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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Party tricks that liven things up: Recommended entertainment and performances for parties and drinking gatherings [2026] (11–20)
devil stickNEW!
A devil stick is a street performance and juggling prop where you use two sticks to manipulate a central stick in the air without dropping it.
As you tap or push with the two sticks and watch the central stick seem to float, it starts to feel a bit magical.
With vivid hand movements, watching that single central stick in motion might even make you think, “Is it attached to a string?” While there are high-difficulty tricks, there are also beginner-friendly ones, so give it a try!
balloon art
“Balloon art” is popular with kids, and it’s fun for adults to watch too.
Don’t you think it would really liven things up if you could whip one up quickly and smoothly? You sometimes see street performers doing it, and their skill is so slick it’s satisfying just to watch.
Let’s make various kinds of balloon art and give them as gifts to the people there.
Sport stackingNEW!
This is a performance that uses 12 plastic cups.
Sport stacking is a sport where you stack and unstack cups in predetermined formations without mixing up the order.
The key seems to be doing it smoothly.
Many people get hooked on it, and there are even world championships.
If you time yourself, it can be even more exciting.
You can perform solo, but trying it as a pair is also recommended.
How about performing it with a colleague who joined the company at the same time as you?
plate spinningNEW!
In Japanese street performance, plate spinning is also cherished as an auspicious act.
It’s the art of spinning a plate on top of a stick, and even that alone delights onlookers.
They say placing the plate on the stick is harder than spinning it.
However, if you learn the key points and practice, you can pick it up fairly quickly.
There seem to be many tricks, such as spinning multiple plates or moving the stick like a kendama to fling the plate and catch it.
Even a single plate can get the crowd excited, but why not try showcasing a variety of tricks?
Apatou Game
A party game that became popular in South Korea: the APT game.
While singing “APT.”, the collaboration song by BLACKPINK’s Rosé and Bruno Mars, everyone at the party stacks both hands together.
One person becomes the “parent” and calls out a floor number they like.
Starting from the person whose hand is at the very bottom, players pull a hand out in turn and place it on top while counting upward; the person who lands on the announced floor number is out.
By the way, “apateu” means an apartment or condominium in Japanese.
Since it requires no props and is easy to play, give it a try at your next get-together with close friends!
crushed cardboard
Have you heard of “no-crush cardboard”? It’s a bit performed by the comedian Q-Taro Suzuki as a “once-a-year act that works worldwide.” You take an ordinary cardboard box you can find anywhere, assemble it normally, stand on one of its corners, and by distributing your weight evenly, supposedly you can stand on it without crushing it! But actually, that’s a lie (lol) — no matter how hard you try, you can’t do it! It’s a party trick where you first raise expectations by saying, “You can do this,” then fail—because the failure is what makes it funny!
Buzzworthy party acts: Recommended entertainment and performances for banquets and drinking parties [2026] (21–30)
tissue paper
This is a party trick devised by the comedy duo King Kong.
If possible, wear a white undershirt beneath a button-up shirt before you try it.
It’s simple, but if you go over the top, it packs a punch.
After you do it yourself, get the people around you to try it too and keep the laughter rolling.