16 Roaring 20s Party Ideas for a Gatsby-Inspired Team Celebration

If you’re looking for an office party theme that’s equal parts glamorous, interactive, and unforgettable, a Roaring 20s party is the perfect idea. It brings together Gatsby-inspired fashion, jazz music, vintage cocktails, immersive games, and Art Deco elegance to create a celebration your team will actually remember. Whether you’re planning a virtual social, company anniversary, or holiday party, these Roaring 20s ideas make it easy to transport everyone back to the Jazz Age. 

To save you endless hours of brainstorming, we have curated a list of roaring 20s party ideas to host a bee’s knees office party. From thrilling mystery games and activities to decorations and attire, we have something for everyone. 

You’ll explore:

• Why you should host a 1920s party at work
• Entertaining Jazz Age party games, like escape room and murder mystery
• Food and drink experiences and live entertainment activities 
• Bonus ideas for your Jazz era work party
• Tips to plan a memorable Roaring 20s office party

Table of Contents

What is a Roaring 20s Party?

A Roaring 20s party is a themed event that captures the glamorous spirit of the 1920s. Guests dress in the best 1920s attire, such as flapper dresses, pinstripe suits, hats, and accessories like feathers, pearls, and fedoras. They can also enjoy themed cocktails and gourmet food, with classics like the French 75 and finger foods to capture the period’s essence. The party may also include activities like mixology classes, costume contests, 1920s trivia, and dance-offs to keep the energy high throughout.

Why Host a Roaring 20s Party at Work?

A Roaring 20s party is one of the easiest workplace themes to pull off because it’s recognizable, interactive, and appeals to a wide range of personalities. Whether your team is celebrating in person or online, the glamour and energy of the Jazz Age naturally encourage participation and create memorable shared experiences.

Here are a few reasons why it’s such a popular office party theme:

• Easy for everyone to participate: Simple accessories like pearls, suspenders, feather headbands, or fedoras instantly bring the theme to life.
• Works for virtual, hybrid, and in-person teams: Games, costume contests, mixology classes, trivia, and escape rooms translate seamlessly across different event formats.
• Offers something for every personality: From music and dancing to puzzles, creative workshops, and food experiences, everyone can join in their own way.
• Creates highly shareable moments: Art Deco décor, Gatsby-inspired outfits, vintage props, and elegant cocktails make for memorable team photos and social posts.
• Perfect for milestone celebrations: Whether it’s a holiday party, company anniversary, end-of-year celebration, or employee appreciation event, the Roaring 20s theme adds a touch of elegance and excitement.
• Easy to customize: Add casino-style games, murder mysteries, live jazz, dance lessons, awards, or gourmet food experiences to create an event that reflects your team’s style and budget.

Which Roaring 20s Party Activity Fits Your Team? 

16 Roaring 20s Party Ideas to Jazz up Your Team Events

Bring the glamour of the Jazz Age to your workplace with roaring 20s party ideas, including team games, themed entertainment, food experiences, and creative activities for every team format.

Entertaining 20s Team Games

Get your team into the Roaring 20s spirit with games inspired by speakeasies, jazz clubs, and Gatsby-era glamour.

1. 1920s Trivia Face-Off💡

If you want to test your team’s knowledge of the 1920s, play a trivia game as one of the roaring 20s party ideas. Challenge your team with questions about historical events, political figures, Prohibition and speakeasies, jazz musicians, or silent movies. Add picture rounds featuring iconic 1920s celebrities, fashion trends, and Art Deco landmarks to keep everyone on their toes.

During one of our Roaring 20s trivia nights, we thought the music round would be the toughest. But the real showdown started when two teams couldn’t agree on what a speakeasy actually was. The playful arguing, wild guesses, and random “Wait, I know this one!” moments ended up stealing the show.

🧠Bonus tip: Hand out a “Golden Ticket” to each team that they can redeem to skip one question or earn a bonus hint during the game.

2. Roaring 20s Bingo 🎟️

A classic roaring 20s bingo game is guaranteed to entertain your in-office and virtual teams alike. Before the event, you can distribute to teams the bingo cards labeled with a variety of 1920s-themed items to the teams. These could include flappers, fedoras, bow ties, vintage cars, champagne, and even famous figures from the era like Al Capone or Josephine Baker. A dedicated host will call out the prompts, and participants will mark off the corresponding items on their cards. The first one to complete a row, column, or diagonal and shout “Bingoo!” will win the game. 

Here’s a ready-made bingo card for your team:

🎯Bonus tip: Instead of shouting “Bingo!”, have winners call out “The Bee’s Knees!” or “Cat’s Pajamas!” for a fun Roaring 20s twist.

3. Name That Jazz Tune🎷

See who in your team can recognize iconic 20s music hits the fastest with a Name That Jazz Tune challenge. Play short clips of iconic Jazz Age songs, and have teams guess the song title, artist, or performer before time runs out. Mix in a few modern songs with a vintage jazz twist and award bonus points to the teams that can identify them correctly.

Here are some ideas to jazz up the game:

• Include classics by artists such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, and Al Jolson.
• Add a “Complete the Song Title” or “Name the Instrument” bonus round between songs.
• Keep each clip under 10-15 seconds to maintain a fast-paced, competitive atmosphere.
• End with a team sing-along to a well-known jazz classic or a modern electro-swing hit.

🎵 Bonus tip: Have participants come up with fun Roaring 20s-inspired team names like The Jazz Cats, The Bootleggers, The Gatsby Gang, and The Charleston Champs.

4. Speakeasy Escape Room🔐

Gather the sleuthing buffs on your team for a speakeasy-themed escape room game. Inspired by the Prohibition era, this immersive escape room challenges players to crack codes, uncover hidden messages, unlock secret compartments, and outsmart the clock. It’s a great way to combine problem-solving, teamwork, and a little Roaring 20s intrigue. 

Use vintage props like old keys, cipher wheels, newspapers, and hidden envelopes to make the puzzles feel authentic. For a smooth game experience, pre-assign specific roles to each member, such as solving puzzles, finding clues, and communicating information.

🔐 Bonus tip: Ask everyone to dress as flappers, detectives, gangsters, or bootleggers to feel like part of a real 1920s adventure.

1920s Food & Drink Experiences

Every great Roaring 20s party needs something delicious on the menu. Treat your team to food and drink experiences inspired by the glamour and indulgence of the Jazz Age.

5. Champagne Tower🍾

Nothing says Roaring 20s quite like a dazzling champagne tower. Put a fun spin on this Jazz Age tradition by turning it into a friendly team competition. Participants compete to build the tallest and most stable tower using coupe glasses or plastic champagne flutes. Set a time limit, and watch teams carefully stack each layer while balancing speed, strategy, and steady hands. 

The team that builds the highest tower without it toppling over claims the title of the “Party’s Big Cheese”. At the end, gather everyone around as the winning team gets the honor of pouring champagne or sparkling cider (non-alcoholic option) from the top. If you’re hosting virtually, send each participant a mini tower kit with plastic coupe glasses and sparkling cider for a synchronized team challenge.

🥂 Bonus tip: Decorate the tower with gold accents, pearls, or Art Deco-inspired table décor to make it look like it belongs at one of Gatsby’s legendary parties.

6. 1920s Dessert Decorating🧁

Sweeten up your Roaring 20s party with a dessert decorating activity featuring decadent Jazz Age-inspired treats. Set up decorating stations with classic Roaring 20s treats like pineapple upside-down cake, devil’s food cake, petit fours, lemon meringue pie, or ladyfingers. Stock each station with edible gold dust, pearl sprinkles, metallic icing, and Art Deco-inspired decorations so teams can transform their desserts into Gatsby-worthy masterpieces. 

To make things more competitive, give each team a theme or secret ingredient to incorporate into their design. Display desserts on a table and invite everyone to vote in categories such as Most Glamorous, Best Art Deco Design, Gatsby’s Favorite, or Sweetest Showstopper. For virtual teams, send dessert kits in advance or have participants decorate their own treats at home during a hosted session.

🍰 Bonus tip: Have teams name their dessert using Roaring 20s-inspired titles like The Bee’s Knees Brownie, The Gatsby Glam Cupcake, or The Cat’s Pajamas Cookie.

7. Great Gatsby Afternoon Tea🫖

Treat your team to an elegant break inspired by the lavish gatherings of the Roaring 20s. You can set the table with vintage china, lace tablecloths, fresh flowers, and Art Deco décor. Welcome guests with a sparkling mocktail or champagne on arrival before they take their seats, recreating the grand entrance of a Gatsby soirée. If your team is remote, send curated afternoon tea kits to each participant so everyone can sip, snack, and celebrate together over a video call.

Some ideas to elevate your Great Gatsby afternoon tea experience include:

• Serve classic finger sandwiches with cucumber, smoked salmon, or egg salad.
• Offer a variety of premium teas like Earl Grey, English Breakfast, chamomile, and jasmine.
• Play soft jazz music in the background to create a relaxed atmosphere.
• Add elegant desserts such as scones, macarons, éclairs, and petit fours.

🫖 Bonus tip: Place a vintage etiquette card at each table with a few quirky 1920s dining customs for guests to try during the tea.

8. Cocktail Hour 🍸

During Prohibition, hidden speakeasies became the go-to gathering spots for music, socialization, and expertly crafted cocktails. Bring that same energy to your team party with a hands-on mixology experience inspired by the Roaring 20s. Invite a professional mixologist to guide your team through the history of Prohibition-era cocktails while everyone crafts their own drinks step by step. 

Participants can learn to make classics like the Bee’s Knees, Southside, French 75, Mary Pickford, and Gin Rickey. Don’t forget to offer a creative mocktail menu too, so everyone can join the mixology experience with a drink they’ll love. Send cocktail or mocktail kits to remote teammates with pre-measured ingredients, garnishes, recipe cards, and glassware so everyone can mix along in real time.

💡Did You Know? The term “speakeasy” came from the practice of speaking quietly or “easy” when asking for entry to secret bars during Prohibition to avoid attracting attention.

Live Entertainment Ideas for 20s Party

Add a touch of Jazz Age glamour to your Roaring 20s party with interactive performances and activities that keep everyone engaged throughout the celebration.

9. Gatsby Masquerade Party🎭

Recreate the sophistication that defined high-society celebrations during the 1920s with a masquerade team party. Inspired by the extravagant balls of the Jazz Age, teams wear ornate masks, sip cocktails, dance to lively jazz, and enjoy an exciting evening together.      

Have everyone play the role of fictional personas like wealthy socialites, bootleggers, detectives, or jazz musicians and stay in character throughout the evening. Distribute vintage-style “society gossip” cards throughout the venue, each with clues about each teammate’s fictional identity, encouraging everyone to mingle and solve the mystery together. If your team is remote, use Gatsby-themed virtual backgrounds, 1920s playlists, and cocktail or appetizer kits to create a glamorous at-home celebration.

🎭 Bonus tip: Create a “Guess Who?” challenge where participants try to identify colleagues using only conversation and clues.

10. Jazz Karaoke 🎤

Jazz clubs were the heartbeat of the Roaring 20s, where live performances kept the energy going well into the night. Recreate that 20s vibe with a Jazz Karaoke Night where your team takes the spotlight with timeless classics from the era. Set up a vintage-style stage complete with an old-fashioned microphone, cabaret-style seating, and dim lighting to recreate the ambiance of a 1920s jazz lounge. 

Teams can perform solo, as duets, or in small groups, as their colleagues cheer each other on like patrons at a bustling speakeasy. You can even spin a “Lucky Record” before each performance to randomly choose the next singer or team. Remote teams can enjoy a virtual jazz lounge with themed Zoom backgrounds, era-inspired playlists, and fun prompts to keep everyone engaged.

🎤 Bonus tip: End the session with a Company Jazz Anthem, where everyone joins in for one final group performance.

11. Caricature Drawing✏️ 

Put your team’s creativity to the test with a Roaring 20s Caricature Challenge. Pair participants up and have them draw exaggerated portraits of one another dressed as flappers, gangsters, jazz musicians, or Gatsby-inspired socialites. Teams can experiment with oversized hats, dramatic feather boas, tiny mustaches, and hilariously over-the-top expressions inspired by the Jazz Age.

Remote teams can use a digital whiteboard or drawing app so everyone can sketch live before revealing their masterpieces on screen. Display all the finished caricatures in a gallery and have teammates vote for fun categories like Funniest Sketch, Most 20s Resemblance, or Most Dapper Drawing.

✏️ Bonus tip: Give everyone 5-7 minutes to complete each drawing and exaggerate iconic Roaring 20s features like finger waves, pearl necklaces, or fedoras.

12. Vintage Makeover Contest🪞

Step into the spotlight and see who can pull off the Roaring 20s fashion with a Vintage Makeover Contest. Teams can recreate that iconic style by putting together the best Jazz Age-inspired look using 1920s-inspired clothing, accessories, and vintage makeup. 

You can host a mini runway where participants can show off their final look and share the inspiration behind their outfits. For remote teams, host a virtual runway where participants reveal their looks, share outfit inspiration, and vote on their favorites. 

👒 Bonus tip: Include a few vintage props like pocket watches, parasols, newspapers, or feather fans. 

13.  Charleston Dance Class💃 

No Roaring 20s party feels complete without learning the dance that defined the Jazz Age. Bring in a professional instructor to teach your team the iconic Charleston with easy-to-follow steps that everyone can enjoy, regardless of experience. Participants can dance individually, in pairs, or in small groups while upbeat jazz music keeps the energy high throughout the session.

For virtual teams, book a live online dance instructor so everyone can learn from home. End the session with a friendly dance-off or group performance, and invite teammates to vote on categories such as Best Charleston, Most Enthusiastic Dancer, or Best Gatsby Spirit.

💃 Bonus tip: Pair the dance lesson with a “Best Dressed Flapper or Gangster” contest for an authentic Jazz Age celebration.

Bonus Roaring 20s Party Ideas

Looking for more trending and creative Roaring 20s office party ideas? Check out additional themed activities to add more fun and variety to your celebration:

14. Guess the Picture: AI or Real 20s?

Put a modern spin on your Roaring 20s party with an AI-powered Guess the Picture game. Create a slideshow featuring a mix of authentic photographs from the Roaring 20s alongside AI-generated images of the era. You can include close-up shots of fashion, hairstyles, vintage automobiles, landmarks, celebrities, and historical events from the 1920s. Participants must decide which images are genuine and which were created using AI. 

15. Vintage Board Game Lounge

Classic board games were a staple of social gatherings throughout the 1920s. Recreate that timeless tradition with a Vintage Board Game Lounge where teams can enjoy popular tabletop games from bygone eras. It’s a great way to bring colleagues together for fun games and socializing during the Roaring 20s work party. Some popular board games you can play include Chinese Checkers, Parcheesi, Scrabble, Sorry!, and Yahtzee. 

16. Gatsby Awards Ceremony

Give your teammates the VIP treatment with a Gatsby Awards Ceremony inspired by the glamour of the Jazz Age. Celebrate your team with playful Roaring 20s-inspired titles, vintage trophies, and plenty of applause as each winner steps into the spotlight. For remote teams, recreate the experience with a virtual awards show featuring digital winner cards, acceptance speeches, and themed e-certificates. Keep the categories lighthearted with titles like Life of the Party, Best Speakeasy Spirit, Golden Voice, Most Dramatic Entrance, Jazz Age Icon, or Smoothest Charleston.

How to Plan a Memorable 20s Party for Your Team

Create an authentic Jazz Age experience for your team with these practical planning tips covering décor, entertainment, food, and more.

1. Choose a venue: Look for venues with vintage architecture, dim lighting, or enough room for activities like a dance floor, casino tables, and photo stations. For virtual celebrations, create a themed experience with Gatsby-inspired backgrounds, curated playlists, cocktail kits, and interactive activities.
2. Have a dress code: Encourage guests to dress the part with flapper dresses, fringe skirts, feather headbands, pearl necklaces, tuxedos, pinstripe suits, suspenders, fedoras, and bow ties.
3. Curate a Jazz Age playlist: Build a playlist featuring Jazz Age legends like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Bessie Smith, or you can mix in modern electro-swing artists.
4. Plan a Gatsby-worthy menu: Create a menu inspired by the 1920s with elegant finger foods like deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail, stuffed mushrooms, or cheese boards paired with classic cocktails. Remote teams can enjoy the experience with cocktail kits, snack boxes, or recipe cards sent ahead of the event.
5. Include interactive games: Mix quick icebreakers like Roaring 20s Bingo with immersive experiences such as a Speakeasy Escape Room or Gatsby Trivia to keep everyone engaged.
6. Themed decor: Decorate with black-and-gold color palettes, feather centerpieces, vintage suitcases, gramophones, marquee signs, and geometric Art Deco accents. For virtual events, use Gatsby-themed virtual backgrounds and branded graphics to create a consistent Jazz Age look on screen.
7. Awards/prizes: Wrap up the celebration with lighthearted awards that match the theme, with themed prizes like vintage-inspired cocktail kits, Art Deco notebooks, and gourmet chocolates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best virtual 20s party ideas?

Some of the best 20s party ideas include cocktail-making classes, jazz music, dance-offs, speakeasy murder mysteries, and costume contests. These activities bring the vibrant spirit of the 1920s to life for your team.

How to host a 20s-themed party online at work?

To host a 1920s-themed party online, choose a virtual platform like Zoom or Teams and then send invites to everyone on your team. Plan activities like 20s trivia, escape room, gin tasting, and a mixology session. Decorate your virtual background with 1920s-themed elements to elevate the experience.

What are good roaring 20s party theme​ ideas?

Good roaring 20s party theme​ ideas include a speakeasy setup, jazz music, flapper costumes, and vintage cocktails to capture the era’s glamour and excitement.

What are some popular 20s party games for a workplace?

Popular roaring 20s games for the workplace include speakeasy murder mystery, 20s scavenger hunt, speakeasy escape room, 20s trivia, and bingo, to name a few.

What makes the Roaring 20s such a timeless party theme for work?

A Roaring 20s party brings a sense of excitement and style to any workplace celebration. With Gatsby-inspired fashion, jazz music, Art Deco décor, and vintage cocktails, it’s a theme that most people recognize and enjoy without needing much explanation. Dressing up, playing problem-solving themed games, and enjoying live entertainment or music give coworkers plenty of opportunities to connect outside of work.  The vintage décor and glamorous atmosphere of the party also make it ideal for milestone celebrations, holiday parties, team socials, or company anniversaries.