It’s a bustling Friday evening in a New York City club, and when I take a beat to survey my surroundings, I see a group of women my mother’s age dancing on a table. A disco ball throws rays of light into the crowd. Nearby, I see a group of best friends in their forties giggling on a waterbed. These women (and a handful of men) know every single lyric to the songs blasting throughout the venue and belt them out full throttle. Then, when the evening ends, we walk out, soaked through our halter tops, as the sun sets over downtown Manhattan.
This might sound like a night of debauchery at Studio 54, but in fact it’s quite the opposite. There are no celebrities in sight; no paparazzi to be seen. And no one at this club gives a damn if they look cool. At this party, it’s all about having an absolute blast and getting to bed before the younger generation wraps up their pregame.
Welcome to the era of the early bird dance party. This one in particular, Matinee Social Club, has the mantra: Go out. Go wild. Go to bed. Which was exactly what my friends and I did that evening. Emphasis on evening.
Similar groups, like the Earlybirds Club, host evening dance parties all over the country. Although cofounders Laura Baginski and Susie Lee never intended for it to become a business. “We just wanted to throw an early evening dance party for our friends with an inclusive, come-as-you-are vibe and good music from our younger days,” explains Baginski.
After their first party in Chicago sold out, they decided to move to bigger venues and then expanded to other cities. Baginski says that the popularity highlights a need for women and gender-fluid folks to let loose and have fun in a safe, supportive environment with nostalgic music that brings them back to more carefree times.
She adds, “But now, we want that experience to start and end early in the night — because we have shit to do in the morning! And you haven’t lived until you’ve locked eyes with someone across the dance floor and scream-sung Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Since U Been Gone’ at each other.”
This is all part of a new way of socializing. In a post-pandemic world, people are craving deeper and more meaningful IRL experiences, resulting in new ways of gathering. Often centered around putting down our devices and getting back to the roots of real interpersonal connection, these unique and utterly creative get-togethers have guests recapping (and dreaming of the next event) for days, even months, after.
And you know what? It’s a breath of fresh air to lean into the levity and joy that these events create. Take, for example, one of my dear friends from New Orleans, who whipped up a caftans and caviar party with a group who loved the idea so much they often don their flouncy frocks and enjoy a round of libations for what they call “caftails” on any given evening.
Event planner Mary Guido knows a thing or two about entertaining. A member of former First Lady Michelle Obama’s advance team at the White House, she honed her skills in domestic and international scheduling while mastering the intricacies of diplomacy and precision. As a globetrotting events producer and protocol advisor, she developed a portfolio spanning more than 30 cities across four continents. She explains that these days people are celebrating more than ever and that, thanks to the digital age, we’re embracing novel ways to party that reflect our individuality and our definition of fun.
“A silver lining of the pandemic was that it gave society permission to throw every rule out the window on the ways that life should be celebrated,” says the owner and lead planner at Mary Guido Atelier. “Nearly six years later, we’re still seeing the effects of that.”
She firmly believes in every day being a celebration, especially because people need something to look forward to. “I recently attended a dog ‘bark-mitzvah’ that featured not only a fun and diverse guest list — the host even invited their postal carrier, who their dog absolutely loves — but also entertainment, including a talented ballerina from the Washington School of Ballet,” recalls Guido.
From magical group games of mahjong to over-the-top tower soirees to early bird dance parties, these are the buzziest new ways to connect IRL, each one scratching the itch for a distinct style of socialization. These are the kind of events that have people begging for an invite. The sort of parties that make not only the story, but the grid. They’re straight-up core memories. Here’s how to party like it’s 2026.
Illustration by Kate Worum
Come in Caftan
What was once considered a shapeless garment for the senior set is now the most glamorous piece in a posh party wardrobe. Caftans rule the runways with brands like Monique Lhuillier, Emilio Pucci and Lilly Pulitzer, popping with bursts of jewel tones and plenty of pastels. The look screams effortlessly cool, but also “kooky favorite aunt who has a penchant for sipping Champagne and most certainly has a fainting sofa.” If you’re going to don the caftan, it only makes sense to throw a proper party.
Take a page from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and host a caftans and caviar bash. Jennifer Keyte’s own soiree was inspired by the show. “We saw this idea on The Real Housewives and thought it was so fun,” says the New Orleans–based therapist. “We weren’t sure we would be able to find caviar in rural Pennsylvania, but we did. Even my mom and her friends who are in their mid-sixties joined us, so it was a fabulous thing for multiple generations to enjoy together. The only negative was that we didn’t really want to wear anything other than our caftans all weekend.” So go on, enjoy an evening of “caftailing” — a spritz or a spiked Arnold Palmer in hand while showing off your silky, swingy dress. Or channel your inner Victoria Ratliff from season three of White Lotus and caftan while on holiday (Lorazepam not included).
Plastics Party
Move over, Mary Kay — the new at-home party is all about plastics (no, not the Tupperware variety). Cosmetic procedures, both surgical and non-surgical, have become wildly popular over the years and, according to recent data, non-surgical aesthetics spending in the United States climbed to $17.5 billion in 2024, up $15.1 billion from just two years earlier. Sari Katz, founder of Skin By Sari Aesthetics, says that people are increasingly attracted to the idea of exploring aesthetic treatments in a relaxed, social setting. “Everyone is getting cosmetic treatments these days, so why not kill two birds with one stone and do it with your besties,” says Katz. “There are custom ice packs, luxe gift bags and even new friendships being made, so it feels more like a stylish social event than an appointment.” She says that there’s never a lack of conversation — chatter surrounding the glorious effects of rejuvenating treatments to be had keeps the room buzzing. Katz is quick to point out that prioritizing safety at the clinic comes first, but “creating a fun and supportive space where friends can indulge in treatments and celebrate those fabulous little transformations together is what our gatherings are all about.”
Over-the-Top Tower
My husband always had this far-fetched dream of throwing a party that featured a gigantic tower of gourmet cheeseburgers. And who am I to prevent dreams from coming true? We one-upped the idea for a holiday gathering and called it a tower party. Voila! Inspired by the resurgence of Champagne towers for special events, vendors like New York City’s Champagne Babes can create the bubbling tower of your dreams. Admittedly, we went the DIY route, and while a few precious drops of Champs were spilled and one rogue glass was chipped, the tower was hands-down the statement piece for our party. The best part is that almost anything can be swept into a tiered indulgence. Seafood tower? Naturally. Caviar tower? Of course. Dessert tower? How indulgent. Crudité tower? Healthy and colorful. The biggest hit at our fete? A martini tower, garnished with all the accoutrements. Bottoms up — quite literally.
Euro-Style Darty
I was recently in St. Barths, with my laptop propped alongside a lunch salad, when a group of the most glamorous-looking women in their fifties I’d ever laid eyes on hopped atop the table with glasses of breakfast wine in hand and started dancing — jumping down only to drag us into a conga line. If Mamma Mia!, Moms Gone Wild and a Missoni swimwear runway show threw a luncheon, this would be it. The power lunch may be on the fritz, but the “darty” (as in, day party) is bigger than ever.
Owner Amy Shey-Jacobs of New York City’s Chandelier Events has been producing darties a lot lately and explains that the trend is “100% driven by the experiences of clients who take European-style vacations in St. Barths, Mykonos, Sardinia and Capri — and this year it was all about St. Tropez and Ibiza,” she says. “Think restaurants and clubs like Bagatelle, Shellona and Cheval Blanc. Think daytime lunches with bottomless rosé served in huge magnums while a DJ is blasting the host’s favorite dance tunes and guests dance on the tables.” Arrivederci, winter blues. I’ll officially be adopting the Euro state-of-mind all season long.
Dining in the Dark
A dark room. Candles. A blindfold. No, it’s not another Fifty Shades of Grey sequel (thank God), but instead a unique experience where food is the focus. In cities across the country from Minneapolis to Philadelphia, restaurants are playing host to gastronomic experiences in the dark. Most establishments serve up multi-course menus where the only rule is “no peeking.” This might not be for the friend who hates surprises and is best saved for the down-for-anything dining partner. Abigail’s Kitchen in New York City has been serving dinner in the dark for nearly 20 years. Its super-secret multi-course meals include wine (owner Abigail Hitchcock is a certified sommelier), promising that without the ability to see, diners’ senses of taste, touch, smell and sound become more intense.
Hitchcock says that when people dine out, they take in the style of the place, read the menu, choose the food, enjoy the meal, pay the check and leave. “But with dinners in the dark, they don’t see the restaurant and don’t know the menu,” she says. “They experience the things that would normally be relegated to the mundane.” She says that because of this, diners connect to one another differently and more intensely. “We’ve had people say the experience saved their marriage,” Hitchcock recalls. “Another person said that they went hiking the day after their meal and their senses were still heightened from the experience.” An added bonus: No one is texting at the table.
Zero-Proof Parties
Sober curiosity is gaining more and more traction as the years go by, and more people than ever are embracing a no-booze lifestyle. That said, there’s no reason for a lack in ABV to slow down the party. In 2025, only 54% of adults report drinking alcohol, down eight percentage points from 2023, a near 90-year low, according to a recent Gallup poll. This means that sober socializing is becoming more of the norm and can include everything from soda fountain parties (you can thank The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast for those “dirty Cokes”) to luxury skincare swaps. Shey-Jacobs says that she has planned many events serving up mixology-inspired zero-proof cocktails from Phony Negronis to faux palomas. “I do think that this cultural shift toward less booze is driving new beverage trends,” she suggests. “And with other zero-proof ways to imbibe becoming increasingly more popular, fully NA bars and private clubs have been popping up in cities from coast to coast.”
Mahjong Madness
Does anyone else feel like they woke up one morning and the entire world became overnight mahjong experts? Originating in 19th-century China, the tile-based game is played by groups of four and recently became a hit among suburban moms, clad in flouncy Hill House Home dresses, tipsily shouting: “Bam!” “Dot!” “Crack!” While the Chinese and American versions differ slightly, newbies will likely find the rules more head-spinning than an advanced trigonometry class. Luckily, the mahjong magic can be easily found.
Americans have (naturally) taken the tiles and created something new, like a Southern-themed mahjong set that might incorporate rocking chairs, weeping willow trees or college football rivalry tiles. Whether it’s colorful “cicada dragons” or “sweet tea dots,” themed tiles are part of the appeal, along with the ASMR-esque sounds. Katie Noe, cofounder of the Norman Mahjong Club in Oklahoma, says in six months she went from teaching just one mahjong lesson per month to 10 monthly scheduled events and just as many private lessons. A snoozy card table game this is not. Noe has hosted themed events like Tiles and Touchdowns and Spa-Jong — as in, using a floating, waterproof game set in the comfort of a pool or hot tub. No matter which version you play, the main goal of any Mahjong game is to bring people together for a few hours of fun, often surrounding a central theme exhibited in everything from the tablescapes and tiles to the music and cocktails. Care for a “get-your-mahj-on spritz,” anyone?
Soft Clubbing Scene
The new trend that has Gen Z and millennials shifting away from late-night, booze-soaked clubs and toward social gatherings that prioritize connection and curated experiences is soft clubbing, often taking place in unconventional venues and during off-peak times. But make no mistake, it’s just as fun as its wilder, nighttime counterpart. Call it a daybreaker jam or a coffee shop rave, people are swapping vodka sodas at a strobe light–filled venue for lattes at an early morning coffee club. Think of it as the best possible way to start a morning. And why should clubbing be left to the night owls? As Shey-Jacobs explains, “My theory is that young people want to gather in daylight, as they become more sober-curious and also seek connection away from the digital landscape.” It doesn’t hurt that the experiences go viral. “Emerging DJs and musicians online are capitalizing on the unique opportunity to get their music out to communities in less expected places,” she says. “And this kind of ‘darty’ creates an experience that you can attend immediately after your morning workout or work sesh.”
Entertainment On Hire
I was recently at an event where someone had hired a mentalist for entertainment. As a realist, I sort of scoffed at the idea of this over-the-top (and incredibly expensive) party trick. He asked me what my favorite cocktail is and before I could answer proceeded to pour a slightly dry Sipsmith martini with a hint of olive juice (out of a teapot nonetheless), I became a convert. Shey-Jacobs says that hired entertainment is going far above and beyond a DJ these days. “We bring in hired entertainers for almost every event, focusing on authentic, experiential performances, like New Orleans jazz bands, Cuban ensembles from Miami, subway street bands and steel drum groups that cover modern pop tunes,” she explains. “We’ve even flown in country artists from Nashville for a truly authentic sound.” And beyond the tunes, they’ve also had live sketch artists and photo-op experiences that rival a Vanity Fair shoot.
Manifestation Station
It’s no secret that the $2-trillion global wellness industry is the business to follow right now. And while millennials and Gen Zers may be pushing the industry forward, older generations are also leaning into wellness as a daily practice — or even a party. From sage burning gatherings that have replaced traditional housewarming parties to magnesium mocktail evenings for optimal nervous system regulation, it all might seem a little woo-woo. But please, hold space for it, as they say.
Nikki Loots, a self-love coach, explains that a manifestation party is an opportunity to get clear on what desires you want to call into your life and learn the specific steps needed to start attracting them. And having that communal energy is key. “More people equates to more energy,” she says. “The more joy we feel, the higher our vibration. The higher our vibration, the easier it is to manifest.” She recalls that at one particular manifestation party, a woman was crystal clear (no pun intended) on what she wanted: her dream partner. “She visualized exactly what she wanted, she started embodying the exact emotions she would feel if she was already in her dream relationship, she removed any fears or doubts about love, and not long after, she met her match and they got married,” says Loots. “It’s incredible how easy it can be to attain what you want once you learn the steps to manifesting.” Honest question: I already manifested the husband, but can I manifest that he takes me to one of those Euro-style darties in St. Tropez?
Early Bird Dance Club
I challenge you to find a more joyous occasion than watching a group of 40-year-old women belt out Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” at top volume. Laura Baginski and Susie Lee founded the Earlybirds Club for those “craving the cathartic release that dancing can bring in a pretense-free environment where all the effs are left at the door,” Baginski explains. The mostly middle-aged guest list makes for a communal experience that breaks down social barriers you might find in more sedate places like coffee shops or parks, allowing people to be freer, more uninhibited versions of themselves. “At a recent party, one woman had broken her foot tripping over her cat (true story!) but didn’t want to miss the party, so she parked her wheelchair on the dance floor and had a blast busting out some exuberant upper-torso moves,” Baginski recalls.
Chicago writer Lauren Viera loves an early bird event. “Last year, when my friend told me to save the date for a ladies-only dance party at a dive bar in the middle of winter, I had no idea what to expect,” she says. “I knew it could be fun, but fun doesn’t even begin to describe it. It was freeing. It was sweaty. It was spiritual. I think I almost cried? I hadn’t felt that good on the dance floor — any dance floor — maybe ever. There was something magical about scream-singing along to hit after danceable hit and vibing with a room full of grown-ass women in which literally every single person is dancing their ass off.” Whether it’s in a Chicago dive bar or an East Village club with a waterbed, a dance at dusk party is where you can break it down and be home in time for Fallon.
Country-Core Celebration
Giddy up, but make it ultra glam. A mechanical bull is not on this docket. Think more Ralph Lauren with a side of Cowboy Carter. Mary Guido says that country-core parties are all the buzz right now, and that celebration trends can often be predicted by looking at what she calls the trifecta: interior design, fashion and music. “The ‘grandmillennial’ trend has turned into country luxe,” she explains. “To do country luxe really well, it’s all about bringing the outside in and using natural materials that have an opulent feel: leather-embossed napkin rings, locally potted herbs on the tables and neutral-colored cashmere wraps draped on the backs of chairs in case there’s a chill. Simple elegance should still include comfort. This is not camping!” Some of her best parties involve bringing in a two-step dance instructor to teach guests a few new moves: “I recently worked with a group in Slovenia who brought in a truffle hunter to lead guests on a demonstration, followed by a dinner using the truffles that were found.”
