martini may be a great addition alongside your film buffs who are loving every moment.
You can create the renowned James Bond cocktail with fresh ingredients, like a twist of lemon, gin, and vodka. If you're a fan of mocktails, you can create a similar drink with apple juice, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and more.
Oscar Party Food
Charcuterie Boards
Scrumptious and chic, there's nothing that makes our tummies grumble more than a lovely, large charcuterie board. You can create your own board with tons of cheese, like cheddar, blue, brie, gouda, and feta. While you should add loads of cheese, you may also explore lots of other fresh ingredients, such as mouthwatering meats, salmon, fruit, and vegetables.
Pro Tip: if you want your board to stand out and fit your theme, invest in serving trays made out of shimmering steel or gold.
Mini Sandwiches
Celebrities at the Oscars, Emmys, and other award shows are known to love free, fresh food. So, why not serve a dozen sandwiches that are easy to make and quick to eat? Though sandwiches may be simplistic, they're delicious and can be shaped to your liking.
You can get creative with your presentation from star-shaped sambos to melted toasties. Each toastie can differ from turkey and tuna to hard-boiled eggs and veg. Either way, you'll have something that suits everyone.
Oscar Themed Cookies
To present the last item of the night, let your loved ones enjoy a taste of heaven with Oscar-baked cookies. You can bake these sugared creations at home or order a few from a well-known caterer.
To make the perfect cookie, you can try shaping each one to look like a little trophy. Each cookie may include sugary-sweet icing, reflecting the Oscars' signature gold color.
Oscar Party Entertainment
Charades
While you may not be an Oscar-film buff, your guests may certainly be! Charades can be a great way to test your friends’ movie themed knowledge and get them to interact with other guests. You and your loved ones can have fun by dancing, moving, and acting scenes out on stage.
Depending on the year of your Oscar-themed party, you can add to your Charades night by creating a list of award-winning movies from the current year. The person who guesses the most correctly wins!
Awards Party
Since you're hosting an awards night, it's time to applaud and celebrate your loved one's achievements by providing customized awards. You can take a moment to thank each family or friend with Oscar-shaped trophies, certificates, and other unique prizes.
If you want your friends to join in on the fun, you can have a ballot box at the entrance and set a time for each guest to create their votes. These awards may vary from the best dressed to the silliest performance.
Bingo
Get ready to hand out custom bingo cards that look like an Oscar ballot. Your customized bingo card can include hilarious and heartwarming moments from your evening. For example, "someone doing the worm on the dance floor" or "guest making a cheesy joke on stage."
These ideas can also include inside jokes that only you and your guests would know. You can personalize these cards to imitate your awards evening before it happens. Once someone yells, "BINGO!" you can grab an award and congratulate your loved one for participating.
Trivia
Similar to charades, trivia is a group game to test your movie themed knowledge. However, trivia can go beyond film and TV. This game can include actors, actresses, and even directors. These questions can date back to Classic Hollywood with award-winning stars like Charlie Chaplin to today's celebs like Meredith Streep.
Let your loved ones have some fun in groups of three, four, or five by answering a string of ten questions before the time runs out. The team with the most answers about the Oscars wins.
More Oscar Party Ideas
DIY Party Decorations
Use classic movie inspired colors like black and white, and decorations that look like film reels. Order Oscar statues like these from Amazon and sprinkle them throughout.
A Red Carpet
Fancy a fabulous, grand entrance? Enjoy the glitz and glam of your Oscar-themed party with a rich, red carpet display. If you don't have a red carpet at your disposal, don't worry, you can find blush carpets, rope posts, and more with decor easily online.
Create a VIP experience from the moment your guests arrive to the second they enter the building with a red carpet. Your walkway can also include a bold backdrop with your favorite colors and patterns from top to bottom.
Curtains
Once you've walked past the paparazzi and into your dazzling venue, it's time to create some mystery for your party. If you have a big enough facility, you can decorate your space with long, velvet curtains. These curtains can create the illusion of an Oscar stage, with your host or entertainment waiting behind it.
As the curtain drops, your guests can be amazed by the entertainment and effort you made. Plus, they're also great as dramatic backgrounds for group selfies.
Stage Lighting
To ensure your event shimmers and shines, try stage lighting to create the atmosphere you truly desire. Depending on your chosen venue, you may already have large, bright lighting for your stage, dance floor, or seating area.
Not sure what type of lighting you need? Consider options such as uplighting, floodlights, lasers, disco lights, and other multicolored lights. To create the ultimate spotlight for each performance or speech, you'll need tall ceilings or a tall setup.
Champagne Glasses
Cheers to a sweet, successful event! Let your event exude sophistication with quality glassware and food accessories. You and your loved ones can enjoy a champagne toast with various items, from vintage cocktail glasses to gold-rimmed whisky glasses.
You may also find inspiration from award-winning films like The Great Gatsby with crystal champagne glasses. You can also find other polished items to serve drinks, appetizers, and meals, such as stainless steel serving trays in an oval, rectangular, or circular shape.
Celebrity Inspired Dress Code
We can all agree that dressing up in suits, dresses, and gowns is both fun and fabulous. Watching your favorite stars on-screen and dressing like them in real life can be a dream come true.
So while you're planning every detail of your Oscar-themed party, why not plan your dramatic outfit? You can encourage your loved ones to wear their favorite designs from the red carpet, like Blake Lively's iconic Met Gala gown to Leonardo Dicaprio's classic black suit and matching bow tie.
Find more event ideas here on The Bash.
