Of Mixology And Friendly Giggles: 5 Tips To Host A Friendship Day Cocktail-Making Party
Planning a Friendship Day party but feeling like the usual fare is too overdone? Think of something more interactive, conversational and creative – a cocktail-making party where guests can come together to learn a little about the art of blending drinks. This party is an excellent event for those in your friend circle keen on knowing more about mixology.
Complete with a DIY station, little recipe cards, a food spread, a separate garnish corner and an expert mixologist – budget withstanding – you can turn this event into a truly memorable masterclass full of laughs, giggles and funny hashtags. And while this can sound a bit too daunting to pull together, a few handy tips and some organisation is all you would need to plan the party for your intimate friends with cocktails and laughs galore.
Read on below for some of these essential tips and hacks that can be useful as you go about organising a spirited, interactive cocktail-making event to mark Friendship Day:
DIY Bar Set-Up With Stations
One of the first things to do while planning a cocktail-making event is to create thoroughly organised DIY stations. Guests can rotate across at least 2-3 stations during the course of the evening to learn how to blend cocktails divided into certain predecided categories. From fizzy drinks to tropical highlights to a station with all things desi, each table can offer a cocktail recipe distinct from the other. And at the end of the event, guests can go home having learnt how to blend an array of versatile blends.
Host A Friendly Mix-Off
Another pro tip to make things more conversational and interactive at your party is to plan a mix-off where guests get a mystery box of mixology ingredients. The contents will be revealed to them only when it’s time to blend the cocktail. They can then craft a drink using the varied ingredients in the box. Ask the best mixologist in your group, or call on an expert for tasting these drinks and for determining the best blend of the night. Amidst friendly chatter about the ingredients and prompts around the different techniques that can be used for blending, such an event can become truly conversational.
Also Read: Zero-Proof Gifting: 5 Spirit-Free Cocktail Gifts For Your Friends
Garnish Bar
What would inspire ‘oohs,’ ‘aahs’ and friendly giggles among your mixology friends at this party is a station exclusively meant for garnishing drinks. This is a place where finished cocktails would acquire an aesthetic touch with a more elegant look or dramatic flourish – depending upon the garnishes of choice. The garnishing station can be filled with different edible flowers, dehydrated fruits, citrus peels and even fresh herbs or flavoured ice cubes.
Cocktail Photo Booth
One of the things best looked forward to at such a creative, inspiring event would be a photo booth which documents your mixology creations for social media. Spend some time curating a brightly coloured space for cocktail pictures. Alternatively, create interesting arches which spell a phrase or a saying known among your intimate friends that will act as the backdrop for the mixology content you create at this party. Guests can pose in these frames and decide a hashtag ahead of time that will go into their cocktail-making posts.
Cocktails And Bar Bites Pairing Corner
What’s a party without good food, really? Along with DIY cocktail-making stations, also curate a food corner where guests can pair the drinks they have prepared with their favourite bar bites. From pani puri and chaat, to cheeses and charcuterie boards to chocolate truffles, define this pairing corner according to the roster of drinks that will be prepared at the party. With this, guests can form their own, well-suited culinary and mixology pairings according to the blends they have made.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
