By genre and group size: A must-see for organizers! A catalog of crowd-pleasing activities
There are many occasions where you’re asked to put on a performance, like at wedding after-parties, year-end parties, New Year’s gatherings, and thank-you parties.
We often hear concerns from those in charge of entertainment, such as: “I can’t think of an idea,” or “What kind of act would everyone enjoy together?”
Key points for choosing are: something short and concise, enjoyable for all ages and genders, simple and easy to understand, and not vulgar.
In this article, we’ll introduce recommended entertainment ideas that meet the above criteria.
Wishing you a successful performance and a lively, memorable event!
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[By Genre & Group Size] A Must-See for Organizers! A Catalog of Crowd-Pleasing Activities (21–30)
Yamanote Line Game (Categories)
A classic party game: the Yamanote Line Game—also known as the “Kokon Tozai” game.
In the Yamanote Line version, you go around to the rhythm and say the names of stations on the Yamanote Line in order; if you fall off the beat or say a wrong station, you’re out.
Repeating a station someone has already said is also out! If you’re thinking, “There’s no way everyone knows the Yamanote Line stations nationwide!” then play the Kokon Tozai version instead.
You give a prompt like “When you think of ___?” and answer in turn.
Try everyday themes like bird names, sports, or types of fried foods!
Oshibori Roulette
Let’s play Oshibori Roulette! The rules are simple: wring a wet hand towel to squeeze out water, then pass it to the next person.
The person who can’t get even a single drop out loses.
But be careful—if you squeeze too hard at the start, it might come back to haunt you when it’s your turn again! If there are too many players, it might be a good idea to split into teams.
Theater / Skit
Plays and skits are also quite popular as performances or entertainment.
You can use an existing script, or someone with a talent for writing can create an original script.
That way, you’ll have a play that fits the venue perfectly.
Casting carefully is important, because when the roles suit the performers well, the play or skit becomes even more appealing.
Since preparation and practice can take longer than for other types of entertainment, it’s best to start early so you won’t have to worry.
No-Foreign-Words Game
The TV show has a segment called “No-English Bowling.” It’s a simple but somewhat tricky game: if you use any English during the game, you pay a fine.
As you can see even in this passage, we actually use a lot of English in everyday life.
So even if you’re careful, it slips out.
Instead of fines, let’s pick a fun penalty game and enjoy it!
What’s in my bag check!
How about doing a “What’s in your bag?” check as a fun activity, like you often see on variety shows? You could pre-record it as a video, or connect a camera to a monitor at the venue and do it in real time.
That said, it might be better to do this only when everyone is at least fairly close with one another.
It’s exciting not knowing whether something funny will turn up, but the conversation will be important, too!
Tasting Game
Don’t you often see this game on TV variety shows? It’s a “tasting game” where you’re blindfolded, pinch your nose, take a single bite of “some kind of food,” and try to guess what it is.
If you’re only blindfolded it’s one thing, but once you pinch your nose, it’s really hard to taste anything.
Food doesn’t taste as good when you have a cold and your nose is stuffed, right? It ends up feeling like that.
Try it with a slightly quirky eye mask that looks fun, and it’ll definitely liven things up!
Speech Relay
Speeches, which are always included in programs for events like weddings, can be considered a wonderful form of entertainment in their own right.
Of course, simply giving a speech is fine, but a relay-style format is also recommended.
In this version, each person speaks according to a predetermined time and then passes it on to the next speaker.
Adjust the tone to suit the atmosphere—serious or humorous.
Including a call-out to the next person you’re handing the baton to will make it even more engaging.
costume; dressing up; disguise; cosplay
These days, more and more people enjoy dressing up for Halloween, and costumes are widely recognized as a common form of fun, right? So how about enjoying costumes at a party or a wedding after-party? You could prepare a small gift for those who attend in costume, or gather volunteers and hold a costume contest to liven things up.
Costumes can be easily purchased if you want something simple, and it’s also great to challenge yourself with a handmade, full-on costume.
Presentation
Presentations—like major companies’ new product launches—are a perfect chance to showcase appeal.
How about turning that idea into a performance, passionately presenting the charms of the bride or groom to everyone there? Because each person met them at a different time in life, weave in episodes from various eras to convey their appeal thoroughly.
If you prepare materials in advance and keep the tone earnestly informative, the contrast with the festive setting will also spark some laughter.
one-shot gag
A quick skit for a wedding reception or after-party is a fun way to entertain everyone in a short time.
Since one-shot performances are brief, timing and flow are crucial.
Practice thoroughly beforehand so you don’t stumble on the day.
You’ll also need to adjust based on the venue’s situation.
For a company year-end party or a thank-you party, using everyday office life as material could work well.
Just be careful not to focus so much on making guests laugh that the act ends up offending someone.
