17 Glow Party Ideas For Any Budget
Did you want to get a little funky? Did you want a little fun? The idea of a glow party seems like the right way to go! I love the ridiculousness of blacklights. I remember being young and first experiencing the glow of a blacklight at a roller skating rink. I was mesmerized. Now, as an adult, I love to break these out whenever a party needs some extra flair. Here are some eclectic ways to make your glow party the brightest night of the year!
Let’s start with the basics of blacklights. There are several options that you will want to consider if you decide to utilize these at your glow party.
- You can choose to use either incandescent blacklights, LED, or fluorescent.
- I have always had better luck with fluorescent tubes in larger spaces like conference rooms.
- The LED version I love for a medium/large room; they work very well in small spaces.
- If the lights are serving your ambiance as more like accent areas rather than the whole room, you can use the incandescent bulbs to highlight those regions.
- Get to Know more about blacklights
Glow Party Invitations
Send a paper invite, friends- this makes a massive difference to people these days. Everyone loves receiving a personal invite to a function. Yes, create an event page for more information. But, there is something fun about having paper that you can put on your fridge to remind you of the upcoming fun. Especially with some neon invitations, your party is made to be seen!
Amazon Example:
Neon Party Invitation – Glow in the Dark Party Invite – Glow Party Invite
Get Your Glow On!
Your guests should know that this is a party that needs blacklight sensitive outfits. But if they haven’t done their due diligence, provide them with fun options! By making sure there are different items to use when they arrive, you guarantee that no one feels left out of the fun.
Some of my favorite favors for a glow party are:
- Glow body paints- guests can create fun artwork on exposed skin to enhance the night!
- Neon glow stick bracelets and necklaces
- Fluorescent eyeglasses
Shop these glow party items on Amazon:
78PCs LED Light Up Toy Party Favors, Glow, In The Dark, Party Supplies Bulk For Adult Kids Birthday Halloween With 50 Finger Light, 12 Jelly Ring, 6 Flashing Glasses, 5 Bracelet, 5 Fiber Optic Hair Light
UV Glow Blacklight Face and Body Paint 0.34oz – Set of 6 Tubes – Neon Fluorescent
Decorate The Glow Party Night
When you decide how you’d like your set up to be, then you can really get going. I love to have an entrance that slowly pulls people into the theme of the evening. If you have an entryway or hall that people will be walking through, put items in that slowly prepare them for what is in store- a glow party world.
Glow Party Entryway
- Neon tube lights
- Small blacklight spots (the incandescents are perfect for this)
- Fluorescent-sensitive streamers and bunting
- Thematic signs
Check out these shoppable items from Amazon:
ENOULI Flamingo Neon Light Signs Pink LED Neon Art Decorative with Holder Base Table Light Marquee Signs/Wall Decoration for Kids’ Room Birthday Party Light Bar Recreational Wedding Party
Glow Party Sign 6″ Cutouts, Black Light Party Decorations, Slime Party Supplies, Neon Room Decorations
Glow King Streamers – Blacklight Party Streamer Decorations – Neon Crepe Paper – Black Light Party Supplies & Accessories – UV Reactive, Fluorescent
Glow Party Main Room- Blackout or Neon-Bright?
- When creating an inspired main room, decide how heavy you want to go on the blacklight theme.
- I have been to both blackout parties and neon-bright parties.
- If you are throwing an 80s themed party or a 90s themed party, then the neon-bright is more the style you should aim for since there will be costuming.
- However, if the whole point of the party is only to see what glows, then blackout is the way to go.
Blackout Glow Party Decorations
- Choose items that are very sensitive to blacklight
- When looking neon glow party supplies, make sure they say “UV reactive.”
- Some pieces look neon in the light but will not react to bulbs once they are in a dark atmosphere
- One of the best decorative items for a blackout party in UV tape
- Use the UV tape to accent furniture and highlight areas that people may bump into, like poles
- I like these neon glow party kits from Amazon.
Neon-Bright Glow Party Decorations
- Making a neon-bright glow party world is a lot of fun
- Choose items to accent with blacklight spots that add a big dynamic
- These table centerpieces added height and brightness to my party
- You can create this impressive centerpiece for your party too!
Glow Party Photo Booth Area
I love a great photo booth location at my parties. It helps to encapsulate the night. I can be very forgetful when it comes to taking pictures with friends throughout the event. A designated photo booth or location will encourage the creation of lasting memories.
Mehofoto Glow Neon Party Backdrop Let’s Glow Splatter Photography Background 7x5ft Vinyl Glowing Party Backdrops Banner Decoration Neon Party Supplies
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Fun Express Neon Glow Party Photo Booth Props – 12 Pieces
Glow Party Food and Drink Table
Decorate your table with reactive table decorations that will excite your crowd!
- A table cloth that is bright and UV sensitive or these color-changing LED table covers
- Looks for plates and napkins that are a step up from your usual parties
- Utensils can make a significant impact for little cost
- Cups that react to UV lighting will be great for any beverage
Glow Party Food and Drink Ideas
With any great party comes delicious themed food. There are plenty of options to wow and delight your crowd. Making foods glow has been an interest of many people in the culinary arena- there is even a Japanese restaurant that loves making their food glow! Here are my favorite glow party ideas for foods.
Way to Glow!
Quinine is the ingredient in tonic-water commonly known for its usefulness in treating malaria. It comes from the bark of a tree, and it glows in ultra-violet lighting. It is perfectly safe for consumption, this means one thing- PUT IT IN EVERYTHING! Just kidding, but since it does have glowing nature to you can create cool glowing foods with it.
Neon Donut Wall
Donuts have always been a wonderful treat. These days, we are seeing them more and more as artisanal treats rather than the break room baked-goods. With the vivacious colors and elaborate flavors, they make a statement. Consider bringing a donut wall into your function. Those donuts make them go nuts! Use these acrylic stands with neon lights to bring in the glow theme if your pastries are not reacting to the black light.
Day Glow Drinks
When creating a cocktail or mocktails, it is essential to know what items will give you the colors that you desire. We discussed that tonic water could be placed into foods to name them to glow, but naturally, we love tonic water in our drinks.
Blue-
- Tonic water mixed with your liquor or liqueur of choice (keep it clear, nothing colored)
Green & Yellow
- Many Monster energy drinks light up under a blacklight
Make any drink light up!
You don’t have to stick to these bases to make your drink light up. Look for stirrers that are UV reactive or find the glow-stix stirrers that will illuminate the drinks that you craft.
PartyLights Novelty Party Fun Novelty Glow Stir Sticks (100 per Pack!) 8″
Looking for more Glow Party Food Ideas?
Check out this detailed article from science notes on all the foods that you can serve that will glow or have a reaction/reflection under black lights.
Glow Party Games
Coming up with fun activities to participate in isn’t hard for this glow party. The best part about this eclectic them is that many outdoor games come in a “glow version” to be played in the evening when it is dark. Bring these games into your glow party for some neon fun!
Corn Hole-
if you are not familiar with this game, simply put, it’s a bean bag toss game played with two boards. You score points by getting the bags on the board or through the hole at the top of the board.
Tumbling Blocks (aka Big Jenga)-
This game is a crowd favorite at any event. Players take turns removing a block and replacing it on the top of the stack. The goal is not to let it collapse. The beautiful part about the blocks being blacklight reactive is you can find all of them once they fall. You can take an existing set and add neon paint to the blocks to glow.
Glowing Slime
Create slime for a fun tactile experience at your party. Guests will love playing with the oozy material. 
This is wonderful for a party that will have all ages in attendance.
Glow Party Favors
Glow party favor bags are not a requirement, but they do add a little fun and excitement. This treat is an easy way to thank guests for being at your party. The bags will include little mementos that will carry reminders of all the fun that was had.
Large Neon Glow Party Goody Bags (bulk set of 50) Party Supplies
If you are using this glow party theme for a birthday celebration or gifting event (i.e., a fundraiser or shower), make sure you take the time to properly thanks your attendees. I love a handwritten thank you card. You’re momma raised you right! Take some time to thank your guests for taking the time to celebrate with you.
.I hope that these glow party ideas inspire you to make the best party imaginable! Have fun mixing and matching designs to customize your party. Now, glow out there and SHINE!
Kim Anderson is the organized chaos loving author behind the Thrifty Little Mom Blog. She helps other people who thrive in organized chaos to stress less, remember more and feel in control of their time, money, and home. Kim is the author of: Live, Save, Spend, Repeat: The Life You Want with the Money You Have. She’s been featured on Time.com, Money.com, Good Housekeeping, Women’s Day, and more!
