Work Christmas Party Entertainment Ideas: Make Your Corporate Event Unforgettable

Plan­ning your work Christ­mas par­ty can often feel like a daunt­ing task, espe­cial­ly when it comes to choos­ing the right enter­tain­ment. After all, the music, live acts, and over­all atmos­phere can make or break the event. 

With so many options avail­able, from upbeat live bands to sophis­ti­cat­ed jazz ensem­bles or themed trib­ute acts, it can be tricky to know where to start. To help you get start­ed, here’s a guide to top enter­tain­ment ideas for Christ­mas par­ties in the UK.

Along with our rec­om­men­da­tions for bands and per­form­ers, we’ll share prac­ti­cal tips and inspi­ra­tion to help you plan an event that’s fun, fes­tive, and per­fect­ly suit­ed to your team.

1. 80s Trib­ute Band: Retro Fun for Everyone

Trans­port your col­leagues back to the era of neon, big hair, and unfor­get­table hits. An 80s trib­ute band like Back To The 80’s can ener­gise your event with clas­sics from Madon­na, Wham, Jour­ney, Duran Duran, and more. 

For a slight­ly dif­fer­ent take, acts like 80s Smash Hits fea­ture top UK musi­cians who have shared stages with music leg­ends, ensur­ing a live­ly and authen­tic expe­ri­ence. Or choose Mega 80’s Anthems for high-ener­gy per­for­mances packed with icon­ic hits, live­ly dance, and immer­sive audi­ence par­tic­i­pa­tion. These acts are per­fect for cre­at­ing a fun, nos­tal­gic vibe and get­ting every­one on the dance floor.

Tip: Encour­age retro out­fits and neon acces­sories to ful­ly embrace the 80s vibe and make the night even more immersive.

2. Vin­tage Singing Acts: Classy and Timeless

If you want to set a more sophis­ti­cat­ed tone, a vin­tage act is the per­fect choice. The Bee­hives and Vin­tage Vox are ele­gant trios that bring the charm of the ear­ly 20^th cen­tu­ry to your event. With beau­ti­ful har­monies and a reper­toire of wartime and vin­tage clas­sics, these acts cre­ate a relaxed, classy atmos­phere that’s ide­al for min­gling, drinks recep­tions, or more for­mal cor­po­rate cel­e­bra­tions.

Tip: Pair vin­tage music with clas­sic cock­tails to ele­vate the fes­tive expe­ri­ence and trans­port your guests back to the glam­our of the past.

3. Trib­ute Acts: From Michael Bublé to ABBA

A trib­ute act can bring the mag­ic of some of the world’s most icon­ic artists straight to your par­ty. If you want smooth, classy vibes, our Michael Bublé trib­ute is one of the best in the UK. He’s a show­man who charms the crowd, fills the room with ener­gy, and keeps your guests talk­ing about the per­for­mance long after the night ends. Per­fect for seat­ed din­ners, drinks recep­tions, or full-on dance floor cel­e­bra­tions.

For a fun, high-ener­gy expe­ri­ence, con­sid­er our Katy Per­ry trib­ute. This act cap­tures the vibrant per­sona and pop hits of Katy Per­ry, ensur­ing your col­leagues get a colour­ful and unfor­get­table performance.

Or, for some­thing tru­ly time­less, our ABBA trib­ute band brings a touch of glam­our and nos­tal­gia. As Surrey’s pre­mier ABBA trib­ute, this act has per­formed glob­al­ly, includ­ing West End shows, and is renowned for enter­tain­ing at pres­ti­gious cor­po­rate events. Expect sing-alongs, spec­tac­u­lar har­monies, and a guar­an­teed dance floor full of fes­tive cheer.

Tip: Choose a trib­ute act based on your team’s favourite artist or decade to cre­ate max­i­mum engage­ment and a night every­one will remember.

4. Soul and Live Music Bands: Add Ener­gy and Atmosphere

For a more ener­getic and soul­ful vibe, con­sid­er Soul Force. With over 15 years of expe­ri­ence per­form­ing at wed­dings, par­ties, and cor­po­rate events, this vibrant sev­en-piece band knows how to get every guest on their feet. Fea­tur­ing two pow­er­house vocal­ists, a tight rhythm sec­tion, and a punchy brass line­up, Soul Force deliv­ers unfor­get­table per­for­mances full of rhythm, emo­tion, and dancing.

For high-end cor­po­rate events, Anthem brings lux­u­ry show­band flair with mul­ti­ple vocal­ists, sax, and trum­pet. Their pol­ished per­for­mances are per­fect for cre­at­ing a glam­orous, live­ly atmos­phere while keep­ing ener­gy lev­els high through­out the evening.

If you’re look­ing for some­thing more inti­mate or relaxed, the Ridges Acoustic Duo is ide­al. Based in Lon­don, this tal­ent­ed duo offers ele­gant acoustic per­for­mances per­fect for wed­ding cer­e­monies, drinks recep­tions, or cor­po­rate events where you want back­ground music that adds sophis­ti­ca­tion with­out over­pow­er­ing conversation.

Tip: Ask them to mix in a few Christ­mas clas­sics with their soul­ful style for an extra fes­tive twist that keeps the dance floor live­ly all night.

5. Old School Rock and Roll: Fun and Authentic

Bring clas­sic rock ​’n’ roll to your cor­po­rate par­ty with ener­getic bands per­form­ing hits from the 50s and 60s. Acts like Cadil­lac, a pop­u­lar 4‑piece par­ty band cov­er­ing Sur­rey, Hamp­shire, Sus­sex, Kent, Lon­don, and Berk­shire, or Alpha, known for their high-ener­gy per­for­mances in Sur­rey and Hamp­shire, can cre­ate a live­ly, fun atmos­phere. Jam Ses­sion, anoth­er well-regard­ed band from Wales and the West, offers floor-fill­ing songs that cater to all ages.

Tip: Per­fect for themed par­ties, think about retro décor, clas­sic cock­tails, and a night full of dancing.

6. Bands That Span Decades: Some­thing for Everyone

For a crowd with diverse musi­cal tastes, choose a band that cov­ers mul­ti­ple decades. Acts like Chique, the pre­mier UK cor­po­rate par­ty band, deliv­er inno­v­a­tive musi­cal mashups and cut­ting-edge per­for­mances, blend­ing clas­sics from the 50s through to mod­ern hits to keep every­one enter­tained. For a more lux­u­ri­ous touch, Anthem, a Hamp­shire-based show­band, fea­tures sax­o­phones, trum­pets, and mul­ti­ple vocal­ists, mak­ing them a stand­out choice for high-end cor­po­rate events.

Tip: Bands that span decades are per­fect for mixed-age teams or large cor­po­rate par­ties, ensur­ing there’s some­thing for every­one to enjoy.

7. 90s Par­ty Bands: Nos­tal­gia Hits

A 90s par­ty band is per­fect for col­leagues who want a throw­back to their youth. Hits from the Spice Girls, Nir­vana, and oth­er icon­ic artists bring instant nos­tal­gia and ener­gy. For a fun and slight­ly dif­fer­ent twist, 90’s Nashville offers authen­tic 90s coun­try tunes, per­formed by top UK ses­sion musi­cians, per­fect for cre­at­ing a live­ly and mem­o­rable night.

Tip: Pair with 90s-inspired dec­o­ra­tions or a mini quiz to enhance the expe­ri­ence and get every­one join­ing in the fun.

8. Jazz Ensem­bles: Smooth and Sophisticated

A jazz ensem­ble cre­ates a relaxed, styl­ish atmos­phere, per­fect for drinks recep­tions, min­gling, or net­work­ing events. Bands like Mid­night Stan­dards, a 5‑piece Lon­don-based jazz and swing band, bring vin­tage charm and a ver­sa­tile reper­toire that adds charis­mat­ic sophis­ti­ca­tion to any cor­po­rate par­ty.

For a more con­tem­po­rary twist, Popline offers a Post-Mod­ern Juke­box style per­for­mance with soul­ful vocals backed by a full swing and jazz band, mak­ing them ide­al for events where ener­gy and ele­gance need to blend seamlessly.

If you pre­fer a retro feel, Slim­line pro­vides a clas­sic jazz back­drop, per­fect for cre­at­ing a warm, invit­ing atmos­phere for your guests to min­gle and enjoy the fes­tive season.

Tip: Jazz ensem­bles are per­fect for cor­po­rate events where net­work­ing or client enter­tain­ment is a pri­or­i­ty, offer­ing music that impress­es with­out over­pow­er­ing conversation.

Bonus Tips for Choos­ing the Right Entertainment

• Know your audi­ence: Con­sid­er age range, music pref­er­ences, and ener­gy levels.
• Venue con­sid­er­a­tions: Ensure the act fits the space, sound, and layout.
• Mix it up: Com­bine acts (e.g., jazz dur­ing drinks, 80s band for danc­ing) for variety.
• Plan for logis­tics: Check tech require­ments, set­up times, and sound levels.
• Book ear­ly: Pop­u­lar acts fill up quick­ly dur­ing the fes­tive season.

FAQs About Work Christ­mas Par­ty Entertainment

How much should I bud­get for live entertainment?

Prices vary depend­ing on band size, expe­ri­ence, and dura­tion. Small acts start around £500, while larg­er, pro­fes­sion­al bands can exceed £2,000.

Can I have mul­ti­ple acts at one event?

Absolute­ly! Many cor­po­rate events mix back­ground music, live acts, and DJ sets for a dynam­ic experience.

What’s the best enter­tain­ment for small venues?

Acoustic acts, duos, or jazz ensem­bles work well in small­er spaces with­out over­whelm­ing the room.

Make Your Cor­po­rate Christ­mas Par­ty Unforgettable

The right live enter­tain­ment can trans­form a stan­dard office Christ­mas par­ty into a mem­o­rable cel­e­bra­tion full of laugh­ter, danc­ing, and fes­tive cheer. Whether you’re look­ing for retro hits, soul­ful vibes, or sophis­ti­cat­ed jazz, there’s a per­fect band for every cor­po­rate event.

Pro tip: Start plan­ning ear­ly to secure the best acts and ensure your work Christ­mas par­ty is talked about long after the last song ends.

Need help choos­ing the right act? Con­tact us today, and we’ll guide you through the best enter­tain­ment options for your event.