Party acts that hype up the crowd: Recommended entertainment and performances for banquets and drinking parties [2026]
Farewell and welcome parties at work, year-end and New Year gatherings, after-parties with friends, and class reunions.
There are quite a lot of banquets and drinking parties, aren’t there?
They’re basically fun, but there’s one time that troubles new hires, young employees, and juniors… yes, the “entertainment segment”!
People often say, “Do something!” or “Can’t you do something funny?” and you end up covering it with an awkward smile, right?
In this article, we’ll introduce lots of recommended ideas for when you can’t dodge party entertainment, including skits and performances everyone can do together.
Be sure to use it as a reference when you’re in a pinch!
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Exciting party tricks: Recommended entertainment and performances for banquets and drinking parties [2026] (1–10)
Oshibori art
If you have terry-cloth oshibori (wet hand towels) at the party venue—or can prepare towels about the same size—why not try oshibori art? Oshibori art involves folding an oshibori like origami to create various shapes.
It’s easy to practice in your spare moments, so it’s great even if you’re short on time.
Like balloon art, if you can whip it up quickly, people will be impressed and say, “Wow!” Give it a try with a bit of practice!
glass harp
You fill a glass with water and run your finger along the rim to play a melody.
It’s simple to prepare, but it seems to require quite a bit of practice.
That said, the timbre produced by the water’s ripples is incredibly beautiful, creating a dreamy atmosphere.
If you can master it, it won’t just liven up a party—you’ll probably be able to use it as a go-to trick at any gathering in the future!
Balloon-swallowing magic
Are you familiar with the famous “balloon swallowing” magic trick? You inflate a long, thin balloon and then appear to swallow it.
Since the balloon is very long, it seems impossible to swallow it all normally.
But in fact, this trick is super easy—even kids can do it! Inflate the balloon, and when you tie off the opening, make a tiny hole.
While covering that hole, put the balloon in your mouth.
As you press the balloon with your tongue, let the air out through the hole.
That way, it easily looks as if you’ve swallowed the balloon!
Party tricks that liven things up: Recommended entertainment and performances for parties and drinking gatherings [2026] (11–20)
Cosplay Challenge
Speaking of cosplay, it’s a classic go-to for party entertainment.
But just using what you’ve prepared can be boring! That’s where the Cosplay Challenge comes in.
Prepare a base costume and a few props, hide them from view, and have people pick them in order.
Once you’ve put on everything you chose, you’re ready.
Then draw a pre-prepared line from a lot and perform a short skit using the line you pulled.
The thrill of not knowing what you’ll have to wear or say, plus the embarrassment of acting in front of everyone—this might be tough without a little alcohol in the mix!
10-second drawing
A 10-second collaborative drawing game where you work together to create a single picture and have others guess what it is! You can have everyone draw on the same sheet at the same time for 10 seconds, or take turns with each person adding parts for 10 seconds to complete the drawing.
To increase the difficulty, you could divide the 10 seconds by the number of team members so each person only has 1–2 seconds to add to the drawing.
If the other side can guess what the hastily drawn picture is, they win! Form several teams and play in a head-to-head format.
If there are skilled artists, try to spread them out across different teams.
Layered T-shirt
How many layers of ordinary T-shirts—the kind you can buy anywhere—can you put on at once? Why not turn this into a party trick? This challenge is actually in the Guinness World Records.
Some people have worn hundreds of shirts, so you might even break the record at your party.
If that happens, the excitement will more than double! The method is very simple: just put on T-shirts as you normally would, one after another.
Be careful so they don’t bunch up inside as you go.
You’ll start to look more and more muscular, and the person wearing them will get hotter and hotter.
To aim for the Guinness number, make sure you have plenty of T-shirts ready.
Performance of Otona Blue (parody lyrics, dance, impersonations, cosplay, etc.)
Otonablue by ATARASHII GAKKO! became a big hit in 2023 after going viral on social media.
Lots of people, including celebrities, copied the head-shaking dance from the chorus on SNS.
If you’re going for a perfect copy, wear a sailor uniform and prepare a wig, too.
Lip-syncing and putting your energy into the dance is also recommended.
If you have dance experience, adding your own flair could be great as well.
Get everyone at the party involved and turn it into a time where everyone can get hyped together!