When you think of hosting a “party,” gathering your friends around for a day of coloring (with some cocktails on the side) may not be the first thing that comes to mind.

But really, if you want to connect and catch up with friends, throwing a coloring party for adults is the way to go! It’s also great for soothing stress and getting your creative juices flowing.

As with any party, it takes a bit of planning and organization to make your event a success. Keep reading for tips on how to host an awesome adult coloring party you and your guests will enjoy!

Before the Party

Finalize the event details

First things first, when, where, and what time will you be hosting the coloring party? Is it going to be a BYOB (Bring Your Own Book) party or are you going to provide the materials? Do you have a theme in mind? Finalize these details first before sending out your invites, but don’t overthink it! A coloring party is really a simple thing to whip together.

Create a guest list

Obviously, without guests, it wouldn't be much of a party. But invite too many and you’ll easily find yourself in a jam! When throwing a coloring party, you want to keep your guest list small to make it more intimate and keep the creativity flowing. Between three and eight is a great size as it lets guests interact nicely with each other and as a whole group. You can invite your fellow coloring enthusiasts or anyone new to the adult coloring craze.

Get the word out

Once you have the guest list ready, it’s time to get the word out. You can create an event on Facebook and add your guests there. But if you prefer to do it the old school way, you can also send out physical invites. Add a dash of personality to your invites and build anticipation for your party by turning your old coloring pages into fun invitations. Check out this article for some inspiration.

Aside from the event details, don’t forget to include some reminders for your guests, such as whether they should bring a coloring book and art medium of choice or not.

Plan your space

Since you’ll be doing lots of coloring, you need to prepare flat tables where your guests can do their work. They’ll need these especially when coloring on loose pages. But if you don’t have plenty of tables available, an uncut mat board or cork board will make a decent replacement.

While you’re at it, make sure that your space is well-lit so you and your guests can clearly see how colors work together on the page.

Prepare your menu

What’s a party without serving some food and drinks? Keep in mind, though, that a coloring party needs a different kind of menu. You want to avoid serving any messy, greasy, or wet foods that may ruin an artwork-in-progress with just a drip or two.

You also want to avoid anything that makes a lot of noise. You don’t want to ruin your guests’ coloring experience by chomping on some Doritos, do you?

Bite-sized treats or anything that can be eaten with one hand is a great option. Think pinwheel sandwiches, cake pops, or veggie trays. Other snacks to eat while coloring are mini pizza puffs, chocolates, and some hot snacks.

Of course, you may also serve some cocktails to let the grown-ups loosen up! Some guests may want to skip the cocktails, though, so be sure to provide non-alcoholic beverages as well.

During the Party

Play some tunes

Amp up the fun at your coloring party by choosing the right playlist. This all depends on the vibe you want to set.

Upbeat tunes are an excellent choice if you want to get everyone in the groove. You can also play throwback jams to satisfy everyone’s nostalgia. But if you want to boost everyone’s creativity and concentration, you can never go wrong with classical pieces!

Gather your supplies

Even if your guests already have their own supplies, it’s still a good idea to prepare extra coloring pages and art mediums in case someone forgets theirs of if ever they want to experiment on other tools. Pencil sharpeners and scratch papers are also a must.

Place all of the supplies in the middle of the table or on a separate table that’s easily accessible by guests.

Let art do the talking

Since the main activity is coloring, don’t be too pressured to get everyone talking. Sure, it’s fun to sit, color, and chat with guests, but it’s also fun to sit, color, and soak up art in silence.

Celebrate your work

When all of your guests are done with their work, ask each of them to share and talk about their work to the group. It doesn’t have to be a formal presentation; keep it light and laid-back. This is a great time to let your guests talk about their design and the different techniques they used, and also help others learn a new trick or two!

After the Party

Start planning your next party

If all goes well, you may want to set another date for your next coloring party or pass on the hosting duties to your friend. You can take your coloring party to the next level by tackling a coloring challenge, such as the three-marker coloring challenge, coloring the same page, using new coloring tools, or learning new techniques. The imagination is your limit!

Final Thoughts

Hosting a coloring party for grown-ups is the perfect way to unwind, meet with friends, and free your creativity. Make your party go without a hitch by using the tips we shared, and of course, don’t forget to have fun!

Have you hosted or attended an adult coloring party before? How was your experience? Let us know in the comments below.