For decades, successful events have been built on happy hours and open bars.
But for a variety of reasons — health, social, financial and spiritual — people are cutting back on their alcohol consumption. The growing sober-curious movement is particularly popular among Gen Z, meaning planners will start to see more of this as the youngest generation in the corporate world starts attending more events. But what should take alcohol’s place? How can planners decenter alcohol in social components of their events? And how can they ensure attendees aren’t disappointed with this unfamiliar territory?
Here’s what three experts on alcohol-free events and sober-friendly planning had to say.
Design Stronger Social Elements
To plan a successful alcohol-free or sober-friendly event, it’s important to understand the roles alcohol plays in event culture and what attendees gain by drinking.
“One thing I see and hear a lot is that people are just feeling socially awkward and self-conscious, and alcohol gives them that liquid courage to take the edge off,” said Sam Bail, founder of Bright Nights Social, a curator of alcohol-free nightlife experiences in New York City.
When alcohol is decentered at events, event organizers can’t rely on an open bar to create the positive feelings of connection that attendees are searching for. That means they must be more intentional and creative with their event design to ensure it’s just as socially fulfilling as any other event.
Bail points to “soft socializing” — a trend that emphasizes activity-based gatherings for a low-pressure atmosphere — to encourage connection without relying on alcohol. This can include activities ranging from arts and crafts to courses that teach skills like language or cooking.
Offering ways to physically divide up large groups can also be helpful for facilitating stronger, more natural social interactions that don’t rely on alcohol to get started.
“I do physical icebreakers, too,” Bail said. “I have people move around and arrange themselves around the room depending on the answer to the icebreaker. It encourages people to shuffle around and gives them something to talk about immediately.”
For completely alcohol-free events, planners can consider factors like the event’s timing. Attendees are less likely to question an alcohol-free breakfast or lunch than they are an evening event. Similarly, having shorter, more defined networking sessions makes it more likely for people to feel less pressured while socializing.
“I would look at how long these specific gatherings are,” said Marisa Cali, founder of Be Present, a small-format events company. “I think we’re so used to having three hours of like open-bar drinking, and that is a lot. So instead, you can say, OK, I’m just going to make it an hour long, and it’s just going to be this one specific activity.”
They can even replace the alcohol with another culinary centerpiece to take the place of the traditional discourse and hype around alcohol. An ice cream social or a coffee tasting are great event settings without the association of drinking.
Find Suitable Alcohol Replacements
While the drinks can be secondary to the event, decentering alcohol — or taking it off the menu entirely — doesn’t mean planners should offer soda and juice as its only replacements. To create a satisfying alternative, they should provide suitable replacements for alcohol that feel intentional, not like an afterthought.
The good news is there has never been a better time to plan events with less alcohol. Many mainstream alcohol brands are coming out with nonalcoholic replacements that provide a similar look and taste to beer, wine and spirits, just without the booze. Mocktails are widely accepted and even sought after.
Part of providing suitable alternatives is making sure there are enough options. To make an event truly feel inclusive for people who abstain from drinking alcohol, they should have numerous and varied options. They should also know their audience.
“It also depends on the region someone’s in and the general preference,” said Renée Adams, founder of Nosedive Co., a nonalcoholic beverage brand consulting company. “There are some people who don’t even drink nonalcoholic wine because they’re sober in recovery, while some people still want some psychoactive effect in their drink, just not alcohol.”
These drinks should also be age appropriate. As much as the average adult might like to nostalgically sip a Capri-Sun or a juice box, the provided options should be for adults, complete with a little complexity and sophistication.
“There’s a little bit of value assigned to alcoholic drinks because alcoholic drinks are considered adult beverages, right? Whereas at the same time, sodas and juice are considered kids’ drinks,” Bail said. “So having a sober event where you only have kids’ drinks might make people feel like they’re not being taken totally seriously or like the organizers didn’t put a lot of thought and effort into providing adult beverage options.”
Listing mocktails or nonalcoholic options first on the drink menu is another way to decenter alcohol and make sober attendees feel included.
Attitude is Everything
In addition to easing feelings of social anxiety, alcohol and events are a habitual combination.
“It’s because that’s how it’s always been done,” Cali said. “When we’re finished with our workday, we go to happy hour and have drinks, and that culture is everywhere.”
Habits can be changed over time, but they also require an attitude adjustment, both on the part of the events team and the attendees. Organizers should make sure hospitality staff, including bartenders, are well versed in nonalcoholic drinks and have only positive things to say about nonalcoholic options.
“I think it’s a conversation about just making sure that you have options for everyone,” Adams said. “It’s like with dietary preferences: You want to make sure everybody is accommodated.”
Answering attendee questions with an enthusiastic explanation of nonalcoholic beverages or the sentiments that led the organizers to decenter alcohol (particularly if the event is totally alcohol free) reminds them they’re not missing out, but rather opting in to another way to enjoy events.
“I think it does come down to the language that is used around the marketing or even with the bartenders at these events,” Adams added. “I think there’s a lot of education around the language, the vibe, the types of people you hire and the confidence behind non-alc. People are going to be skeptical, and that’s OK; I think that’s totally warranted. But being able to have the confidence to say, ‘No, it’s non-alc, give it a try and then tell me if you like it,’ is important.”
If an event is alcohol free or the menu features many more nonalcoholic options than usual, some attendees may feel confused or annoyed. Worse, they might feel like the event organizers are judging them or their habits around drinking. That’s why it’s important to manage attendee expectations, especially if a function is going to contain no alcohol.
“I encourage being very up-front and explicitly stating that there won’t be alcohol,” Bail said. “Most of the time, people can just self-select and say either, ‘I choose not to go,’ or ‘I choose to go there, and I’m adjusting my expectations.’”
If the event is totally alcohol free, especially in a setting where alcohol would usually be expected, like an evening reception, planners should let attendees know in advance. But it’s also about how planners get that message across. They can’t just tack the word “sober” or “alcohol-free” onto invitations. Using phrases that invite curiosity, explain the objectives behind decentering alcohol and frame the event as an experiment is more likely to attract positive feedback and interest from attendees.
