Reading the news, it can feel like no one is partying anymore. People seem more excited to stay home than go out. Gen Z is drinking less than any other generation. Wellness clubs have replaced night clubs as the go-to spots to socialize.

But partying is not dead — priorities have simply shifted, as highlighted in the Evite’s Pregame Report 2026 released today. The online invitations platform surveyed more than 5,000 party enthusiasts to uncover the hottest trends and the biggest pet peeves for party planning in 2026. As it turns out, partying no longer happens only at the club. It has shifted to smaller, connection-focused affairs.

After birthdays and holiday celebrations, watch parties came in as the third-most-popular event types at 49%, followed by book clubs at 43% and celebrating pets at 35%. After all, a dog’s birthday party is still a party. Gen Z has been declared “ generation stay-at-home .” But that doesn’t mean they aren’t inviting people over. According to Evite, home-based celebrations are booming as hosts prioritise comfort and intimate celebrations over big blow outs. “Post-pandemic, people discovered they prefer deeper, more meaningful connections over crowded events, and as a result their homes have become more central to their identity and social lives,” Olivia Pollock, Evite’s Etiquette & Hosting Expert, tells Fast Company . “There’s also a practical component at play.

Hosting at home helps keep budgets manageable, 67% of respondents say they prefer affordable, personalized experiences.” If they aren’t going out, a new generation of hosts is instead getting creative at home, turning their apartments into makeshift coffeehouses and planning elaborate themed dinners designed with TikTok and Instagram in mind.

If they are hosting outside the home, 69% favor outdoor and nature-based locations, with over half (52%) seeking unconventional venues. “In 2025, social media isn’t just a tool, it’s the unofficial co-host at gatherings,” says Pollock.

Nearly a quarter of respondents plan to host content-friendly gatherings specifically designed to share online. “That might mean a unique spin on a charcuterie board, a themed tablescape, or even personalized touches like namecards, knowing that guests will definitely want to take a post on their socials.” Partying, in whatever form, is more important than ever, particularly at a time when 57% of Americans are lonely.

Younger generations are feeling it worse than older Americans, a recent Cigna survey shows.

Those figures are unsurprising given that in 2023, only 4.1 percent of Americans attended or hosted social gatherings on a given weekend or holiday, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows. The antidote would be a nationwide effort to get out and party more. Even if that looks like hosting a wine and cheese night at home or a watch party for the finale of your favorite show rather than shaking ass at the club.

It also means showing up. Evite found 62% of respondents cited guests RSVP-ing “yes” and then bailing as a top pet peeve, with ignoring RSVP deadlines just behind at 57%. Hosts also have a role to play. Being underprepared with a lack of details about the dress code or schedule is the cause of headaches for 67% of guests.

Not enough food or drinks (49%) and poor scheduling or timing (39%) also are etiquette faux pas. Alcohol, once a party staple, is now less of a go-to, as the sober-curious movement continues to gain ground. Those aged 34 and under are drinking about 10 percent less now compared with two decades ago, according to a 2023 Gallup poll . Half of hosts now strive to offer a variety of beverage options, with soda (48%), crafted mocktails (39%), and tea or coffee (37%) topping the list of preferred guest beverages.

In 2026, partying isn’t going anywhere. It just looks a little different. “The common thread is that people just want to connect,” said Pollock. “Regardless of the occasion, or the venue.”