Are you wondering what to perform for entertainment at your year-end or New Year’s party? The classic acts are great, but how about switching things up and trying a street performance? Street performance actually has tons of elements that can really liven up a party! In this article, we’ve gathered a wide variety of street performance ideas you can choose from to match the venue’s vibe and your own strengths.
Many of these performances do require practice, but with solid preparation and a focus on safety, you’re sure to wow everyone at your year-end or New Year’s party!
- Simple! Easy one-shot gags. Surefire bits that liven up parties and performances [2026]
- [Definitive Guide] Guaranteed Crowd-Pleasers! Party Acts and Gags Everyone Will Enjoy
- [Hilarious] Rhythm Gags That Kill at Parties and Performances
- Hidden talents that will wow the office [2026]
- Ranking of popular skits and performances for entertainment segments
- [From kindergarten to elementary and junior high school] Entertainment and performances that liven up farewell parties
- Party acts that hype up the crowd: Recommended entertainment and performances for banquets and drinking parties [2026]
- Get the office buzzing! A collection of recommended entertainment and performance ideas for year-end and New Year parties
- Year-end/New Year party crowd-pleasing performance dance [2026]
- Magic tricks perfect for year-end parties! Tricks that will liven up any banquet
- [Idea] A roundup of recommended performances for lower grades at school arts festivals and learning presentations
- [Simple Impressions] Fun Classic Bits Even Beginners Can Do [2026]
- Entertainment ideas for year-end and New Year parties: games everyone can enjoy together
A roundup of street performance ideas that liven up year-end and New Year parties (1–10)
roller balance
Would you like to try a classic street-performer skill: the roller balance? You stack a flat board on a cylindrical roller and stand on top while keeping your balance.
Since losing balance can be dangerous, practice in a wide, uncrowded area.
First, hold onto a handrail and step on one foot at a time to find your balance.
It’s easier if you open your knees and lean slightly forward.
Once you’ve got the feel for it, remove the handrail and try again, this time pressing down on the board with both hands as you ride.
shaker cup
“Shaker cups” are a form of juggling where you hold one cup in each hand and toss and catch them between your hands.
There are various tricks such as inside circles, outside circles, cup releases, and cascades—give them a try! There are many flashy moves, like throwing two cups at the same time or adding a spin before catching, so you’re sure to bring the house down at parties.
Start by finding a set of juggling cups that feel comfortable in your hands.
yo-yo
We’re introducing yo-yo tricks that are easy for beginners to try.
If you can show off some cool moves with a portable yo-yo, you’ll be the center of attention at parties.
Men in particular might feel a wave of nostalgia.
The featured set includes 10 tricks, such as Gravity Pull, Long Sleeper, Around the World, Tower, and Inside Loop.
They’re presented in order from easiest to harder, so practice and master them one by one.
Diavolo
In street performances, one act that’s popular in China as well is the diabolo, also known as the Chinese yo-yo.
The performer throws it up into the air and catches it with a string stretched between two sticks.
They showcase tricks while moving energetically to music.
Let’s captivate the audience with a rapid-fire display of flashy, well-paced techniques.
Umbrella spinning
Let me introduce kasa-mawashi, the umbrella-spinning performance you often see on TV around New Year’s.
Tracing its roots back, this act is said to have originated as one of the dance pieces used in Shinto rituals.
The items used are relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain, so it’s a fairly approachable art to try.
Put on a kimono, spin various flashy objects, and let’s hope your luck will spin upward in the coming year!
Juggling
How about livening up the venue with some juggling? Watching balls dance through the air will captivate everyone’s eyes.
It may look easy, but it actually takes patience and practice.
That’s why the sense of accomplishment when you show your results is incredible! The higher the balls soar, the more the audience will respond with amazement and applause—no doubt about it.
Give it a try!
plate spinning
It’s a trick where you keep a plate spinning on a stick.
It looks difficult at first glance, but there seem to be simple kits you can buy, so using one of those is a good option.
Since you can do it anywhere as long as you have a plate and a stick, it’s perfect for venues like year-end parties.
And if you practice and can spin not just one but three at the same time, it’s sure to be a huge hit.