How to Prep for a Massive Paint Party (and Have a Blast Doing It!)

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If you’ve ever wondered what goes into hosting a paint party for 85-90 people, buckle up—because it’s a wild, exciting ride! I had a huge paint and sip party recently, and I wanted to share some behind-the-scenes magic to inspire your own events. Whether you’re planning your first paint party or your 101st, here’s how we’re making this big event extra special, fun, and festive!

Packing up tons of art supplies and bags for an upcoming paint party

Packing Party Central

Let’s start with the essentials. For a painting party event of this size, I always bring extra supplies—like 95 canvases for a group of 85-90. Trust me, over-preparing saves the day. My car is loaded up with:

Sublimated Canvases: We’ve prepped designs for snowmen, Christmas trees, and nutcrackers. (Yes, I went a little overboard with four options, but can you blame me? It’s Christmas!)
Aprons & Easels: Because we’ve got to look the part.
Tablecloths: A must for quick cleanup.
Games and Door Prizes: More on this later!

Everything is packed in labeled bags so setup is smooth and stress-free.

Paint Party guests wearing fun festive glasses and headpieces to celebrate the holiday season

Adding the Extra Fun

Let’s talk about those little touches that make a paint night memorable. For this event, I wanted to sprinkle in some extra holiday cheer:

Sweet Tea in Fancy Flutes: Why sip from boring cups when you can feel festive?
Holiday Headbands & Glasses: I found these on Amazon, and they’re perfect for getting everyone into the Christmas spirit.
Ring Lights: We’re setting up four to ensure great lighting for photos and videos.

A fun Elf Game on a piece of paper sharing different ways to match yourself to your elf name

Games & Door Prizes

Nothing gets a crowd excited like giveaways and games! I packed a box full of door prizes and planned some fun activities to keep things lively:

Throughout the experience, we kept the energy high with these games and chances to win prizes.

Elf Name Game: This is a new idea we’re testing out. You combine the first letter of your name with your birthday month. Mine? Buddy McBubbles. (Share yours in the comments!)

Paint Party guest shares her nutcracker painting

Documenting the Memories

Normally, we’d have our amazing photographer, Hannah, capture the evening for a paint party this size, but she was already booked. So, we used our trusty phones and ring lights to document everything. Pro tip: Bring mounts for your phones if you plan to go live or record videos—it’s a lifesaver!

Paint Party guests painting and smiling for the camera

Lessons from a Paint Party Enthusiast

Here’s the truth: Hosting a large paint party takes a lot of effort, but it’s so worth it. Seeing a room full of people laughing, painting, and enjoying themselves is the best reward. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to spread holiday cheer and make lasting memories.

If you’re curious about hosting your own paint parties or want to learn how to make money while doing it, follow me for tips, tricks, and all the behind-the-scenes fun. And if you’re already in the paint party biz, tell me: What’s the biggest group you’ve ever hosted?

P.S. If you’d like to learn more about making money teaching paint parties and get access to hundreds of designs (plus an incredible community), check out Paint Party Headquarters here!