21 Best Glow in the Dark Party Ideas to Light Up Your 2024

Change things up from the typical candlelit dinner or afternoon picnic and throw a glow in the dark party instead. Dimming the lights and donning neon colors puts a fun twist on bachelorette party ideas or an easy 80s theme party to enjoy with friends.

Wondering what do you do at a glow in the dark party? Or can you have a glow in the dark party without a blacklight? Read on for some inspiration from themes to menu items and even special party activities for kids and adults.  

Plus, throwing parties is good for you! Celebrating things like birthdays, anniversaries and other accomplishments helps you share in the joy with others, but you can throw a party for no reason at all, just to enjoy quality time with friends and loved ones.

According to a psychology expert as reported by Refinery29, hosting parties is an invaluable way to express yourself and tune into your creative side. It allows you to fulfill a role you deem important, like a good cook or even just a good friend. Cheers to hosting parties big and small! 

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• Glow in the Dark Party Games and Activities
• Glow in the Dark Party Menu Ideas
• Glow in the Dark Party Themes
• Other Glow in the Dark Party Ideas for Adults

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Glow in the Dark Party Games and Activities

1. Paint and Sip in the Dark

A glow in the dark party doesn’t mean you can’t see anything, so consider heading to a paint and sip near you for some dimly-lit art activities. Use glow in the dark paint or bright neon colors to shine under the blue lights.

No art experience is necessary when you sign up for paint and sip in NYC, paint and sip in Washington D.C. or paint and sip in San Diego where you can learn from art instructors in a laid-back environment.  

2. Neon Dance Party

It doesn’t take much to throw a memorable glow in the dark party for adults or teens, you  just need a great playlist (or DJ) and room to dance.

Make your own playlist or create a collaborative playlist on Spotify so your friends attending can add their favorite songs. Watching your bodies move through the dark, glowing in the black light makes you feel like you’re in a night club or on the beach in Ibiza. 

3. Glow Stick Crafts

You can buy glow sticks in bulk for pretty cheap, and stringing them together or taping them on your limbs adds a fun pop of color to your glow in the dark party. Shape them into glow glasses, flowers and more. 

4. Glow in the Dark Bowling

Check out your local bowling alley for a built-in glow in the dark party where all you have to do is reserve the lanes. Some bowling alleys already make use of black lights and neon pains on the walls, so all guests have to do is show up and enjoy some neon bowling. Food and beverage are already on site, making this super easy and affordable. 

5. Face and Body Painting Station

Encourage guests to showcase their creative side by creating fun face paint ideas. You can buy paint markers that are safe for skin and set out a big bucket for party-goers to create intricate designs on their faces, arms and legs.

This makes a great activity for all ages at a glow in the dark party. Wondering what colors are best for glow in the dark parties? Anything neon or white will shine bright under the black light!

6. Glow in the Dark Skating

Head to the nearest roller skating rink for another built-in glow in the dark party. Rent the space or just show up with a group of friends. It’s pretty common that these roller rinks aready use neon or black lights to set a fun ambiance.

Zip around the rink listening to music and making memories with your friends. This glow in the dark party is fun for teens, tweens and adults. 

7. Glow in the Dark Pool Party

Cool off on a hot summer night with a glow in the dark pool party. Ideally, you’d choose a night where the moon is just a sliver, as ambiant light can make it harder to enjoy the glowing effects of glow sticks or black lights.

Keep your regular pool lights off and instead toss a bunch of glow sticks in to light up the water in a fluorescent hue. It’s best to choose either one color for the whole pool, or divide the pool in half with two colors so it doesn’t turn into a jumbled mess. Add some white pool floaties to reflect the glowing lights. 

Glow in the Dark Party Menu Ideas

8. Learn From the Pros

You can always hire a caterer, but for the host or hostess with the mostess who insists everything must be done from scratch, online mixology classes and online cooking classes are a fun way to get everyone involved.

Learn from experts how to mix up fancy cocktails at home or make handmade pasta by feel, guided by glow sticks, then enjoy a decadent meal together. Choose from a huge selection of international dishes and cuisines to make the glow in the dark party menu your own. 

9. Glowing Punch

Mix up a batch of tonic-based punch for an effervescent and fluorescent glow in the dark party beverage. The quinine in tonic absorbs and releases UV light, so if you’ve got a black light it will make the punch glow blue.

Add your favorite flavorings like citrus slices, juice or a splash of gin if you’re looking for glow in the dark party ideas for adults. 

10. Food That Glows

Even something as simple and well-loved as cupcakes can get a glow in the dark party upgrade with the addition of UV food coloring.

Purchase online or at a local supermarket and get to cooking! If you prefer not to add artificial dyes, things like freshly sliced oranges or yellow squash glow in the dark, as well as yogurt.

11. Anything Jell-O

When you follow the instructions on the packet for your favorite flavor of Jello, make half of the cold water tonic water. Adding quinine to anything that needs water makes a fun glow in the dark party food that really glows! This can be made into a bow of Jell-O or, of course, Jell-O shots for adults over 21. 

12. Glow in the Dark Ice Cream Sundaes

By adding one extra step to your party planning routine, you can make ice cream sundaes glow to delight the kids. Mix a little bit of tonic water in with vanilla ice cream, then re-freeze it for an ice cream sundae base that shines.

This is a cheap and easy glow in the dark party ideas, especially for a birthday party or summer party. 

13.  Glowing Cotton Candy

Put a mini glow stick in the paper cone under poufs of fluffy spun sugar for a mesmerizing glow in the dark party food idea. You can rent a cotton candy spinner or buy bags of it and assemble your own. However you choose to do it, this sweet treat is sure to be a hit.  

14. Glow Dogs

With no extra steps required, mustard glows all on its own. Serve up a platter of hot dogs with a zig-zag drizzle of mustard for a crowd-pleasing and easy glow in the dark party snack. Mayonnaise could work too, but ketchup doesn’t reflect UV light so it won’t show up. 

Glow in the Dark Party Themes

15. Halloween Party

Looking for amazing Halloween party ideas? A glow in the dark party is sure to be a winner! Add some spooky touches like a fog machine for a more festive ambiance, and find seasonal decor like fiber optic pumpkins to stay on theme.

Purple and orange string lights really pop in a dark room, and a black light makes hints of white or bright colors on costumes really shine. 

16. Color Party

There are lots of fun colors that really pop at a glow in the dark party, but you can easily throw a color party where all the guests wear the same shade for a fun, monochromatic event.

Just like “white parties” are popular in the summer where all guests wear white dresses, suits and shoes, colors like pink, bright green or orange really shine in the dark, with a little help from a black light.

You could also make this a team function, and have competitive games where each team has to wear their team color. There are tons of fun and easy color party ideas to make your event memorable.  

17. Neon 80s Birthday Party

You can turn just about any “regular” party idea into a glow in the dark party, like a neon birthday party. A blacklight really sets off the neon tones, but it’s ok if you don’t have one.

Brightly colored or even metallic “happy birthday” signage along with glow in the dark balloons make it easy to host a festive event. If you don’t have access to a black light, you can buy glow sticks or strobe lights for a similar effect. 

18. Glowing Bachelor or Bachelorette

Turn your bachelor or bachelorette party into a glow in the dark party. This is a really fun idea for night one of a weekend getaway, you can turn the Air BnB into a glow room and guests wear neon pink or neon blue.

All your favorite bachelorette party themes or activities can be adopted with a little extra fun from the black light. Glow sticks make pretty much every event more fun. 

Other Glow in the Dark Party Ideas for Adults 

19. Glow Pong

Take regular old beer pong up a notch with the addition of glowing ping pong balls and brightly colored solo cups. You can go really over the top and paint the table with glow paint, but all you really need for this glow in the dark party idea for adults is the light up ping ping balls.

Beer pong is the easiest and most well-known party ideas for adults.  

20. Glow Twister

Make an easy DIY twister board that glows in the dark for a fun party idea for adults or teens. All you need is large neon dots arranged like a twister board. You can buy rubber circles or paint with glow paint on a big tarp.

Follow all the same rules of Twister for an easy and entertaining way to occupy guests. 

21. Host a Rave

Go all out and rent a space to host your own rave. You can hire a DJ and include things like disco balls and glow sticks while encouraging your friends to don their best rave attire. Or, you can buy tickets to a local show and attend together if party planning isn’t your jam. 

Bring back the glow in the dark party with any of these creative ideas and decorations. Whether it’s celebrating a birthday or just getting a group of friends back together, it’s important to lean into the theme and let loose every once in a while.

For even more fun party ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!