How to Throw an Oscars Party on a Budget

Oscars Party on a Budget

We all love the movies, don’t we? They take us through every emotion on the planet, rooting for characters and following their adventures, all without leaving our chairs. 

The Academy Awards – commonly known as the Oscars – were invented in 1929 to celebrate the very best motion pictures being made each and every year, and almost 100 years later, movie fans still watch with bated breath to see which incredible movies scoop the gongs for the year. 2023 is the 95th Academy Awards show!

Lots of fans love to indulge in the tradition of throwing an Oscars party, but we’re also in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis and many of us are feeling the pinch. Fear not: BestNewBingoSites have compiled a guide breaking down everything you could possibly need to have the best Oscars party around without breaking the bank.

Food

Nominee-Themed Food

One way to keep your party on trend is to make nominee-themed food for your Oscars party table. Here are some simple, low-fuss ideas which suit this year’s nominees:

The Fabelmans Popcorn

For a film about films, there’s nothing more perfect to pair it with than classic cinema popcorn. Plus, there are so many flavours to choose from: truly, there’s a popcorn out there for everyone.

Triangle (Sandwiches) of Sadness

This one’s easy: make any kind of sandwich you like with whatever fillings you love the most. Just be sure to cut them into triangles!

 

Elvis’s BBQ Ribs

They might be messy, but they’re a party favourite, so stock up on kitchen roll and get those BBQ ribs in the oven!

TAR Bratwursts

This one’s set in Germany, so take inspiration from the Germans and serve a range of Bratwurst hot dogs. You can get these in a range of flavours and tastes, as well as both veggie and vegan options. Kids love these, too!

Pinterest is full of more elaborate recipes, so get as creative as you like!

Oscars-Themed Food

For a more classic feel, you can select food items that tie in with a broader Oscars or Hollywood theme. We especially like:

Prosecco Popcorn Cupcakes

Popcorn is the ultimate movie food, and these prosecco popcorn cupcakes are a sophisticated way to give your guests the sugar rush they crave at the movies!

Black Tie Brie Bites

We LOVE this recipe from Delish for brie bites: your cheese-loving friends will thank you, I promise.

That’s a Wrap! Mini Pigs in Blankets

Who says these are just for Christmas? They’re an enduring party favourite for a reason. 

Drinks

You’ve got your food menu sorted, so what do your guests want to drink? Oscars-themed cocktails/mocktails are the obvious choice. Here are our hand-picked recommendations for 2023…

Cocktails

Top Gun

This cocktail recipe couldn’t be more perfect for 2023, when Top Gun: Maverick is nominated for Best Picture. Bonus: this is really simple to make and only requires four ingredients!

Espresso Martini (Women Talking)

The perfect Espresso Martini is the ideal cocktail to accompany serious and meaningful conversations between women. 

Irish Mule (The Banshees of Inisherin)

A whiskey twist on the classic Moscow Mule, this one will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy… unlike the film!

Blue Lagoon (Avatar)

Another classic cocktail which easily fits the theme of Avatar: The Way of Water. This beautiful blue cocktail would make the Na’avi proud.

Wakanda Forever

Perfect for honouring last year’s Marvel smash, and raising a glass to Angela Bassett (nominated for Best Supporting Actress), the Wakanda Forever is sharp, edgy and delicious.

Blue Whale

Celebrate Brendan Fraser’s comeback with a Blue Whale. This cocktail is very simple to make but packs a beautiful punch in the flavour stakes!

Mocktails

The Red Carpet

This delicious fruity mocktail will suit both kids and grown-ups. Serving in a martini glass adds extra glamour!

 

Lemon Drop Martini (Blonde)

Sweet and sharp by turn, just like Marilyn Monroe in this year’s sensation Blonde, this mocktail tastes every bit as good without the gin.

Everything Everywhere Cup

This traditionally summer-y mocktail is made special by the fruit which is added to it: you can add everything and anything you want to make it to your taste.

Games

A party isn’t a party without a few games to keep your guests entertained! 

To get your guests warmed up for the ceremony:

Who Am I?

You need:

• Paper cut up into small pieces
• Post-It notes
• A hat/bowl
• A pen

1. Write the names of as many Oscar-nominated actors as you can on pieces of paper and put them in a hat/bowl.
2. Your guests each pick a name out of the hat/bowl. They write the name they’ve pulled out onto a Post-It note and stick it to the forehead of the person on their left.
3. Guests now need to find out who the name written on their Post-It note is. They can ONLY ask ‘yes or no’ questions of the group in turn to try to figure this out. If the question cannot be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’, it doesn’t count and the asker’s turn is forfeited!
4. The winner is the first person to guess the name of the actor on their Post-It note!

Best Picture Charades

You need:

• Paper cut up into small pieces
• A pen
• A hat/bowl
• A timer/ phone to use as a timer

1. Write the names of as many Best Picture-winning movies as you can on pieces of paper and put them in a hat/bowl.
2. Split your guests into teams of 2-3.
3. One member of each team picks a piece of paper out of the hat/bowl in turn. Their job is now to perform a charade without speaking which will make their team members guess the movie written on their piece of paper! Each person will have two minutes to perform their charade; use the timer to time them.
4. The team who guesses the most movie titles correctly wins!

This article is helpful in explaining how Charades works if you’re not 100% sure. Keep it simple!

Award Show Ballot Prediction

You need:

• Our 2023 ballot prediction card
• A printer

1. Print out copies of our 2023 awards show ballot prediction card and give out to every guest upon arrival.
2. Have every guest fill out the ballot with their guesses of who will win every award.
3. After the ceremony, tot up the scores. The person who has predicted the most correct winners wins!

 

During the Ceremony…

Oscars Bingo

Playing bingo throughout the ceremony is the most fun way to ensure everyone’s paying attention!

Our bingo card generator is completely customisable, meaning you can enter any terms you want (though we’ve suggested some Oscars-based entries of our own). Once generated, the entries will be randomised so that no two guests have an identical card.

1. Generate as many cards as you want and either print them off or send them via email so your guests can play on their phones.
2. Guests tick off each entry as it happens on screen. The first person to complete a line wins a prize. The first person to get a full house wins the game!

Prizes for Games

It’s nice to have some small prizes on offer for your games if you can. You might like to get some gold trophies that look like Oscars to present your winners – you can get 12 for £8.99 from Amazon. 

Alternatively, you may like to reward your winners with food (we recommend these Oscars cupcakes for a wow factor!) or DVDs of previous Oscar-winning movies (often available online for as little as £3 each). 

Decor

Buy

If you’re not the crafty type, there are lots of options for ready to buy Oscars decor.

• A classic black and gold theme is a timeless choice for decor at your Oscars party; this set from PartyPacks for £29.99 is good value, or you can go large for £79.99!
• These movie-themed balloons from Party Delights are so much fun and are sure to attract attention from your guests!

Make

Feeling like flexing your creative muscles? You can make your decor instead of buying it!

• Star garlands – The Oscars are the place where all the stars congregate. This simple tutorial for Star Garlands – taken from a wedding site – is perfect for an Oscars party! 
• Envelope folded napkins – this is an amazing way to bring in the theme!  You can turn a boring napkin into an Oscar-worthy prop!
• You can even DIY your very own red carpet and red velvet ropes to make your guests feel like they’re joining a very exclusive club!
• Cardboard clapperboards are a very fun addition to your party decor and suit the movie theme perfectly.

So there you have it! We hope your Oscars party is a smash hit.

Feel free to send us photos on Twitter at @BestNewBingoS.