Office Holiday Party Ideas in London, Ontario (Beyond Dinner and Drinks)

Most office holiday parties are the same party every year: a set menu, a drink ticket, and the same people talking to the same people. The ones teams actually remember give everyone something to do, and they work for the people who don't drink as well as the ones who do.

Here are ideas for an office holiday party in London, Ontario that go beyond dinner and drinks, with the venues and vendors that make them happen.

Start with four answers

• Headcount, and whether partners are invited. It can double your numbers.
• Budget per person. Divide your total by your headcount before you look at venues, so you can rule rooms in or out quickly.
• Daytime or evening. A lunch or afternoon party is easier for people with kids, long commutes or other plans, and it takes the pressure off drinking.
• Your date, with a backup. December Fridays and Saturdays fill first. A weeknight in December, or an early-January "after the holidays" party, is much easier to book.

Give people something to do

Snookball at Footpool London

Footpool London rents snookball (footpool), which is pool played with your feet and soccer-sized balls on a giant inflatable table, for corporate events and private parties, from $150 an hour. Nobody needs to be good at it, which is the point.

Good fit for: teams of mixed ages and abilities who'd rather play something than make small talk.

A photo booth with props

A photo booth gets people mixing, and everyone leaves with something. Amuse Photo Booth rents booths for corporate events and holiday parties from $550. Strike a Poze Photo Booths offers AI-enhanced and mirror booths with custom props and backdrops, and Events 365 Canada rents photo booths, including 360 booths, plus marquee letters for a branded backdrop.

Good fit for: any size of team, at any venue with a spare corner.

A live band

Swagger is a London party band playing pop, rock and country hits from the '70s to today for corporate events and private parties. A live band changes the feel of a room in a way a playlist doesn't.

Good fit for: evening parties with a dance floor.

A venue with the entertainment built in

100 Kellogg Lane has event spaces from the Powerhouse Brewing Co. (35 to 40 guests) and Paradigm Spirits Co. (up to 205) to the Beer Kitchen (300) and Industrial Theatre (250), with on-site dining and drinks, and a Hard Rock Hotel for anyone staying over.

Good fit for: teams that want dinner and something to do afterwards without moving venues.

A brewery night downtown

Toboggan Brewing Co. on Richmond Row has packages for private events and group catering.

Good fit for: a relaxed evening downtown for smaller teams.

Something cultural

Museum London, at the Forks of the Thames, rents its spaces for receptions, dinners and corporate events for groups of up to about 300.

Good fit for: a holiday reception that feels a bit more special than a hotel room.

Rooms by team size

• Up to about 50: Craft Farmacy has an upstairs private room for 40 seated or 65 standing, and full buyouts for up to 80. The upstairs room isn't wheelchair accessible, so check your team's needs. Fellini Koolini's has private rooms in a converted downtown house.
• Up to 99: London Courtyard is a contemporary event venue and studio for up to 99 guests, suited to holiday parties and team events.
• 100 to 300: Bellamere Winery & Event Centre has hosted corporate events and holiday parties for more than 20 years, with Kindred Hall for up to 300 and The Winery for 130, on-site catering and a dance floor. The Delta Hotels London Armouries ballroom seats 200 for dinner or 300 for a reception.
• The whole company: RBC Place London hosts galas, award dinners and holiday celebrations downtown.

For more large rooms, see our guide to banquet halls in London.

A party for people who don't drink

Plenty of your team won't drink, for all sorts of reasons. A few things make the party better for them, and for everyone else too:

• Make the activity the centre of the party, not the bar. Snookball, a photo booth or a band all work without a drink in hand.
• Ask for a proper alcohol-free menu, not just pop. If you're bringing in a bar, Bulles et Bières brings a tap truck, barrel bar or champagne cart, with Smart Serve certified staff and AGCO licensing. Ask what they serve without alcohol.
• Consider a daytime party. A long lunch in a private room takes the focus off drinking altogether.
• Plan the ride home for anyone who does drink: taxis, rideshare codes or a hotel deal.

Questions to ask before you book

• Is there a minimum spend or minimum headcount on our date?
• What's included: food, staff, AV, a microphone for speeches, a dance floor?
• Can we bring outside entertainment, like a band or a photo booth? Is there a fee?
• What are the alcohol-free options?
• Is the space accessible, and where does everyone park?
• What's the deposit, and can we change the date or headcount later?

Want three options without the legwork?

Tell us your date, headcount and budget, and we'll send you three holiday party options that fit, free. We read every request ourselves and reply within one business day. You can also browse all our holiday party venues and vendors in London, corporate event vendors, or put a shortlist side by side with our comparison tool.

Ready to start planning?